Path Steps

A third option button, called Path Steps, has been added to the Path Parameters rollout. When this option is chosen, shapes are placed on path steps and vertices, rather than as a percentage or a distance along the path. This provides similar functionality to the way 3DS R4 placed shapes.

When Path Steps is chosen, the following takes place:

• The Path spinner specifies the step along the path. The first step, at 0, is the first vertex.
• The total number of steps, including vertices, appears in parenthesis beside the Path spinner.
• The current path level is indicated by the standard yellow X when it’s a step, and by a small boxed X when it’s a vertex.
• Get Shape places a selected shape on the specified step or a vertex of the path.
• Adaptive Path Steps in the Skin Parameters rollout is disabled because, to do otherwise would cause the path steps, and therefore the shapes, to change positions along the path depending on the result of the adaptive algorithm.

Caution: Please note the following when using the Path Steps option:

• When you switch to Path Steps on a loft object that already contains one or more shapes, an alert appears telling you that this may relocate shapes. This is because there are a limited number of path steps, and only one shape can be on any single step or vertex. The Percentage or Distance options, on the other hand, provide an almost unlimited number of levels on which to place a shape. Thus, if you change from Percentage or Distance to Path Steps, the shapes must be moved to existing steps. If there are more shapes than can be moved to nearby steps, you could wind up with more than one shape on a step. Switching from Path Steps to either Percentage or Distance, however, can always be done without loss of data.
• If you alter the Path Steps spinner while in Path Steps mode, the location of your shapes might change. An alert message appears warning you of this.
• If you animate the topology of the path while in Path Steps mode (such as animating the number of sides of an NGon), your shapes might jump around trying to find a legitimate position, and you could end up with more than one shape on the same path level, in some cases.