Curved Curtain

[Lee Rose]

Is there any way to create a curved curtain object?

I have a circle truss that we want to surround with a Kabuki style drop-able curtain.

[sig_eigei]

Interesting question. I could not figure out how to make a true circular curtain. My solution was to make a many sided polygon (18 segments) and draw the curtain along the edges and then delete the original shape.

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Lee -

I have a tool that does what you're needing @ http://www.landrudesign.com/LandruCurtain.zip

Add both files in the Zip file to your Plug-Ins folder. Add "Curtain From..." to your favorite WorkSpace. Create an arc where you want your curtain to end up. (Knowing you're wanting a circle, create 2, 180? arcs. Select 1 and run "Curtain From...", then do the same w. the other. You'll end up w. 2 PIOs for which you'll be able to change settings, like pleat depth and width.

Let me know how that works out for you.

Edited March 14, 2008 by C. Andrew Dunning

[sig_eigei]

404

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Try the link again. The forum software included my punctuation in as part of the link. I've removed the period and all seems to be working.

[CraigCTC]

When you say "Run 'Curtain From...'" what do you mean? I've added the two files to my Plug-Ins folder and have created the desired arcs for the curtains. But I'm a little fuzzy on the next step.

[C. Andrew Dunning]

You need to have added "Curtain From..." to one of the menus of your WorkSpace.

Once you've done that, select one of the arcs and click that menu item. If a dialog box pops up, click OK. "Curtain From..." will then insert a PIO, using the arc as a reference.

Make sense?

2 things:

1) "Curtain From..." will only work on lines and arcs.

2) If you downloaded the Zip file this morning (3/14/08), it contains updated code that will work on multiple objects at the same time.

[sig_eigei]

Hi C. Andrew,

Thanks for the plug-in and the updated link. I am having some difficulty with it. I added the plug-ins to my workspace.

I ran the tool and everything seems fine but the curtain object created seems to be invisible. Is this tool working in VW 2008 or only for v12?

Many thanks.

----

sorry - I see that the menu tool - "Curtain from..." works fine! The tool to make a curtain from scratch creates an invisible object for me even though if I do a select all the OIP shows 1 object selected - your curtain with its data. Any ideas?

Edited March 20, 2008 by sig_eigei

[C. Andrew Dunning]

The tool works in VW 12.5 or newer - including 2008.

The only questions that I'd have have to do with how you went about installing and running the files. Did you put both in your Plug-Ins folder? Did you only add "Curtain From..." to your WorkSpace? Are you running that command on a selected arc or line? The only way I get invisible (non-existent) objects is if I try to run LandruCurtain by itself - which it was not created to do.

Does this hep at all?

[sig_eigei]

"Did you put both in your Plug-Ins folder?" yes

"Did you only add "Curtain From..." to your WorkSpace?" no

"Are you running that command on a selected arc or line?" yes, and it works

"The only way I get invisible (non-existent) objects is if I try to run LandruCurtain by itself - which it was not created to do."

The command works...it's the tool that does not - I put it into a tool palate and it activates fine - it just disappears after the final step of creation - no curtain object appears although it is selected.

[C. Andrew Dunning]

And what I'm trying to say is that the tool (LandruCurtain) is not supposed to go on any tool palette. It is not written to be a stand-alone tool. It's sole purpose is to be called by "Curtain From..." If the menu command is working, then both things are, indeed, working as they should.

That help?

[sig_eigei]

Ok. Sure. But, perhaps I was confused as I found the tool available in the Tools section of my workspace browser. Maybe you're not aware of that - can I send you a screenshot?

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Not an issue - so don't worry about the screenshot. It IS a tool and IS behaving exactly how it should. It is just not a stand-alone tool.

I've now updated the brief instructions that come with these files to try to clarify installation.

[sig_eigei]

Ok - thanks for the followup. I have removed it from my Spotlight palate. I am not so familiar with the workings of vsm and vso files so perhaps that was my misstep. In any case, I appreciate the plug-in. It seems to work well. Would you consider adding the same functionality to polygons?

[C. Andrew Dunning]

Would you consider adding the same functionality to polygons?

At this point, probably not. Your best approach for that is probably to use the "Convert To Lines" command and then run "Curtain From..." on the selected lines.

[sig_eigei]

alright - that's a good trick thanks.