Path extrude
 

I'm trying to do an extrude along a path (what I used to refer to as a sweep before Maya). I've gotten it to work as a tube extrude, but what I want to do next escapes me.

Is there a way to control the scale of the tube over the length of the extrude? What I mean by this is can I control the tube getting thinner and thicker anywhere?

Thanks,
-dann

right now i cant remember as maya was blown with the hdd... but ill say that if you cant achieve that with basic extrude tool make the long cureve a motion path and then motion trail the small one and then scale to taste n loft the trail of small curves...



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trying to retrieve files from a damaged hdd is sooo damn boring that i have surfed more than im my whole life...

Dragon,

Thanks for the quick reply, but I don't know how to do what you suggest. What is motion trailing?

it creates copys of what you tell it based on movement along time, but once you do it the copys remain, no matter at what frame you are... the command should be near of the motion path one... if my memory doesnt fails... test it

Yes, its in a tutorial with a spiral staircase if my memory serves. Hmmm, I'll have a hunt around, but dont remember where I got it from, only that Ive seen it.

According to the docs on the extrude tool...

"Scale:
Scales the profile curve as it is extruded along the path curve. Higher values cause the surface to stray from the path, especially with rotation."

However I've tried this with ever combination of settings, with the pivot point in many different locations, and it does not do this!!

Ugh! Figured it out. You have to have the profile shape at the location where the path starts. When Maya says it will scale from the pivot, they mean the pivot of the profile, not the path. That's a bit ass backwards if you ask me.