duplicate along curve
 

is it possible to deform an object along a path? I mean like with the bend deformer, but I would need to use a drawen curve.

thx

how do you mean? an object is moving along a motion path and deforms more as it goes?

something deforms following the curve?

you can extrude along a curve, but i don't think it can be animated... there was a thread about that and i don't think anyone was able to find a solution...

You can deform an object that is attatched to a motion path by using a flow path object.

It makes a lattice that is linked to the curve and uses it to deform your object around corners.

oh is that what he was asking about? lol

actually I mean ->


I have a window (pCube). and I have a curve. now i have to duplicate this window about a 100 times along this curve. the windows should be located right next to another and be orientated tangentially to the curve. I found scripts like duplicateAlongCurve or deformAlongPath (or something like that). Problem is ->

each script uses either the CVs from a curve to place the duped objects or you can place random object but they dont fit the curve´s tangent. So I wrote some lines of code to do that automatically, but for some reason it doesn´t work like I want. (MEL noob I am)

I ended by duplicating the objects in a straight line, created a straight Joint chain in the ecaxt length of my curve, applied an IK spline handle to the chain, then used the original curve as blendshape for the spline curve. and voilá - after smooth skinning the wondows to the joints I shaped it into the right form.

but

this is a bit of a drastic workflow. so I wondered if there isn´t any easier way to duplicate objects along a curve (unrespecting the curve´s CVs but using the curve´s tangent for object orientation)


thx for replies mates!



edit:
modified the title cause it was confusing as I didn´t mean deforming but duplicating along a curve.

well couldn't you create the curve how you want it, then rebuild it with the amount of cvs as you need windows?

I did try. but matter of fact is that a curve´s CVs are not placed in regular intervals but closer to each other at the end of the curve than in the middle of it. this is why I have all over the curve different intervals between CVs - even when the difference might be very small - it has to be very precise and I cannot use this method.

if i remember correctly, there should be something in the help files about creating instances along a motion path... try looking that up.