Circular Array 3DSMAX

AlexLegg

This may be a very simple question, but I'm using 3DSMAX and want to create a circular array, several rows deep and with each object in each successivelyrow evenly spaced.

I can create a circular array several rows deep (see image), but with each row the gap between the objects gets larger. I want this gap to be the same size between every object.

Is there any easy way to do this?

Hope this makes sense.

AlexLegg

Unless I am misunderstanding, that will just produce the same results as I have in the image.

I probably haven't explained myself very well!

I want each object in each row to have the same spacing away from the object next to it. So this would mean that each successive row would have more and more objects in it - to keep the spacing even.

BadgerBaiter

Oh, so each following row would increase by 1 object (probably)? assuming we start off the array at 0 then adding 1 to the following row and so on and so forth....?

AlexLegg

Yeah thats right. The increase in number would depend on the size of gap I guess.

The only ways I can think are to either eyeball it, or make a new array for each row and increase the count until it looks like the same gap between the objects.

I'm sure there must be a better more accurate way to do it though.

martinszeme

Just copy objects in a row then group them, then adjust groups pivot point to its side and again copy-rotate the whole group to get circular array. Ungroup and voila.

Noors

I guess that's what you want. Yeah it requires a bit math, but i'm not even sure the space could be exactly the same. Each circle has the double of spheres than the previous here.

edit: ok got it, that's not exactly what you want. Yeh i guess you have to play with perimeters, sphere radius and their count. Still, it's like a golf ball, and i doubt it can be mathematically possible to have the exact same spacing. Well, i pass my turn !

AlexLegg

martinszeme, I don't quite follow what you mean. especially the part about moving the pivot to the side, then copy rotate. That sounds like it would create a mess! - not a neat circle.

Noors, that image IS pretty much what I want to do. To be fair the image I posted was a test, so the spacing isn't exactly what I would need, it was just an arbitrary value I put in. I think the spacing I would want would either be half or the same width. Purely based on what looks nicer!

AlexLegg

One way I have just thought of (I can't test my theory until I get home), is to create a cylinder, say 10cm wide at 0 0. Then make a copy with a 10cm gap between them. Then make an array of the second cylinder with a 10cm gap between each. Hopefully using the cylinder at the origin will have given the correct spacing for the first row!

Then create another cylinder with a 10cm gap apart from the first row, and create another array with double the count.

My maths is not the best, so this may not work. In my head it sound resaonable though!

martinszeme

Images for my previous post:

http://min.us/mvnEFSj#1

AlexLegg

Thanks for taking the time to do that martinszeme. The results look the same as mine in my original image though, which is not quite what I was after.

AlexLegg

The image Noors posted is more what I'm after, but maybe with more spacing between the objects.

However, something like this image would be good if I couldn't get perfect spacing.

martinszeme

Ah, this one is also easy. Create a ball in the centre of the scene, copy it to the right and move its pivot point to the centre of the scene (0,0,0) copy rotate it 5 times (60 degrees) so there are 6 nice balls around the first ball. Again copy and moe the right side ball to right. Again move its pivot to the centre, copy it around and you should have another ring. Do it several times. If you will copy-move those ball exactly each time you should get something similar. Sometimes you would need to select one of the ring and rotate so it "fits" in the pattern.

AlexLegg

Thanks again. That may do the trick. I'll experiment later!