Project Tool - New Mode Project Curve

[Kevin McAllister 1,153]

The Project Tool is very powerful but ironically there's one thing it doesn't do - project a curve onto a surface without trimming or adding. I would like to project a curve onto a surface and just have the resulting curve....

Kevin

[zoomer 1,082]

+1

[Benson Shaw 575]

+1

Maybe some modes or a couple approaches would be good. Riffing on this:

One approach (I think this is Kevin's initial wish) - Adjust the view to show curve(s) and the target surface. This indicates direction of the projection. Then Project to create a new curve "pressed" onto the surface so that all points and edges are coincident with the surface. It does not trim or clip the surface.

Another approach is to have a new "Working Surface" or Constrain to Surface, similar to working plane. This is sort of a tatoo process. It creates editable objects with points and edges constrained on the target surface. Work flow: Select or otherwise designate a surface(s) to receive objects. Draw with 2d or 3d tools. The points and edges of the new objects are all constrained to the surface. Future edits with Reshape tool are also constrained to the surface. I guess any 2d objects would automatically convert to NURBS or 3d polys constrained on the target surface. Or maybe there is a new series of surface aware drawing tools.

Working Surface also needs a mapping function similar to Surface Array. Draw or select any 2d objects (and/or 3d?) to map onto the target surface. These objects do not have to exist in same view with the target surface, or even be in the same file. Work Flow: Select/Copy the objects. Select the working surface. Select a mapping origin point on the surface, a control direction & a mapping scale. Paste the selection. VWX maps the selection onto the surface. Points and edges constrain to the surface. Edit any of the objects, the origin, control direction, or scale - the objects remain constrained to the surface.

Question, If the target surface is edited, do the objects adjust to remain constrained? or do we start over with a new objects or redo the mapping steps?

-B

[Kevin McAllister 1,153]

One approach (I think this is Kevin's initial wish) - Adjust the view to show curve(s) and the target surface. This indicates direction of the projection. Then Project to create a new curve "pressed" onto the surface so that all points and edges are coincident with the surface. It does not trim or clip the surface.

This is what I'm looking though I'm not opposed to additional options. This should be really easy to add..... the tool already does it. Even if we had an "Untrim Surface" command where you could keep the trim curves like you can in Rhino.

Another approach is to have a new "Working Surface" or Constrain to Surface, similar to working plane. This is sort of a tatoo process. It creates editable objects with points and edges constrained on the target surface. Work flow: Select or otherwise designate a surface(s) to receive objects. Draw with 2d or 3d tools. The points and edges of the new objects are all constrained to the surface. Future edits with Reshape tool are also constrained to the surface. I guess any 2d objects would automatically convert to NURBS or 3d polys constrained on the target surface. Or maybe there is a new series of surface aware drawing tools.

Working Surface also needs a mapping function similar to Surface Array. Draw or select any 2d objects (and/or 3d?) to map onto the target surface. These objects do not have to exist in same view with the target surface, or even be in the same file. Work Flow: Select/Copy the objects. Select the working surface. Select a mapping origin point on the surface, a control direction & a mapping scale. Paste the selection. VWX maps the selection onto the surface. Points and edges constrain to the surface. Edit any of the objects, the origin, control direction, or scale - the objects remain constrained to the surface.

Question, If the target surface is edited, do the objects adjust to remain constrained? or do we start over with a new objects or redo the mapping steps?

-B

In Rhino this is called Flow Along Surface. Its very powerful, especially if you can accurately unwrap surfaces and do your layout on the unwrapped version first, projecting them onto the curved surface in the layout you want.

Kevin

[PVA - Jim 2,390]

Request submitted.
VE-96870