Mirror Spline

3D_splines.png


I can’t make a mirror copy of the 3D spline on the left without losing the Bezier controls. The one on the right was made with Polyplane Creator — Symmetry Creator — Edge mode — Loop Select — Polygon to Spline script.

This would usually be satisfactory, but to make a Particle Spline with an arbitrary number of evenly-spaced particles a bezier spline is required. The three symmetry tools (Creator, Modifier, Mirror) only seem to work with polygons. Forum posts about symmetry also seem to be about polygons. I tried Hiroto’s Mirror Copy Tool script but it returned error messages.

Suggestions?
 
Thank you Frank and ZooHead. I frequently get stuck due to a single wrong setting. I try various tweaks until I get it right. (Or post a question on the forum). Then it seems simple -- spline in point mode, point selected. I use the Symmetry Creator for polygons, no experience with the Mirror tool. What's interesting about this process is how learning a new trick inspires new ideas.
 
I just discovered a great new source of information. It's called "Help." It's got a page with the exact information I needed. Maybe next time I need help I will try ... Help. Seems reasonable.

help.png
 
* Frank had originally suggested to copy & paste the spline, to flip the X-scale to -1 and to normalise via burn-transform. He has later deleted that post, presumably because he concluded that superior solutions are available.

* However, this method (minus burn) has the great advantage that the end result are 2 identical / symmetrical objects which are parametric (and not raw).
* If you are using mildly complex splines (helices, loxodromes, torus knots, whatever can be scripted) it can be a great creative / operative plus if you can animate these parameters. As there is no symmetry object, modifications are not transferred to a mirrored object.

* Any of this has no bearing in the context of this posting where the loop is a raw spline from start. It may be useful to know for similar / related trickery.
 
Another trick is to mirror a bunch of objects at the same time via shift-dragging into an empty Folder which has -1 as Scale at certain axis:
Coord-System won´t work on folders but all selected items at once after dragging them out of the folder (without holding shift).
MirrorViaFolder.png
 
Serendipity: Neglecting to check Help’s Mirror info led to several useful symmetry tips from Frank, Zoohead, and Helmut. Three years ago I asked a question about symmetrical materials and Misoversaturated came up with several kinds of UV and 3D mats. I don’t get most of the Math nodes but using his sample .jas files I was able to adapt them for my model. I used the left & right UV mats for a kaleidoscope effect.

Since the topic is symmetry, I’m adding this link:

 
Frank’s folder trick does what I want: to make a symmetrical copy of two splines equidistant across the X axis. (The negative folder’s black Transform tool is something new.)

symmetry_folder.png


It relates to a trick he posted seven years ago:

copy_PRS.png
 
As usual, I have to explain one of my genius techniques to Frank Beckmann.

Step 1: Predict the future.
Step 2: Save something which is readily available in the present but will be valuable in the future.
Step 3: Wait.
Step 4: Remember the thing you saved.
Step 5: Retrieve the thing from storage.
Step 6: Sell the thing for a huge profit.
Step 6 (Alternative): Give it back to the person who made it.
 
Back
Top