6th day violation, a sphere has been cloned.

# 1 13-10-2003 , 08:13 AM

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6th day violation, a sphere has been cloned.

Need a little help with a cloning array setup.
trying to get the following effect (example with spheres). I want to clone an object multiple times around a centralised pivot point.

user added image

I used 'duplicate with transform' to get the desired effect, but it only works once.
'duplicate' gives the option for multiple objects, but it dumps them all on top of each other, instead of spreading them around the circle.

i'm guessing i might have to add a translation factor as well as rotation? but trying to work out the distances is a bit trial and error. Is there an accurate way of doing this?

thanks guys user added image

Adam.

Last edited by Binabik; 13-10-2003 at 08:19 AM.

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# 2 13-10-2003 , 11:11 AM

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You should just need to set the rotation in the duplicate options window and choose how many times you want it to be duplicated. If thats not working, set the rotation, select the sphere and duplicate. Then select the new spere (it should already be selected) and duplicate again. Keep pressing ctrl+d till you have enough spheres.

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# 3 13-10-2003 , 01:20 PM

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setting the number of duplicates creates the duplicates but rather than spacing them each after the other, it piles them all in a stack.
and the spheres are only used for the example. the items i want to clone around is a tiny object, and i need about 100+ of them.
and I'm not keen on doing that one at a time.

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# 4 13-10-2003 , 01:41 PM

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You can also use Shift + D on the first one. Rotate it. THen every time you hit Shift+D, it will make a new one the same rotation.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 5 13-10-2003 , 02:45 PM

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You need to tick the smart duplicate box first right Mike?

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# 6 13-10-2003 , 04:34 PM

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No, Shift+D is a seperate shortcut for a different action from the normal Ctrl+D duplicate command.

-Mike
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# 7 13-10-2003 , 08:35 PM

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If I am not mistaken....you could use a MEL script to duplicate and rotate...I think MEL is used for things like this....amoung other things??....Mike??

Just a thought

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# 8 13-10-2003 , 08:42 PM

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sounds like a really complicated way of doing something that can be done with a tap on the keyboard.

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# 9 14-10-2003 , 12:48 PM

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emm this is really easy.... come on guys :p

make a sphere. MOve the pivot to the centre of where you want them to be placed around. Now goto duplicate options. And set the number of copies to whatever and then set rotate Y to 360/{number of spheres you want} and have it on geometry type "copy" and group under "parent" and then hit duplicate. It's that simple (i think you touched on it in your first post). Just make sure the pivot is moved correctly and you will be fine.

Alan

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Currently working on: Your Highness

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# 10 14-10-2003 , 03:46 PM

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Yes, we already said that, and the answer was that all the duplicated ended up in the same place.

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# 11 14-10-2003 , 04:45 PM

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Pure_morning is right. I think what you guys are missing is moving the object's pivot point first.

Create your sphere and hit the 'insert' key. Move the pivot to the point where you want to duplicate the spheres around (from the image, right in the center (0,0,0). Hit the 'insert' key again. Now, do your duplicate/rotate and it should work.

"Terminat Bora Diem, Terminal Auctor opus."

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# 12 14-10-2003 , 05:59 PM

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You can clearly see from the picture at the top that the pivot point is already in the centre.

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# 13 14-10-2003 , 07:05 PM

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If the pivot is set up correctly, simply choose your object and bring up the duplicate options box. Figure out how many copies you need and divide 360 by it. In the example I've attached, I put that I want 10 copies. So, 360/10 = 36. 36 will be the degree between each sphere so you put 36 in the rotate box of Y (again look at my screenshot). Hit apply and voila, there it is.

10 copies (yes, I'm aware the 10th copy overlaps the original...easy enough to delete or figure it out using 9 copies instead)

36 in the y column for rotate.

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"Terminat Bora Diem, Terminal Auctor opus."

Last edited by NitroLiq; 14-10-2003 at 07:12 PM.

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# 14 14-10-2003 , 10:39 PM

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Originally posted by mtmckinley
No, Shift+D is a seperate shortcut for a different action from the normal Ctrl+D duplicate command.

Originally Posted by

actually shift-D is just another way for "duplicate with transform" which was mentioned at the first post. mike, you probalby knew the name for it and just did not bother to mention it user added image

.it only duplicates one thing at a time - but it remembers the last time you used it and repeats the same transform until you change it again.