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Automatically updating Spacing Tool

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MLB
Posted: 02 June 2009 10:32 PM

Total Posts: 323
Joined: 21 July 2008 11:22 AM

I’d like some extra functionality in the spacing tool.

- The array that is created with the spacing tool should remain editable. Changes in the path should show up in the array. Likewise the other settings like spacing, follow etc.

- ‘Follow’ should have the option to lock certain axes.

MLB

3D Studio DOS to 3ds Max 2010
Windows XP 64
NVidia Quadro FX 3700
Dual Quad Xeon, 6Gb Ram

Replies: 1

yes absolutely right. i think as a modifier it would be great.

Author: andre01

Replied: 29 September 2009 01:21 AM

Chris Medeck

Chris Medeck
Posted: 30 September 2009 10:26 AM

Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Total Posts: 3004
Joined: 31 October 2007 12:38 AM
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Itoosoft has a free plugin called Clone. Does exactly what you want. Check it out!

3DS Max Design 2011 64-bit - Advantage Pack
Dell Precision T5500, Dual Six Core Xeon X5650 @ 2.67GHz, nVidia Quadro 5000, 24 GB RAM, Win 7 Enterprise 64-bit
Minneapolis, MN, USA

Replies: 1

The Itoo plugin is great (I use it all the time), but it doesn’t support cloning along a path.

MLB

Author: MLB

Replied: 15 October 2009 02:37 AM

Gary Hasler

Gary Hasler
Posted: 15 October 2009 12:22 PM

Location: Penticton, British Columbia
Total Posts: 569
Joined: 26 September 2007 12:46 AM
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MLB 03 June 2009 05:32 AM

...The array that is created with the spacing tool should remain editable. Changes in the path should show up in the array…

This is possible to some extent using the Scatter object!...turn the path into a mesh object with one vertex where you want each copy to go, and scatter the copies along it using the Each Vertex setting.

--3ds Max Design 2009 64bit, Direct3D 9, Win Vista Premium 64, 3ghz quadcore Xeon, Quadro FX1700--

Replies: 1

That’s an interesting workaround. I tried it, but can’t find a way to get a mesh with only vertices at the places i want the objects to go.

I made a spline, added ‘normalize spline’ modifier to get an even vertex spacing and an ‘extrude’ modifier to get a mesh. Problem is that the extrusion obviously has a row of vertices too much…

MLB

Author: MLB

Replied: 16 November 2009 06:58 AM

MLB
Posted: 11 May 2010 08:13 PM

Total Posts: 323
Joined: 21 July 2008 11:22 AM
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This does exactly what i want:

http://www.vg2max.spb.ru/clone.htm

It’s not free though…
Functionality like this should be standard in Max.

MLB

3D Studio DOS to 3ds Max 2010
Windows XP 64
NVidia Quadro FX 3700
Dual Quad Xeon, 6Gb Ram

Replies: 0

MLB
Posted: 09 February 2011 09:38 PM

Total Posts: 323
Joined: 21 July 2008 11:22 AM
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Itoo Railclone does this. Costs 150E though.

3D Studio DOS to 3ds Max 2010
Windows XP 64
NVidia Quadro FX 3700
Dual Quad Xeon, 6Gb Ram

Replies: 0

Midge

Midge
Posted: 24 March 2011 10:13 PM

Location: Antwerp
Total Posts: 30
Joined: 27 October 2009 08:23 AM
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You should check out the Object Paint tool in the Graphite Modeling tools.

It allows you to clone objects over a spline.

i7-2600K, 16GB RAM, GeForce 560 Ti - Win7 SP1 - Max 2011 SP2 / 2012 SP2

Replies: 0

ampersand

ampersand
Posted: 25 May 2011 02:13 PM

Total Posts: 148
Joined: 30 June 2008 12:56 PM
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Good call MLB, I’ve just wasted two hours trying to get the spacing tool to do what I want.
If you have a large number of objects and want precision, don’t waste your time with the spacing tool, it’s infuriating quirky and useless.
No real-time update is just retarded, the array has it because it makes sense...why not the spacing tool ?
Typical responses here tho, all you get is dodgy workarounds, or the usual “paid” options.
I doubt the spacing tool has been updated since Max 3.1....don’t hold your breath. ;)

Replies: 0

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