This is my first approach to spline mapping. I reviewed the 2010 MAX tutorial and tried to apply to my own element. The first attachment is showing what happens after I go from UVW mapping to unwrap UVW. Few hours later, after checking all my settings, alignements, pivots, testing model elements with xView I still don’t know why the planar gizmo (img A) of Unwrap has this long ”normal”. I think this is the reason why unwrap spline gizmo is so stretched. The long lines on img B are acually oval sections that can be scaled down, but it still results in quirky mapping. I have tried to detach front face and map it by itself and this resulted in img C. I am getting the same gizmo (for planar) even if I build this model with a sweep modifier and apply cylindrical mapping.
I like the artistic expression of all this linework but would appreciate some enlighment why this happens and how to avoid it.

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It is odd; I was not able to reproduce the issue.
I tried it even with isolated sub-object elements, but still not able to get the
“Artistic expression”. :)
Can you post a zipped file I will take a look tomorrow morning?

ivan

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Thanks. Here is the file.

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spline_mapping.zip

I don’t know what the cause of all this mess was; are the objects imported from elsewhere?
Anyway, I merged the objects into my Maxstart file (I’m using centimeters),
Reconverted all into Editable Poly (attaching the objects to native E-Poly object) and now it is working.
(Spline mapping works reliably by quad mesh, bear that in mind.)
In the attachments is also the corrected max file, you can change the display units or merge the objects into your Maxstart file and continue.

ivan

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splinemap.zip

Thank you for taking the time.
I didn’t realize that only the quads should be used. I created the front face from spline (circles). So MAX showed me what not to do. I imported your file and when I click on the Spline in Map Parameters, I get picture below. It is a matter of scaling gizmo down, but in the tutorial the gizmo wraps itself much tighter around the model. I think it is something with display setting(?) - units(?). My normal line is much longer than yours (Wrong Mesh) or the one in the tutorial file. I compared my Preferences with tutorial file’s but didn’t find differences. I will test a file with inches units and see if it makes a difference.

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Not the Display settings but the System ones are the cause of the issue.
(See Attachment.)
If by opening the file I take the “Adopt the File’s Unit Scale” option, which is the recommended one, I get the wrong gizmo (the big one), that is figure 1 containing the issue.

If by opening your file I rescale the System Units (the option is not the recommended one), I get the smaller Gizmo – figure 2 – Gizmo has the right size.
IMO, the only explanation is that something with the system units is wrong.

The only other way to get the right gizmo is the explained in my previous post. I merged the objects into my Maxstart file attached them to newly created E-poly object and everything was OK again. The Gizmo got the normal size.

Open a brand new file; define the setting you need and recreate the objects, that’s the way to go. Good luck!

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I do need feet as units here since it is an element of a building elevation.
The tutorial file is set to inches so I suspect that’s where the difference comes from. It seems to me that the gizmo size depends on the size of this normal line and when units are set to feet the normal gets its length multiplied and therefore gizmo goes wacky. If I am right that maybe some overlook in the program.

I am not familiar with merging to Maxstart other files. Can you explain?

Again thanks for your help.

If you do save a file named „maxstart“in the „scene“directory (could be also elsewhere),
Max will open this file by first launching.
That is very handy; one always has a secure file to beguine with.
It could be a file with the settings you prefer, but could also contain cameras, lights and so on if you will.
My Maxstart file is an “empty” one, saved in the scene directory and has “cm” as display and system unit settings, because those are the settings passing to my typical work.

In your particular case there is a kind of System units’ issue.
When I open your file the usual way; adopting the file’s unit settings I get the big gizmo.
(It is actually not just big it is, especially by the use of the spline mapping, stretched and wrongly scaled; corrupt.)

When I open the file rescaling the system units; converting them into cm (my settings) I get the smaller gizmo, but I’m not able to select faces in the Unwrap UVW modifier the usual way. Max allows me to select faces only at Editable Poly level.
The way around is to attach the object to a poly object created in the same scene then after deleting this “help” object I am able to select and modify the objects in the usual way without any issues.

My guess is you did by accident something with the system units.
Just a shot in the dark; did you take the tutorial file or some other file, did change the system settings into feet and continued there deleting the unnecessary objects?
If so, that is not a good method; open a completely new file, define the settings you need
and recreate the objects, that is the most secure way.

ivan

So far I just used only Maxstart.ui file so thanks for showing me how to simplify life with Maxstart.max.

If it comes to spline mapping: I will make some tests with different units and see how the outcome compares. I come from engineering background so usually I am pretty good with units, although everyone makes mistakes once in a while…
Thanks again.

Well, I don’t think the units are the problem. One thing I learned from this experience that spline mapping works mainly on lofted models.