mcjTransport, model/animate spline based tubes - Version 1 is out !!
Download page and manual --> https://sites.google.com/site/mcasualsdazscripts2/mcjtransport
using this script you'll be able to create curvy tubes in 3d space, right here in Daz Studio
the method is similar to mcjRibbons https://sites.google.com/site/mcasualsdazscripts/mcjribbons
( which, by the way, lets you model an infinity of things )
but makes use of something called "parallel transport" described here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_transport
you'll be able to create and adjust "control points"
based on those points, the smooth tube will be created by the script ( this takes only 1 or 2 second )
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version history
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sept 24 9 pm Version for DS1 and DS2
sept 24 early morn. Version 3 limited the maximum segments to 4096 to prevent accidents
sept 23 9:15pm Version 2
sept 23 9pm Version 1
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Comments
spiraling cord
This looks super, great for so many things. Coming soon I hope :)
possibly tomorrow !
but if you read this tomorrow, then it's possibly today
it could be yesterday!
ok lets say, possibly saturday september 8th
maybe 1day later if it's for the good cause of increased ease of use :)
Wow - that is damned impressive!
By the way, your Jump script is brilliant in DS4.5 when a Geometry Shell is created for a prop the shell has (for me, thus far) appeared offset from the original item - a quick firing up of your script sorts it all out :)
Thanks for replying. I think we can all manage to wait a little while longer. I really like the 60s telephone cable, that would be a nightmare to model properly.
well i updated the hpatch/hblock figures ( https://sites.google.com/site/mcasualsdazscripts2/hpatchc-and-hblockc ) so, the tube maker thingie isnt ready .. but, yeah the s word . . . soon :)
well today too i didnt have much time to put on the tube thing
though i did advance a bit
still there's a 'flippin angle" issue to fix
i'd say it will be ready this week :)
the silver lining is, i get to make new images that will decorate the web-page for this script
Nice work, looks like it will be a lot of fun. Thanks for the hard work.
the moment i fix the kink ( seems to be a problem with angles near 180° ) ... i think i'll publish the script as-is.
later i'll see if this can be used to make trees
gigantic render :)
A very big render, but IE9 doesn't give me any scroll bars, so I can't see it all. At least the forum software can handle large images now.
Impressive work!
WOW! This is going to be very useful - I can think of a lot of applications!
Thanks!
Good news. Ther is no "flippin angle" issue to fix, the script was just doing what it was told.
so, in the image below, you can see how it works.
using a script named mcjZeroTubeMaker, i created a 6 sides by 64 segments tube
that tube is initially so deflated that it's invisible ( hence the name zeroTube )
on the ground, i placed a photo of a real-life paperclip (a textured primitive plane )
i switched to the top-view camera
then i animated the sphere held by Amy (Aiko3)
the animation starts at frame 0 and ends at frame 64 (since our ZeroTube has 64 segments)
the red dots on the photo correspond to the animated sphere's keyframes
at frames 0, 3, 6, 9 ....... 63, 64
then i executed the mcjTransport script
and the zeroTube was inflated and bent to become the paperclip !
hmmm...I've always been partial to green paperclips. This script should be very handy. Thanks for creating it. I can't wait to put it to use.
REALLY looking forward to this. The script is going to have so many uses.
Will the script support texturing (UV mapping)? One of the images is showing the checker pattern but that could be a Procedural or a Cycles shader...
yes there is a UV map,
shown below is the texturing template for a 5 sides by 64 segments tube
note that all this is doable (since 2010) using mcjRibbons https://sites.google.com/site/mcasualsdazscripts/mcjribbons
the difference is that the new script is that you'll just have
to create the path, and the script will take care of keeping the "tube" non-kinked
UV maps make me happy :cheese: I remember checking mcjRibbons out when it came out but the "Usage" bit on on the page was (and still kinda is) bit too intimidating to give it a whirl...
I did somewhat recently "rediscover" your mcjWarp (my old rig couldn't really handle it well enough). It turns out to be really handy for "fitting" dynamic clothing before draping them - especially since you don't need clean looking morphs for that purpose.
well mcjWarp intimidates me ! :)
next time i get back to it i may add an UnDo, that's the main missing element to make it less stressful to use :)
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acid test of the upcoming script, a marching band French horn
Amy touting mcjTransport's horn
It is KEWL! You could make a whole Brass Section.
actually i was hoping that you would make the rest of the brass section
kidding kidding
I really should have said 'one' could make a whole brass section, but you never know, I might surprise everyone :)
see, one of the advantages of mcjTransport over mcjRibbons, is that the script takes care of making sure the tube doesn't get twisted, which would result in a strangulated tube.
but mcjRibbons has the advantage that you can specify and modulate the shape of the section of the tube
whereas mcjTransport, for now, can only make tubes with circular sections
but maybe i'll devise a mcjTransport-to-mcjRibbons conversion button
and vice-versa
It looks like a really nice clean mesh too.
still not quite ready
there's bizarre things happening near the control points
i compensate by tweaking my control points
but that's not what we want, we want the control points to be masters of the tubeverse
--
if the tube's interior was a pure mirror, i don't think we'd see darkness
else it would mean that some rays are trapped in the tube, which i doubt is possible
... though, after googling it, it's interesting to see that "trapping light" is a very active research field
and in recent years graphene seems to be a gamechanger
and read about opalescence
Absolutely amazing. I can't think of a more general-purpose tool, or one that we have needed for so long.
as some know, this summer i posted the mcjSuperLathe script, which, among other things, lets you create curves using your mouse
well mcjTransport will be able to load those curves and use them as the tube profile
you could use this to make complicated stair handrails
in the image below, i was making a 300-ohm twin lead for VHF/FM antennas
You sir are genius, and an incredibly generous genius too *patiently waiting for the script to be released*
the last touch
image 2 : you can see the texture can get slightly stretched or compressed,
that's the last function i'll add to the script
meaning the release is nigh
image 3 : (posted 10 minutes later) shows that it works !
image 1 to do now, fix the UV Map, laterally
image 4 shows the lateral UV spacing after the fix
i'd say tomorrow, is the likely release date
Fig 1 : after fixing the UVs to remove stretching, the script will suggest tiling for 1:1 ratio texturing
Fig 3 : the script can weld the ends of the tube together
the texture defect is being investigated as we speak
oops think i got it, i was trying to stretch a 128 segments tube on a 32 segments path
fig 4. tube-ends-welding functionality completed