hand rails for ramp difficulty

[digitalcarbon]

i draw a polyline down the center of my 2d railing

then i convert it to NURBS

then i draw a 1.5" circle and select the NURBS and extrude along path and it works

then i do edit path and move the vertices verticaly to match the ramp slope & any landings etc

when i exit it tells me can not be done etc

what am i doing wrong?

[bclydeb]

Mechanix,

Offhand I would suggest that you are creating the pieces out of sequence.

I would try to make a polyline with the ramp (stairs, etc.) shown in a 3D elevation mode. All at the correct slopes and heights.

Then draw the circle and use extrude along path. The poly should convert to a nurbs in the process and end up being the profile you want. This may require modeling the rail in segments per each elevation view and then from top/plan view doing moves to register the railings with said ramp.

Another way to try. Make 3D loci at each point on your ramp, change their height to the desired railing height above that point. then snap a 3D polyline (unfilled 3D polygon) betwixt the 3D points. Finally draw the circle. Select the circle and 3D polyline. Use the extrude along path and get your railing model.