Need more help

[Spinell]

I hate to ask the same question over and over again but... I need some more help fixing the array/curve modifier. Even after using this so much, I still get bugs and twisted meshes most of the times and when I do get the desired effect, it seems it was by luck only.

So my current problem is: following the tutorial that Ash made (http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Mesh/Figuring-some-details-out/m-p/1579323#M15390), I get the curve I want to use ready, place the origin onto the curve, all neat. Then, I go and get the ruffles I had made some weeks back and use the Append function to bring them over to my current blend file. I make sure to plave the origin of the ruffle mesh on the tip and then allign that with the origin of the curve. So everything seems ready to be beautifly multiplied in a circle. But when I apply the array and curve mod (array first on the stack, curve second), I get that two problems:

1. The ruffles mesh gets rotated a strange angle

2. The array modifier doesn't follow the path of the curve, even if I move it up the stack. It keeps multiplying in a straight line.

I've tried using CTRL+A and applying rotation but no use, it fixed nothing. I tried every other opetion in that very same menu, to no avail.

I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing wrong and I want to know so that I can correct it.

[Masami Kuramoto]

Things that could be wrong:

 

• Mesh and curve don't share the same location.
• Mesh and curve don't share the same rotation.
• The offset vector in the array modifier is not parallel to the deformation axis of the curve modifier.

[Ashasekayi Ra]

I can't see anything wrong in the workflow that you described. Masami already made some great suggestions of things to recheck. The only thing I can add is that I have had buggy experiences with array/curve in the past. The bugginess is usually fixed by opening/closing Blender or using append to start over in a new file with my objects.

[Spinell]

I found out that if I re-locate the origin of the cirve to another point on the curve itself, the array on the mesh works much better, but it doesn't work all the time. This certainly has to do with locations and ritations, but I haven't found a sure, full-proff solution to this problem. Usually, I manage to get things working by hammering on the steps and redoing it over and over again until blender decides to cooporate, but again, it doesn't always work.

I'm glad to know you also had a few bumpy rides with this, Ash. I thought it was just me and my learning cuve.

[Chrissy Ambrose]

To control the angles you need to go to control points in the whilst the curve is in edit (under curve menu) , choose the points where you want to change the angle and select tilt. Can get a bit wild, but can be controlled and click when you have finished Do this when you have the array modifyer on the object so you can see the effect of the tilt. .

[Masami Kuramoto]

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Spinell wrote:

I found out that if I re-locate the origin of the cirve to another point on the curve itself, the array on the mesh works much better, but it doesn't work all the time. This certainly has to do with locations and ritations, but I haven't found a sure, full-proff solution to this problem.

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This one is guaranteed to work:

 

1. Make sure you are in object mode.
2. Select the mesh object.
3. Choose Object --> Transform --> Origin to Geometry.
4. Choose Object --> Apply --> Rotation.
5. Select the curve object.
6. Choose Object --> Transform --> Origin to Geometry.
7. Choose Object --> Apply --> Rotation.
8. Make sure that the properties panel is visible. (Shortcut: N)
9. Select the mesh object.
10. Shift-select the curve object.
11. Right-click the transform location field in the properties panel and choose Copy to Selected. This will move the mesh to the center of the curve.
12. Select the mesh object.
13. Make sure that the array grows along the curve deformation axis. For example, if the deformation axis of the curve modifier is X, then the Y and Z offsets in the array modifier should be zero. (This is the default configuration when you add the modifiers.)

If you want to modify the array elements on the curve, perform those modifications in edit mode. If you move or rotate the mesh in object mode relative to the curve, the array will no longer be aligned to the curve. To get a proper preview in edit mode, enable "Use modifier while in edit mode" on the curve modifier.