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  • Spline Flow - Parametric Modelling Plugin
 
Spline Flow - Parametric Modelling Plugin
 

Creating a Spline Flow Object

1) To create an object, choose the Kstudio Category in the Create section, Shapes on the Command Panel
Create the object in the viewport and switch to the Modify tab
Also you can use the button from the toolbar
To adding the buttons use the 3ds max menu “Customize”>> “Customize User Interface”>>
"Toolbars" >> Category “Kstudio”. Choose the icon and drag it to the Panel of the Instruments

2) Add Shapes using the Pick button
3) Add a Path along which the shapes will extend
 
1

Shapes

 
Object list management —
Add,
Remove,
Replace,
Select object from the list in the viewport
 
To reorder shapes use the buttons on the right side
Disable      
Allows to exclude shape from Spline Flow, without deletion
Reverse
Reverse shape
Use axis
Allows to rotate the shape to fix axis orientation if necessary
Apply to all
Apply axis orientation to all shapes in the list
 
1. Shapes
 
Tip: Spline Flow allows to add one shape a few times
Note: Light version can contains only 2 shapes
 
2

Path

2. Path
Pick path
Adds the spline along which the geometry will be distributed
Remove
Spline Flow allows building flows using the relative positions of source shapes.
This is an experimental function. To get more-control results use the shape for the path
S
Select Spline
Use axis
Allows to rotate the path to fix axis orientation if necessary
Align Follow
None — distributes ignoring spline orientation
Vertical — distributes perpendicular to the surface. Ignores the curvature of 3D splines.
Spline — distributes perpendicular to the spline. Works with 3D splines
Align Follow - None
Align Follow - Vertical
Align Follow - Spline
3

Distribution

3. Distribution
Curvature
Control curvature of flows
Amplitude
Produces a sine wave
Density
Defines the density level of the generated intermediate shapes
 
Curvature: 0
Amplitude: 0
Curvature: 1
Amplitude: 0
Curvature: 1
Amplitude: 100
Curvature: 2
Amplitude: 10
Rotate before transform
Switch order transformation and rotation of shapes
Rotate before transform - On
(Spline rotation - 360 deg)
Rotate before transform - Off
(Spline rotation - 360 deg)
Constant density
This parameter allows to keep density even on using the shape's offset.
Turn off this parameter to smooth animate the shape's offset on the path (Don't available for Lite version)
Constant density - On
Constant density - Off
 
4

Explode

4. Explode
Explodes generated shapes to separate objects
Useful, for example, to apply the extrude or other modifiers
This is an experimental function
5

Transformations

5. Transformations
These options apply to each shape in the list separately
Pivot Alignment
Use these options to align the shape to the path.
Pivot Align
This is a grid that helps you align the shape to the path. Selecting one of the buttons shifts the shape's pivot around the spline path
Original Pivot
Use the original shape's pivot to align
Vertex Pivot
Use the shape's vertex as a pivot. This option allows to set pivot at any distance between 2 nearest vertices using a float value. A number in the brackets shows the number of vertices
Tip: This is animatable parameter

Offset
Controls the offset of the shape relative to the path
Rotation
Controls the rotation of the shape relative to the path
Scale
Controls the scale of the shape in percent to the original size.
TIP: Use the Scale to mirror a shape
6

Modulation

6. Modulation
 
Modulation allows adding waves to the main curve
Type
Type of the wave
Frequency
Sets the periodicity of the sine wave
Amplitude
Produces a sine wave
Phase
Shifts the start and end points of the wave
Strength (X, Y, Z)
Set the strength of the wave effect along each of the three axes
Limits (Start/End)
Limit for modulation effect
7

License

7. License
License validation info and apply license.
Receiving the license key
  • Create the Spline Flow object
  • Switch to the Modify tab
  • Open the License rollout and press the button License
  • An activation dialog will appear
Select the most suitable activation type - using the activation key or identification file.
Read more on the site
8

About

8. About
Information about the current  version
Check for Updates
Check for a new version
Help
Opens this help file
9

Interpolation and Rendering

9. Interpolation and Rendering
Most spline-based shapes share these parameters
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For details, see the related sections on 3ds Max help: Rendering rollout and Interpolation rollout
10

Lite vs PRO version

 
Spline Flow Lite version is fully functional but has some limitations.
Lite version can contain only 2 shapes, and can't be animated.
Customers can open and render Spline Flow objects created in the PRO version without the ability to edit them. Animations created using the PRO version will also be saved when opened in the Lite version.
Spline Flow PRO doesn't have any limitations that mean, the object might contain more than 2 shapes and can be animated
11

Rendering/Network Rendering

 
For rendering you can use the Lite version without any limitations.