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Cloners won’t follow dynamic spline
Posted: 26 February 2021 01:14 AM   [ Ignore ]  
Total Posts:  17
Joined  2016-03-31

I’m trying to get cloner objects to follow a dynamic spline with a softbody tag. I have the Cloner set to Object mode and have it aligned on the spline at frame 0, but I it doesn’t follow the spline. I’ve tried baking the spline dynamics, exporting it as an alembic, I tried it with hair spline dynamics, and nothing has worked. Ideally, the cloners objects’ geometry would also be accounted for in the dynamics, but I’ll take just getting them aligned with the spline. Thanks for any help!

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Cloner dynamic spline problem.zip  (File Size: 62KB - Downloads: 147)
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Posted: 26 February 2021 03:13 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]  
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Edit: new solution available, thanks to Noseman, in post #6 /edit

Hi kariomart,

Yes, that is a little bit tricky. Dynamic takes over and cares only about the points of the spline. Tricky – this becomes easily visible when the Sweep takes the information, and the Cloner does not. Not even with the Spline Effector or the “always” miracle-working Connect object.

Since the Sweep takes the information, the best way is to keep the Sweep as light as possible, and that is a 2 point profile. Which will produce twice the amount of clones. This results in making every second invisible.

Here is my workaround
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/7yBGM1c6Ppb6hs4xr3Sxt1Bp9wgcRmEvnJk9n8IoBY

Perhaps a different solution might be more usable?

All the best

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
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Posted: 26 February 2021 06:34 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]  
Total Posts:  17
Joined  2016-03-31

Hi Dr. Stassi,
Your scene is exactly what I was trying to accomplish! I’ve been trying to understand how you set it up and have a few questions.

1. How/why is the Sweep4Cloner sweep nurbs functioning and why do you use the 2-point spline to sweep along the other?
2. I see the “Hide Selection” Plain Effector is hiding a second offset copy of the cloners. Where are they coming from?
3. I’ve been trying to adjust the dynamics of the Sweep4Cloner. What would make the spline less stiff?

Thanks very much for the help!

Kariomart

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Posted: 26 February 2021 07:03 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]  
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Hi Kariomart,

The object that is produced with the Sweep is (as you know) based on the path and the profile. Since I’m only interested in setting a clone to a vertex, I would love to just sweep a single-point profile along. That is not working, but two points work. So I get two points, whereby I want only one.
To eliminate the double amount of the resulting clones, a formula is used in the MoGraph Selection tag.
mod(id;2)=1
Which reads, if the remainder if ID/2 = 1, then the value is one; otherwise, it is 0. Zero means not selected in this context, and 1 will give the information it is selected. With that, I can call up the option to hide selected in the MoGraph menu.

I think if you like to dive deeper into this:
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/siggraph_2016_rewind_-_chris_schmidt_creating_advanced_controllable_dynamic

Perhaps this might give you some ideas
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/cv-dynamic_connector_automatically_place_dynamic_hinges_motors_and_springs

All the best

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
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Posted: 26 February 2021 07:29 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]  
Total Posts:  17
Joined  2016-03-31

Thanks again!

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Posted: 26 February 2021 07:33 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]  
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You’re very welcome, Kariomart.

Enjoy your project.

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
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Posted: 04 March 2021 07:11 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 6 ]  
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Hi Kariomart,

Please have a look here:
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaylist/swordfish_talos_-_breakdown_animated_cables/swordfish_talos_-_animated_cables_stable_meshes_motion_blur

Download the “Files” (link below the tutorial).

This workflow allows you to set this up with just a connector and the provided Python tag/Spline.
Screen-capture (one minute)
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/OeqDf9OFwez5KbercQzlnfCMKCDVQAQs9aIaSiso5Ef

Enjoy.

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

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Posted: 04 March 2021 07:22 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 7 ]  
Total Posts:  17
Joined  2016-03-31

Thanks for this! It definitely seems helpful.

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Posted: 04 March 2021 07:32 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 8 ]  
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You’re very welcome, Kariomart.

Thanks again for the question; based on it, I was able to see the connection to the new tutorial series.

I have added a short screen capture to post #6.

Cheers

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

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