ArrayCrv

Toolbar Menu

Array

New in V9

Transform

Array >

Along Curve

 History enabled

The ArrayCrv command creates copies of selected objects along a curve, with an interactive preview and controls for array settings.

Steps

  1. Click the Select Curve button and select a curve as the array path.

    Edges can not be selected as the array path.

  2. Set Source to Document Object and select objects to array.

    If the model contains block definitions, you can set Source to Block Definition and choose one from the list.

  3. Adjust the array settings.

  4. Click OK to create the array.

Options

Curve Selection

Curve

Click the Select Curve button and select a curve as the array path.

Span Range

Sets the start and end positions along the array path.

By default, the full curve length is used as the range.

  • Double-click the slider to enter a specific value.

Using on-screen handle

  • Drag the large white dot handle with a green outline to adjust the start position of the span range.

    The tooltip shows the following information:

    Start: The length from the curve start, shown as a percentage of the curve length.

    Range: The length of the span range, shown in model units.

    Inset: The length from the curve start, shown in model units.

  • Drag the large white dot handle with a red outline to adjust the end position of the span range.

    The tooltip shows the following information:

    End: The length from the curve start, shown as a percentage of the curve length.

    Range: The length of the span range, shown in model units.

    Inset: The length from the curve end, shown in model units.

As Percent

Displays the span range values as percentages of the curve length.

On Ends

Adjusts the spacing to ensure that objects' base points are placed at the start and end of the span range.

At Kinks

Adjusts the spacing to ensure that objects' base points are placed at kinks between curve segments.

Repeat Segments

Object Selection

Source
Document Object

Arrays objects in the model.

  • Click the Select Objects button and select the objects to array.

Block Definition

Arrays a block definition.

This option is available only when the model contains block definitions.

  • Select a block definition from the list.

Array Objects

Selects objects or a block definition, based on the Source setting, to copy along the curve, .

Use object size

Size

Toggle uniform/non-uniform

Switches between uniform scaling and independent X, Y, and Z scaling.

Start / Mid / End

Sets the object size at the start, middle, and end of the array.

X / Y / Z

Controls scaling in each axis for the corresponding start, middle, or end size.

Using on-screen handle

  • Drag a square handle to adjust the value.

    Hold the Shift key to snap in 0.1-unit steps.

  • In the Uniform mode, a blue square handle controls the X, Y, and Z sizes.

  • In the Non-uniform mode, three square handles control the X, Y, and Z sizes: red for X, green for Y, and blue for Z.

Lock

Links the values between Start, Mid, and End so they change together.

  • When unlocked, the on-screen square handles appear at the start, middle, and end locations on the array path.

Object Count and Spacing

Object Count

Sets the number of objects in the array.

The initial number is automatically calculated to distribute objects within the span range with zero spacing.

  • Type 0 to restore the automatic value.

Spacing Distance

Sets the distance between arrayed objects. The value can be positive or negative, and the automatic object count updates accordingly.

Using on-screen handle

  • Drag the yellow arrow handle to adjust this value.

    Hold the Shift key to snap in 0.1-unit steps.

As Percent

Sets the spacing distance as a percentage of the object size.

Relax Spacing
Box Rotation Spacing

Orientation

Sets how the arrayed objects are oriented relative to the curve.

Orient Direction
Curvature

Orients objects using the curve curvature frame.

World Z

Orients objects using the World Z direction.

Object

Orients the arrayed objects so their normal directions point to a selected object.

Origin

Orients the arrayed objects so their normal directions point to the World origin.

Stairlike

Orients the arrayed objects so they stay horizontal as they are arrayed along the curve.

Select Orientation Object

Select an object in the viewport for the arrayed objects to look at.

Flip Orientation Direction

Reverses the normal directions of the arrayed objects if they point at the opposite direction.

Vertical Align

Sets the vertical alignment of the object's bounding box relative to the curve.

Unset

Uses the default vertical alignment.

Bottom

Aligns the bottom of the object's bounding box to the curve.

Center

Aligns the center of the object's bounding box to the curve.

Top

Aligns the top of the object's bounding box to the curve.

Horizontal Align

Sets the horizontal alignment of the object's bounding box relative to the curve.

Unset

Uses the default horizontal alignment.

Left

Aligns the left side of the object's bounding box to the curve.

Center

Aligns the center of the object's bounding box to the curve.

Right

Aligns the right side of the object's bounding box to the curve.

Transform Adjustments

Rotation

Rotates the objects around the orientation axis.

Pitch

Tilts the objects forward or backward relative to the curve orientation.

Roll

Rolls the objects around their local axis.

  • Drag the slider to change the angle.

    Double-click the slider to enter a specific value.

Using on screen handle

  • Drag the blue dot handle to adjust Rotation, the green dot handle to adjust Pitch, and the red dot handle to adjust Roll.

    Hold the Shift key to snap in 15-degree steps.

Offsets

Adjusts the object position relative to the curve.

U / V / N

Offsets the objects along the U, V, or Normal direction.

Using on screen handle

  • Drag the blue arrow handle to offset arrayed objects in the Normal direction.

    Hold the Shift key to snap in 15-degree steps.

Match

Matches the settings from another ArrayCrv setup.

Object Count

Displays the resulting number of objects that will be created.

ArrayCrvOnSrf

Toolbar Menu

Array

Transform

Array >

Along Curve on Surface

 History enabled

The ArrayCrvOnSrf command copies objects spaced and rotated along a curve on a surface.

Details

The surface normal determines the orientation of the arrayed objects.

Steps

  1. Select objects.
  2. Pick a base point.
    This is usually located on the object to array.
  3. Select a path curve near the end where you want the array to start.
  4. Select the surface.
  5. Pick along the curve to position objects or type a distance from the last location.
Command-line options

Divide

Type the number of objects.

Multiple

Specify the distance between objects.

SubCrv

Type subcrv to select part of a curve as input.

See also

Array objects