Problem with attaching curves.

# 1 10-10-2011 , 01:15 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 25

Hello,

I have a slight problem when trying to attach 2 separate curves, I've got 2 curves which meet in the middle when I go to attach and with whichever option selected I always get this additional curve that goes through the middle. I just simply want to attach curves at the point they meet in the middle. Any suggestions, what's the problem?

user added image

I've deleted history and frozen transforms beforehand.

After attaching when I try to move them this happens:

user added image

Last edited by edgeWalker; 10-10-2011 at 01:48 PM.

Quote

# 2 10-10-2011 , 03:58 PM

Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2004

Location: Michigan, USA

Posts: 2,998

You are selecting curve 1 and shift selecting curve 2 and then selecting edit curve/attach? I ask because it looks like you are trying to open/close.

Also, try reversing the direction of one of the curves before attaching. Make sure they are not in a group with some kind of history.

(1) curves before attach

(2) curves after attach with blend option

(3) cureve after attach with connect not multiple knots option

Attached Thumbnails

Click image for larger version

Name: 10-10-2011 12-05-49 PM.png
Views: 2672
Size: 48.0 KB
ID: 48886

Click image for larger version

Name: 10-10-2011 12-06-42 PM.png
Views: 2707
Size: 46.5 KB
ID: 48887

Click image for larger version

Name: 10-10-2011 12-07-09 PM.png
Views: 2633
Size: 46.8 KB
ID: 48888

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 10-10-2011 at 04:15 PM.

Quote

# 3 10-10-2011 , 06:07 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 25

Thanks for your reply, yes I select first then shift select another and whichever option I choose( blend, connect, blend bias) I always get similar result with this middle line connecting some random points(see attached screen). What do you mean by reversing the direction, I need to have these two curves connected in this exact manner.

On the side note, I've managed to get what I wanted to do by just grouping these together but still can't understand why it won't let me combine them... I've been slowly loosing faith in Maya, another problem I've had today was that I couldn't exit insert edge loop tool: I've inserted the edge I wanted, closed the tool, went up into object mode and after going back into edge mode IEL was still active with no way of closing. Uphill struggle every day.

Last edited by edgeWalker; 10-10-2011 at 06:12 PM.

Quote

# 4 10-10-2011 , 07:21 PM

Lifetime Member
Join Date: Aug 2008

Posts: 78

i am not sure if this will work for you. Just follow the steps for attaching your curves.

1.) first delete the history of both curves.

2.) select the first curve then Shift select the second curve.

3.) now do not left click in viewport. just right click on first curve and choose edit points then right click on second curve choose edit point.

3.) snap the edit points of both curves from where you want to attach.

4.) come to object mode.

5.) drag select both the curves and go to Edit curves>Attach Curves(options) box.

6.) Check "Connect", "Keep" and uncheck "keep originals" .

7.) hit attach.

8.) after that delete the history of attached curve.

answer to second problem of you.

when u working in any command you have to come out of it. So when you wrking with IEL command after finishing your work simply click on Select tool or any other PRS(position,rotation,scale) tool.

Quote

# 5 10-10-2011 , 07:57 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 25

1. Thanks but that doesn't work for me, I've completed all steps and I still come up with the same result.
2. That's how it's supposed to work but sometimes after I complete adding loops and press Q, go to object mode and sometime later go back to sub-level IEL is still active, pressing Q only temporairly disable it as soon as I go into sub-level IEL is active - super annoying.

Quote

# 6 10-10-2011 , 08:07 PM

Lifetime Member
Join Date: Aug 2008

Posts: 78

ok . send me your curve file once at puneet.3d@gmail.com

Quote

# 7 10-10-2011 , 08:19 PM

Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2004

Location: Michigan, USA

Posts: 2,998

What do you mean by reversing the direction, I need to have these two curves connected in this exact manner.

Originally Posted by

Curves and surfaces have a direction. Select one of the curves and and the control vertex option and you should see a box and a U shape at one end. Moving along the curve from the box to the U shape is the curves direction.

What version of maya are you runing? In maya 2012 the two closest ends should be attached. After the attach you should see Reverse 1 & 2 in the channel box. Maya 2012 will automatically reverses the curve direction of the second curve selected in order to make the last vertex of one curve the closest vertex to the first vertex of the other curve.

I do not recall this was always the behavior of older versions of maya. I want to say no because this behavior of trying to attach the wrong edges used to happen and manually ensuring the curves had the same direction was the fix.

Here is a short video that will hopefully give you a better idea about what is happening and how to fix it....

tip attaching curves - YouTube

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 10-10-2011 at 09:01 PM.

Quote

# 8 10-10-2011 , 09:42 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Ahh bugger!! Yeah I was about to chime in with reverse direction....Cheers Rick

Jay

Quote

# 9 10-10-2011 , 11:40 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 25

Thank you ctbram for taking time and helping me out. Reversing the direction of one of the curves fixed this for me. I use 2012 version of Maya.

Quote

# 10 11-10-2011 , 01:52 AM

Lifetime Member
Join Date: Feb 2010

Location: Australia

Posts: 4,255

On ya Rick...yep edgewalker keep that in mind...whichever direction you draw it is the way it runs. I have to deal with this crap from idiots that design highways etc as they DONT give a damn which way the curves run...and for a Surveyor that is a real pain in the coight...at least this is just a model and not 4 km of highway with about 10 000 strings LOL.

cheers bullet

bullet1968

"A Darkness at Sethanon", a book I aspire to model some of the charcters and scenes

Quote