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3D shaping/bending a group of objects


neospace

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How can I make a group of 3D objects bend or shape as a group? I have selected them and they act as a group to move them as a team, but want to shape them into a wave or 45 degree angle in space? attached is a screen shot of lighted group I want to shape. ThanksCapture.PNG

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I don't think it can be done using AutoCAD. I hope someone proves me wrong for your sake and because I like to be as surprised as the next person when the seemingly impossible is made possible. Remember AutoCAD is a general purpose CAD program that has to appeal to a wide variety of people and tasks. Have you any other programs at your disposal that you might attempt this with?

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If you were creating a DNA spiral I'd say use the Helix command first then the Array command with the Path option.

 

I don't use Maya so I cannot answer your question.

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Re 45 just use rotate3d.

 

This may not be useful but if you can draw the wave line rotate3d so it is in the same plane as the objects then you can drag them via ortho to snap onto the line.

 

Maybe another alternative would be to take the xy from a base point and recalc the z value using a formula and move each one they dont have to be in the true plane you would need a lisp for this.

 

I have done some sine wave surface models so it can be done.

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Dynamic Blocks are 2D, but

 

You can apply visibility states to 3D objects.

You can move/rotate/array 3D objects in the X-Y plane of the block.

The scale action works in 3D.

 

You can manipulate surfaces, faces, apply constraints, etc.

 

Your needs are unclear to me, could you show an after example?

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thank you BIGAL... this is what I want to do... make changes along the Z axis.... want to make 45 and 90 degree turns as well, maybe even spirals... can you tell me a process to this? thank you.

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it would be like taking a string of popcorn (different size popcorn) as a group and having that string turn 90 degrees in Z axis and then maybe 45 and then curve in z axis. I want to be able to be specific which objects turn from a design aspect. thank you.

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Once you group the objects they act in unison.

 

How many objects do you have?

 

How many objects have to be rotated at a 90 degree angle?

 

How many objects have to be rotated at a 45 degree angle?

 

How many objects have to curve in the Z axis and what are you using for the curve data?

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it would be 3 to 50 or so that would change direction, depending on the design aestestics. Because the "popcorn" is coming off a template that is complicated by itself, I would like to change a section of it to turn 45 or 90 or arc on Z axis vs draw the z and place "popcorn" ... In other words want to impose the 45, 90 or arc on the already set up string vs. re-aligning each one again.... because the x and y was placed by hand already.

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I don't know how you would do this sort of thing automatically, with any program, especially if you require precise accuracy. There are too many variables. Maybe if you were doing the same repetitive task over and over again, you might be able to automate the process, but you're designing and making changes on the fly which are dependent on the design itself and will probably never be the same thing twice. There is no way to automate the design process. You have to just do it.

 

If you already have the X and Y values in place, it should be a fairly simple task to manually adjust the Z elevations and rotate each object according to its position in the design.

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