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Path Deform (WSM)

PeterK
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PeterK greentooth
In the words of the immortal poet Malekyth... "Arghlblarghfuck" ....

I know it has something to do with my pivot point, or reset x-form, but
why are my path deform objects never over the spline (even when I click 'move to path')?

Maybe I just can't wrap my head around the correct pivot point layout?
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  • Minos
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    Minos polycounter lvl 16
    Yeah Path Deform WSM can be a pain in the ass to get it to work. I too would like an answer to this :P
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  • Mark Dygert
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    Mark Dygert mod
    Yep, it snaps the object by its pivot so if your pivot it way off...
    Also sometimes you need to toggle the look down axis to get it right.

    Since reset Xform also reorients your pivot point to the world it can actually do more to screw up pathdeform(WSM). If you need to reset transforms try resetting Transforms and Scale in the Hierarchy tab first before going the Xform route.

    Sometimes its not your object but your spline, so also reset transforms on your spline and sometimes reset Xform gets it working too, but again screws with your pivot point so watch out.

    If its still screwing up after all that, then I think you're in uncharted waters...
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  • FAT_CAP
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    FAT_CAP polycounter lvl 18
    Also sometimes when you make a path spline from an edge selection on an object using the "Create Shape From Selection" the only way I can get the object to deform correctly to the spline is by creating a spline object like a circle> attaching this to the spline from selection> deleting the circle object and then applying the Path Deform to your object and picking the path again.

    This fixes almost any problems I come up against using Path Deform - only thing is that like Vig mentioned the centre point is often out after all this and centering it can screw the whole things up again!
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  • OBlastradiusO
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    OBlastradiusO polycounter lvl 11
    Max needs to really overhaul it's outdated unstable Path Deform tool. Modo's deformers are better.
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  • Joshua Stubbles
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    Joshua Stubbles polycounter lvl 19
    Max needs to overhaul a lot of stuff, heh
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  • Mark Dygert
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    Mark Dygert mod
    Agreed.

    Wait no, we need another viewcube-esk solution and more giant dynamic toolbars that cause lag!

    Autodesk, never look back baby, keep moving forward!
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  • OBlastradiusO
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    OBlastradiusO polycounter lvl 11
    Vig wrote: »
    Agreed.

    Wait no, we need another viewcube-esk solution and more giant dynamic toolbars that cause lag!

    Autodesk, never look back baby, keep moving forward!

    Yeah really..That was probably the most boneheaded move Autodesk could have done was install that viewcube thingy. What a worthless tool. Out of all the tools Autodesk could have improved on they come up with this.
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  • D4V1DC
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    D4V1DC polycounter lvl 18
    The users who go on autodesks site and frequents there forums should mention the overhaul, maybe take a whole year off releasing, making a public announcement and I am sure many users would agree to this, but there so hard up for year around releases it might never happen.

    It's so odd that I just happen to work with the path deformer (WSM) today, my only gripe is that I had to export my object to obj to get back to edit_poly, I tried everything in 2009 and I couldn't get back to edit poly to edit the object...

    Good luck figuring it out though.
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  • vcool
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    vcool
    $!nz wrote: »
    The users who go on autodesks site and frequents there forums should mention the overhaul, maybe take a whole year off releasing, making a public announcement and I am sure many users would agree to this, but there so hard up for year around releases it might never happen.

    It's so odd that I just happen to work with the path deformer (WSM) today, my only gripe is that I had to export my object to obj to get back to edit_poly, I tried everything in 2009 and I couldn't get back to edit poly to edit the object...

    Good luck figuring it out though.

    Yeah, you can't collapse once you have the modifier in Max 9 as well.
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  • PeterK
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    PeterK greentooth
    Vig: Thanks; I'm going to keep plugging away at it.

    Inz/Vcool: You don't need to export/import to get the deformed object into edit poly. Just go to tools--->snapshot (mesh), and it will copy it for you (as a mesh). Although, it may move the snapshot version due to odd pivot nonsense.
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  • Mark Dygert
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    Mark Dygert mod
    vcool wrote: »
    Yeah, you can't collapse once you have the modifier in Max 9 as well.
    Create a snapshot instead?

    Edit: opps should read ALL posts before replying heh... yea do what Peter said.
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  • FAT_CAP
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    FAT_CAP polycounter lvl 18
    vcool wrote: »
    Yeah, you can't collapse once you have the modifier in Max 9 as well.

    Or Right click> Collapse To on the Path Deform modifier instead of Collapse All
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  • michi.be
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    michi.be polycounter lvl 17
    Isn't there some script or plugin which can path-deform stuff in a nice fashion in max?
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