i’d like to make a parabolic curve, as a guidance for a hanging chain. how would i do it?
Well,
first of all, an hanging chain does not follow a parabola, but a different curve ‘catenaria’ in italian, which means 'the curve an hanged chain describes
Such a curve is, mathematically, an hyperbolic cosine
cosh(x) = exp(x)+exp(-x)
In any case to do such things, use python.
Stefano
thats what i meant.
hmm, so theres no easy way to do it in blender? perhaps it would be a nice feature to put in…?
alltaken suggested plotting the points on the grid, as in a line, then turning subsuf on…
Just trace a diagram of the correct curve, extrude a line segment that follows it, and is evenly spaced, vertice wise, and use dupliverts on it with your chain link object. maybe subdivide your line segment to make more vertices.
its ok, found a pic of it and used it as a BG image and traced over it
Oh please,
just look a some chain, wire, or even a piece heavy twine and draw something close. Artist have done just that for ages. Naked eye observation has some limitations and they couldn’t figure out properly the galop of a horse but those are not problems you’re likely to encounter.
As for the method I would myself dupliframe along a curve on link essetially vertical and the other one horizontal and then play with IPOs to introduce variety in it. A bit complex to master but extremely powerful and versatile.
Jean