Attach a spline point to an object

[Jack Cook]

Hi Karl,

This is actually fairly easy using Xpresso. I’m not an expert with Xpresso by any means, but this is one thing I can do.

First, a little preparation: make a null object, and make it a child of the object you want to attach. You could probably do it without the null, but I find this gives more freedom in attaching the object.

Now to Xpresso. Put an Xpresso tag on either the spline or the object (it doesn’t really matter where it is). Open up the Xpresso editor and drag in the spline object, and the null that you made a child of your object.

In the Spline node in Xpresso, on the right side (the blue side) click the blue block and choose Object. This will put in an Object port on the right side of that node.

In the Null node, click the blue box and choose Coordinates>Global Position>Global Position. A Global position port will appear.

Now right click in the editor and choose New Node>Xpresso>General>Point. This makes a Point node. On the left of the Point node, click the red box at the top and choose Point position. Go to the Object manager, and with the Point node selected set the point index to the number of the point on the spline you want to attach the object to (you can get this from the Structure Manager).

Now connect the Spline Object port to the Point Object port, and the Null Global Position port to the Point position port, and your done. When you move the object that point on the spline will move with it.

Good luck.
Jack

[Karl Newman]

Thanks Jack! That pushed me in the right direction. Amazing how it just works when you set it up the way it expects. Thanks Again

Karl Newman
Karl Newman Productions
Lewisville, Texas
kwnewman@verizon.net

[Jack Cook]

You’re welcome. And you can attach objects to any or all points on the spline, just keep putting Point nodes and Null nodes into the expression.

Jack

[Arne Münch]

thanks for that, but I was freaked out for a couple of minutes. In my version left is blue and right is red, so maybe i can prevent somebody of having the same trouble as i was having while trying this.

[Tim Lenton]

So… what is it? blue left or right?

[Brian Jones]

blue – left
red – right

[Sebastián Murra]

Hello Jack

I´m trying to work this out but it just doesn´t. I cant connect a blue Spline object to a blue Point object in expresso.

Please I´d be so thankful if you can help with this. I know probAly is just some minor thing I missed, but it is really urgent.

Sebas

[Abdoul Dupont]

Hello Sebas,

You have to link the two boxes spline and null by the red (right) end
to the left(blue) end of the point box.

object (spline) –> object(point)
global position (null) –> position (point).

Good luck.

fix-spline-point.jpg

[Collin Greenleaf]

This is fantastic I have been looking for something like this. But I want to connect a cloner. In my best effort I would like to create an arc between the center and the tertiary heads. I have tried several ways and this makes the most sense if I could pull it off. But all I have achieved is straight lines without an arc to only one connection. I would like to connect from inside out with an arrow7969_screenshot2014091002.23.57.png.zip‘> like shown.
7969_screenshot2014091002.23.57.png.zip