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FusionDG
03-27-2003, 09:16 PM
Hi all,

I wanted to pick your brain on how you would tackle doing stairs? :hmm:

I want to model them in C4D. This is for a Grand staircase that is semi-circle in shape. They also have rather decorative inserts within the rail itself. What would be the best way to:

1. Copy the treads as they curve along the X/Z axis while rising along the Y axis?
2. Copy the rail insert along the same X/Z axis while rising along the Y axis?

I imagine that I can just use the SWEEP Nurbs tool for the handrail.

Any ideas for the 1st two? :shrug:

Thx,

Paul
flingster
03-27-2003, 11:04 PM
i thought a staircase example was in the manual.(clone tool)

also checkout stair plugin
http://www.bookwoodarts.de/pe/

for fancy wrought iron work i would use solid splines plugin...others might have better ideas though.
http://www.tools4d.com/
:thumbsup:


(ps. no i don't work for paul everett!!)
JIII
03-28-2003, 12:50 AM
If you want objects to follow a path I think you can do align to spline on a null. but I am not sure.
JIII
03-28-2003, 12:52 AM
gaaahhh well I cant get it to work right now but i remember in the distant past being able to put a large ground of objects along a spline path
JIII
03-28-2003, 12:55 AM
Use the arrange function to specify a path thats it.
FusionDG
03-28-2003, 02:43 PM
Hi guys,

All of this is just what I was looking for.

@flingster:

Well i feel rather stupid seeing as the manual actually uses my need as the example of how to use the clone tool :rolleyes:

Ahh, it's Friday :D

best,

paul
Srek
03-28-2003, 03:04 PM
Hi,
it seems distributing objects along splines is often requested lately. Please find a new example on this on my website. www.bonkers.de (http://www.bonkers.de)
It works basicaly like the arrange function from CINEMA but it's dynamic and can be animated. Every child of the controlling Null object will be distributed along the given spline.
Hope this helps
Srek
flingster
03-28-2003, 03:06 PM
heh heh....done that myself.
let us know how you get on.

(had a mess about with it last night..10 min job and looked rough...but sure it can be done successful. remember to move step/stair axis and then clone...also might be worth actually building one whole step including support and rail, bannister etc and then clone...think you'll get better and easier results that way.):shrug:
FusionDG
03-28-2003, 03:33 PM
Hi Srek,

thanks for the pointer. I checked out your site example and that 's a very powerful example, more than i really need.

I downloaded the scene and hopefully i'll be able to reverse engineer it to understand it enough to use the knowledge in my own scene. I have zero knowledge of expresso, so it will be interesting. Thx for your help.

@ flingster:

he he, glad i'm not the only one doing stupid stuff here :D

I'll keep everyone posted.

Thx,

Paul
Srek
03-28-2003, 04:06 PM
I replaced the scenefile on my website with a documented version New Scene (http://www.bonkers.de/r8/xp/xp_arrange.zip). Hope this helps to understand it.
Regards
Srek
FusionDG
03-28-2003, 06:05 PM
Thx Srek,

I'm going to try tackling this after lunch!

Best,

paul
malc0lm
03-28-2003, 11:47 PM
Hi!
I did a circle shaped stairway in 7.3 XL by doing a straight stair and then assigning the bend thingy to bend it like the circle shape I wanted... Havnt tried anything like that since then so I dont know if its any good technich, but it did the job...


Cheers
FusionDG
03-29-2003, 10:13 PM
Originally posted by malc0lm
Hi!
I did a circle shaped stairway in 7.3 XL by doing a straight stair and then assigning the bend thingy to bend it like the circle shape I wanted... Havnt tried anything like that since then so I dont know if its any good technich, but it did the job...


Cheers

oh, that sounds like a simple idea. i may try that also.

so many ways to tackle a challenge :D

BTW, I did try the stair plug-in, it is wonderfully simple!
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