Generating a path from coordinates/math function?

Hi all, recently i’ve been trying to find a way to model a path curve using coordinates and/or plots of functions. I’ve been searching for something on this topic but i haven’t found the answer.

Basically i’d like to be able to create a path or curve using something like a set of UV or XYZ coordinates either typed into a command line (like oldskool CAD) or better, from a list of comma separated values in a text file.

Also, is there a way to use the graph editor and f-curve mode to turn a generated function plot/polynomial/etc into control points for a curve?

Right now i’m modeling the shapes by dragging the control points on the grid from top view to manually like a caveman to create the plot, but i’d like to be able to do it by the numbers with CSV data for exact control and faster workflow. For example, (if any of you are familiar with xfoil/xflr5) when creating an airfoil i’d love to be able to use the exported plot from xflr5 (basically a CSV text file of an XY plot in the decimal range from 0 to 1) after flow analysis on the geometry to generate a curve or path with about 100 points depending on the airfoil.

So, are there any tools or tricks to turn plots into useful curves?

Thanks in advance!

h.mm, interesting, maybe it would be possible to add the coordinates to CAD or another program that supports vectors, then export the actual vector to blender, which is totally possible

Blender has a svg importer.
SVG files can be opened with a plain text editor and contain a bunch of numbers that look like they could be soordinates. Perhaps you hack something together in that way.

<edit>Or actually I´d try searching for a CSV to SVG converter first and see if there is something that works.</eidt>

csv reader not a problem
can easily make mesh or curve with it

but why do you want a path ?
it can be a simple 3D curve too !

why are you talking about f curve and UV
elaborate so we better understand what you want to do

are you making a 3D model ?
or making curves shapes in bl ?

happy bl

Thanks for the replies!<br><br>What i’m looking to do is model various manifolds and mathematical knots by the numbers precisely. I’m really interested in hyperbolic and n-space topology and have been playing with modeling mobius strips, klein bottles, and such. What i’d like to do is create 3d shapes based on various mathematical relations, number sets, or algorithms.<br><br>Those shapes and their mathematically dictated topology will be converted to meshes and prettied up into 3d art based on the math.<br><br>The only reason i’m really doing it is because i’m just a geek for stuff like this. I mentioned f-curve modeling because i found out i can use a modifier for entering expressions and using sine and log functions to plot curves in the graph editor. I just don’t know how to get that curve data from the graph editor into a set of points on a curve of any sort. Is there a way i can create a curve from the graph data?<br>

Her’e’s an example of the graph editor plotting a normalized sine,


I want to turn this plot (and many others) into a curve or a path.

And here’s some examples of the stuff i want to make with these curves, klein bottles.




I figured out a few scripting tricks last night to get me part of the way there, i plotted a curve from a set of coords using the script editor, and it seems like i should be able todo the same with a text file if i use the right libs for file operations, but i’m still stuck as to how i can get the coords from the graph editor window.