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Old 17th June 2006, 12:33 AM   #1
nightoftheroundtable
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Default The revolve tool

Hey dennis I have a question for you. can you make a plugin that is exactly like the revolve tool with some minor changes to it. I was wondering if you could like make the revolve also avalible for surfaces. I think if you made the revolve pluging something that you can revovle both surface and groups. I think it will yeild more improvments to come on making models. becuase I am using the revolve tool alot and would like a plugin for this one that would not only revolve the groups or object but would revolve the selceted surface as well. I hope this is a good sugesstion.
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Old 17th June 2006, 11:09 AM   #2
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Default Re: The revolve tool

Not a bad idea, but I think the feature you're looking for is the Replicator (Tools -> Replicator)? The revolve tool is good for extruding surfaces out into shapes, while the replicator does other neat things, including "revolving objects".--- the manual has some examples on how to use this tool. A very handy and often overlooked features of ac3d...

If you're looking for something else and I'm missing it, let me know.

Thanks,
Dennis
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Old 17th June 2006, 12:05 PM   #3
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Default Re: The revolve tool

actually I never really understood the Replicator I have tryed to use it in different ways yet, my projects often come out really weird. I mean when I try to make spikes on my models, and I try to make it go around the object with the replicator my spikes look like huge skyscrapers. And furthermore I did like where the revolve tool was going with how you can make different things with complety random vertices or surfaces. I was just wondering for those of us who don't understand the replicator tool, maybe you can make a simple plugin that has the features of the revolve tool, but make it to where you can make a choice wether to revolve a surface or a group.
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Old 17th June 2006, 12:31 PM   #4
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Default Re: The revolve tool

Yeah, the Replicator can seem odd until you're familiar with it. But I really think it's preferable to another plugin --- anything I would write would be simply duplicating the Replicator functions...

Do you have an example of an object/group you'd like to affect with the Replicator? If so, we could certainly post some hints on how to accomplish your goals... that would be a good topic for the boards to give a little more insight into the Replicator's usage.
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Old 17th June 2006, 12:48 PM   #5
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Default Re: The revolve tool

I do have one example at this time. One more thing on the replicator tool it seems you are given different varibles to use. but I dont understand what I am doing when placing certian numbers into those specific feilds. I think thats why I like the revolve tool better lol. anyways heres one example I am talking about on the replicator. grrr it wont let me post it. I'll host the picture on my site and will let you see what I mean.
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Old 17th June 2006, 01:00 PM   #6
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Default Re: The revolve tool

anyways here you go dennis

http://users.techline.com/drreed/example1.JPG

that pic is kinda describing what I am talking about on the replicator. when you have opened the replicator tool, it gives you different fields. Within that feild is different varibles and I do get confused on what varible does what.
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Old 17th June 2006, 03:19 PM   #7
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Default Re: The revolve tool

Not sure what you were trying to do with the image, so it's hard to say what went wrong. However, as the manual states for the fields:

"The replicator works by first duplicating (or extruding) the current selection. Second, it moves the new copy using the distances specified by Translation (X, Y, Z coordinates). Next, if there is a rotation specified, it rotates the object around the specified location. Finally if the scale fields are set to anything other than 1,1,1, the copy is scaled."

So, given the settings in your screenshot, the replicator did this with the selected surface(s):

1. Extruded the surface
2. Moved it 2 units along the X axis, 3 units along the Y axis, and 5 units along the Z axis
3. Rotated it 2 degrees on the X axis, 5 degrees on the Y axis, and 7 degrees on the Z axis. All rotations were done about the Origin.
4. Scaled the surface up 5 times on the X/Y axes, and 4 times on the Z axis.

Now, take the attached examples. In this example, I selected the right-side-center surface on a subdivided, 3x3 block.

In the first image, I told the replicator to create 8 copies of the selection, and to perform an Extrude. It's going to create 8 extruded copies of my selection.

Now, for each copy of the surface, it's going to rotate it -20 degrees on the Z axis around the Origin, and it's going to scale it down to 75% of its original size on the X/Y/Z axes. These operations happen for each extrusion, so the first extrusion will be 75% of the original size, the second extrusion will be 75% of the first extrusion's size, etc. As you can see, it doesn't take long for the surface to get pretty small doing this.

In the second example shot, the settings are the same, but the surface is moved 0.2 units up the Y axis after each extrusion.

You can achieve the same results as the second example by manually extruding the surface 0.2 units up the Y axis, then rotating -20 degrees about the origin, then resizing it to 75% of the original size. the Replicator basically just automates and repeats each step for you.

Hope that helps.
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Old 17th June 2006, 04:53 PM   #8
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Default Re: The revolve tool

ooh I am sorry. I did not state what I wanted lol my bad. I was trying to go for a complete loop on the selected surface so that I does not go through itself and look horrible. yeah some times when I try to make a loop with the replicator sometimes I get the selected surface to go up but when it trys to go around it goes through itself. makeing the rounded part look horrible
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Old 17th June 2006, 05:01 PM   #9
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Default Re: The revolve tool

ooh okay now I see how you did this lol this now opens up new possiblities for better models. Thanks dennis

Last edited by nightoftheroundtable; 17th June 2006 at 05:08 PM.
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