Instanced grass problem

Maya for 3D Printing - Rapid Prototyping

In this course we're going to look at something a little different, creating technically accurate 3D printed parts.

# 1 23-12-2013 , 03:33 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Sep 2012

Posts: 4

I've been working through the Realistic Outdoor Environments tutorial and had followed everything exactly. I worked through part 10 adding all the expressions correctly. It all worked on a flat plane, but as soon as I added some height to pPlane1 (pulling vertexes in Y) it crashes Maya. I've been trying for hours to figure out why, I've tried in 2014,2013, and 2012.

Here is my expression:
particleShape1.aimAxis = <<0,1,0>>;
float $randroty = rand(60);

vector $p = particleShape1.position;
vector $nrm = `nearestPointOnMesh -ip ($p.x) ($p.y) ($p.z) -normal -q pPlane1`;

particleShape1.aimDirection = $nrm;

float $rx = rad_to_deg( atan2( ($nrm.z), ($nrm.y) ) );
float $rz = rad_to_deg( asin( -($nrm.x ) ) );

particleShape1.rotationPP = <<$rx, $randroty, $rz >>;

particleShape1.randScale = rand(0.7,1);

nearestPointOnMesh is turned on.

Any Ideas why it works on flat plane but not on a plane with dimension?

Thanks

Quote

# 2 23-12-2013 , 07:28 PM

Technical Director
Join Date: Feb 2004

Posts: 2,988

Expressions evaluate on every value or time change in the scene. What could be happening is that it's hanging when you move the plane.

Did you apply the expression, then move the plane; or apply it to an already modified plane? Doing the latter should work.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Quote

# 3 23-12-2013 , 08:15 PM

Subscriber
Join Date: Sep 2012

Posts: 4

Thanks NextDesign,
I deleted the expression, changed the geometry on my plane, put the expression back, and it worked with no crash.
Much appreciated.

Quote