Use mesh as curve path?

Support Basics & Interface
1

I modelled a spring with the screw function and I want to use it as a path for animation. It is only possible with curves or is there a way to make this work?

Also, does anyone know if there is an easy way to make an object spin constantly instead of rotating, then adding keyframe for every spin.

Thanks in advance. :slight_smile:

2

two questions, one answer

no, you have to use curves

and for the continuing rotation go into the ipo window (with that object active) select the rotation curve you want to continue, and press the “extend mode exturde” button on the window header

3

Thanks for the reply. :smiley: Do you know if the screw function works with curves? Ahhh, I’ll see for myself :stuck_out_tongue:

4

iirc it doesn’t, it will not show up at all

however if you add nurbs curves and use dupliframes and join them into one object, and then skin them with the f key you may be able to achive a similar effect (someone eplain this better if that is not good enough…)

5

Forget curves, if the screw fillet is regular and the screw axis along X, Y or Z you can edit IPOs directly!

(Set a translation along the axis, set a rotation aroun the axis)

Stefano

6

Huh? :stuck_out_tongue: Sorry, I didn’t understand that. :expressionless: Nevermind. :slight_smile: I was just trying make something follow a path (I wanted to use a standard spring made with the screw function as the path) while spinning. :slight_smile:

Thanks anyway. :expressionless:

7

It is possible to create pseudo mesh paths using Soni Bardot’s OrbitMaker python script.

Here’s a quick example file I made:

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/kugyelka/blender/files/mesh_path_02.blend

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/kugyelka/blender/files/mesh_path_02b.blend

(Added a time ipo to slow up the sphere. Could have subdivided the ‘mesh path’ and rerun the script to create new loc ipo curves also)

Probably the better method, is the way S68 suggested.
Here is a file made by the IcemAn which illustrates the technique. (Check layer 2):

http://members.yourlink.net/gruff/filez/hierarchies.zip

Though I think the first method might be easier if you were to make a spring of increasing/decreasing diameter.

I am not sure if this is what you had in mind. If not let me know. Did you want the whole works to spin also?