Bend along path tool

[Recombatant 12]

Hi, I've used the bend along path tool a lot in the past. It's not working as expected in v9. It's not bending the object. No matter how I change up the settings, it's  only  making a weird version of the object i intended to bend. Any help is much appreciated. I'm on  a deadline at work and did not expect this. Thanks in advance! -Craig

[Recombatant 12]

Hi, Sorry... it's just 'Path Bend' tool now. Here are a couple of images to explain.

[¢hris £und 333]

Mine appears to be working as expected.  My initial twisted wire and curve was also were both smooth.  Join Adjacent Coplanar faces was turned off.

[¢hris £und 333]

Ok, revision.

I am able to reproduce your problem.

1 create 3 strands that are straight, parallel and adjacent to each other.

2. group the 3 strands

3 Twist with the twist tool

4 un-group,

5 color the strands,

6 group,

7 apply the "bend along path" tool.     I get your error.  if I skip 4,5,6   and do that in the end, it works fine.  Probably could color them beforehand as well.

[Recombatant 12]

Hi Chris,

Thanks very much for helping me.  I've been making these wires exactly the same way for years and years, using that same twisted bunch of wires. Now it's not working right. I'm attaching a file with the twisted  wires and a wire that was bent by me before. So you can try extracting the shape and line from the bent wire. When I try to use those same objects to make the bent wire again, it doesn't work. It does the same messed up thing. It should recreate the bent wire exactly. At least, that's the way it's worked before now.

I'm not trying to bend the whole group at one time. I make the wires and twist them together, then make a path to bend them. I select one of the grouped wires from the twisted group, one at a time, and ben them to the same path. They've always bent and matched up the twist. Now, it won't work.

The file is too large to attach... here's a link to the file...

http://www.alteredearth.com/temp/wire-twist.fmz.zip

Thanks again for helping me.

-Craig

[Recombatant 12]

Hi Chris,

It's just making me make a new twisted group of wires. It won't re-use the group I've been using over and over. If I make a new bunch of wires and twist them, it works as I'd expect. Thanks again for being there and helping. I am very appreciative.

-Craig

[¢hris £und 333]

Does it allow you to use the new ones over and over?  If so, I suspect it doesn't like something in the original construction.  Must admit, it is a bit strange.  You should probably email this as a bug to support, as they are more responsive to emails these days.

 

¢£

[Recombatant 12]

Aw,

I can't get the same result as in the past no matter what I do. I'm going to try opening in v8 and see if I can get this done.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Recombatant

[Recombatant 12]

Hi,

 

It works in v8 just like it should. Only v8 can't open my v9 files. Argh.

[¢hris £und 333]

you can backsave using the "Save A Copy As" menu item.  in there, you have a dropdown to control how far you want to backsave.

 

¢£

[Recombatant 12]

Hi Chris,

Thanks. I'm getting frazzled. I  really need  this done for tomorrow. 

[¢hris £und 333]

I am looking at 9 now.  I no longer have 8.x  Will see if I can help.

[Recombatant 12]

Hi Chris,

Just so you won't  think i'm crazy, here's a couple of images with the cabling I've made over and over again.

[¢hris £und 333]

Here is a twisted set that you can apply the bend all in 1 shot.    You do need to "separate"  them and reapply the colors.  These were "joined", not grouped.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ctdlpv0p6x3lxgw/Twist only.fmz.zip?dl=0

¢£

[¢hris £und 333]

I don't think you are crazy, As mentioned in the 3rd post, I can replicate the problem.    I fully understand the frustration.  However, I can work around it too.

The link above works for me in 9.02.  It is a reconstructed set using your circle profiles and re-extruded and twisted as a joined set.  Again, you will want to apply the whole set to the Bend Along Path.

¢£

[Recombatant 12]

Hi Chris,

When I bend your twisted and joined wires, it works and the cables all stay 'nested' or wrapped in place, and they don't overlap into the same space. Perfect!  They lose color, but if I separate them, i can color them and regroup. This is a win for me today. Thanks again for helping me. I hope I can do something good for you someday.

I've attached a image of a model I just finished. I'm 3d printing it now.

Sincerely,

-Craig

Edited April 19, 2020 by Recombatant

[¢hris £und 333]

Fantastic!  Yes, the Join tool is a bit more disruptive than the group.  When joined, it is acting more as a single object, and from what I can tell, it is this that alters the colors.

You already did help.  This is the first time I have used the bend along path tool.  You've helped further my knowledge of my favorite app.

Be well,

 

¢£

[Recombatant 12]

Hi Chris,

I'm doing the whole spacesuit life sized. I'm not really making a costume... I'm attempting to replicate a movie costume. (Oh sure, I'm going to wear it at least once. Ha!)  Here are the chest pack and backpack models and an initial print of the helmet. It needs finishing. Sanding and painting. Then I have to attempt to shape some clear 2mm plexiglass for the visor. It's going to work. I've been planning to make the helmet for 50 years. Since I first saw the movie.

-Craig

[¢hris £und 333]

Holy crap!  that is Awsome!  2001: A Space Odyssey.  Thought I recognized it.

I need to get my printer up and running again.  Makes me jealous! What do you have for a printer?  Looks like you are producing some large parts, or is it a lot of assemblies?

Nice work!

 

¢£

[¢hris £und 333]

The compound curvature is subtle on the visor, but if you are careful, you could blow form it.

[setz 628]

Interesting trivia:  Years and years ago, a friend of mine was working at MGM Studios.  One evening, as he was walking down a back alley on his way to the parking lot, he saw some guys dumping some misc interesting looking items into the trash.  He has a hobby of collecting memorabilia so he climbed in the dumpster and dug around.  Included in the items thrown away, which he rescued, were a couple of the original helmets from the film.

You model looks very nice, well done.

[Recombatant 12]

Hi,  Chris.  Thanks! I have Creality brand printers. 2 Ender 3  Pros, and a CR-10S Pro and a CR-10 Max. The Max can easily fit that whole helmet in one piece. Took 4 days. I have some improvements for another print. Quite a few of the movie props didn't get destroyed. It's a good thing. I'd certainly take them if I saw them laying around.

[Des 368]

Thanks for posting Craig 👍