I have been reading up on NURBS modelling but I have hit a problem. I have created a curve using the CV tool. Duplicated the curve and then created a NURB surface. Please see attached file. At this point, I effectively have a tube ie the ends are open (red area). How do I cap these off?

I know that I can duplicate the curves, scale them so they are really small, and then create a new surface. However, there is still technically a hole (no matter how small it is). Maybe I can put up with this but is there a way to close this hole using NURBS.

My other alternative is to use the Create Polygon tool. I would draw out the curve and then extrude the polygon (no holes problem). Works fine and I have a polygon shape rather than a NURB (which is better for me cos I am more used to polygon). However, with very curvy shapes, using the Create Polygon tool will take a long time and require alot of vertexes. In 3DS, I can create a curve (using beizer curves and therefore requiring very few vertex) and then convert that to a polygon shape (3DS then applies lots of vertexes). This step saves alot of time. In Maya, I can not convert the NURB curve into a polygon but is there a way around this in Maya.

So basically, if I use NURBS modelling, how do I cap a hole. If I cant do that, I will use polygons but is there a way to draw curves quickly that can also be converted to polygons.

Cheers

3DS Max 6 to 2009, Maya 2010
Windows XP Pro x64 SP2
NVIDIA Quadro 1700, Quad Core 2.67GHz, 4Gb RAM
http://www.beanboxanimation.co.uk

	Attachment
example01.zip

For your first question on the wonders of NURBS and those pesky holes.
A big part of modeling with NURBS is learning how to work around the holes and seams.
There is no way to make the hole ‘go away’...just like you can’t make the seams go away.
NURBS modeling is something that you should read up on if you want to seriously add it to your skill set.
There are too many details about it to put here. But the MAYA help files are a good place to start.

As for using a CV or EP Curve to make a polygon object...just select the option box next to any of the Surface Functions you may be using (loft, revolve, planar, extrude...etc) There you will find Output Geometry choices with enough options to make a grown man cry. (some for joy, some for sorrow)
For Polygons, I would suggest starting with Type Quads and Tessellation Method of Control Points and up your Initial Tessellation Controls something like 8 for U and V.

The resulting surface may or may not look anything like you want it to at first...but go to the nurbsTessellate node under the surface INPUTS [in the Channel Box] and start making changes till you get things looking the way you want.
OR you can always convert NURBS to Polys...just go to MODIFY - CONVERT - NURBS TO POLYGONS [option box]

All the best.
~Ben