Subject: Re: easy way to make bolts in metal?
From: Joe Angell <[email-masked]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 02:47:16 -0500

> I'm trying to figure out an easy way to make bolts around the edges of metal
> plates in modeller.
> 
> So if I have a square like this

<snip>

> And yes, the areas to be bolted may be odd shapes, and some of them even curves
> and such.
> 
> Along a similar line of thought, how do you get curves that aren't curvy?
> If I could make curves that just followed straight lines from point to point
> I could copy the points from the metal plates and make straight lines,
> I could possibly use rail extrude to do the work.  Mebby?  Possibly?

I've got two things for you to try:

I remember reading in LWPro (I think) that if you put two points in the 
SAME PLACE when making a curve, you get a sharp angle instead of a 
curve.  Give that a shot.

Also, you could go into another layer and make a box inset in the 1st 
box, with as many segments on the X as you need bolts on the X, and the 
same for the Y.  Select the polygon, and hit "k" to kill it.  Delete all 
the points on the inside of the box, so you only have an outline of points.

Now you can use the Particle Clone macro/plug-in (or sometihng like that 
-- it lets you replace a each point in the current layer with an object in 
another layer.)

Good luck!

-- Joe