CURVE POPULATE
A tool to scatter curves onto geometry or a path curve.
  • Last updated: V.12.04
On Mesh Tab
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A standard scatter tool to populate curves onto defined mesh. 

Modes:
  • UV:
    • A geometry need to be 'set'. Please use the 'Set' button to define a mesh.
    • ​Use the UV of the defined geometry for scattering. The larger the UV shell is, the denser the curves.
    • UV must be in 1001 space.
  • Vertices
    • ​Please select vertices for curves to populate onto.
    • A geometry need to be 'set'. Please use the 'Set' button to define a mesh. This is for orientation purpose.
Curve Type:
  • Straight:
    • ​Scatter onto defined geometry with straight curves only.
  • Selected:
    • ​Scatter onto defined geometry randomly with curves that were added to the list*.
    • Curves need to be in origin [0,0,0] and has no transforms.
Scale:
  • Controls the size of scattered curves.
​Spacing:
  • Controls the 'density' of scattered curves. Lower values will decrease the spacing between curves, yielding more curves (slower processing time). 
  • Start with a high number , default 15 first and lower this value in increments.
  • To speed up process, consider scattering multiple time with higher 'Spacing' values to create iterations or 'layers' of curves instead of one full dense pass. Use the 'Random-Spacing' slider to create random placements.
Random - Scale:
  • Randomize the scale of scattered curves.  This is a multiplier to the 'Scale' slider. A value of 0.500 in Random-Scale will multiply curves randomly between range of 50% ~ 100% of their set scale value.
Random - Spacing:
  • Randomize the spacing between curves, for uniform rows and columns, keep this at 0. The higher the value, the more randomly spaced out the curves scatter will be.
Random - Rotation:
  • This slider randomizes the rotation of each curves.
Scatter:
  • Populate curves onto defined mesh/vertices.
On Curve Tab
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This tool allows generation of curves between two side curves, blending from curve A to curve B. 
  1. prepare two side curves. Make sure to reset transforms on these
  2. Prepare a ‘path’ curve (root and tip matters!)
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This tool is equipped with a ‘Draw Path’ And ‘Convert to Curve’ function.
​Draw Path:
  • Select a geometry, and click on this button to trigger the paintFX tool. Simply draw it on the mesh to create a path.
Convert to Curve:
  • Converts the paintFX strokes into Maya curves

Auto Convert To Curve:
  • When on, converts paint strokes to curves automatically
Start Curve - curve to be placed on the ‘root’ of the path curve
End Curve - curve to be placed on the ‘tip’ of the path curve
Path Curve - curve for the creation of curves blending from Start Curve to End Curve
Generate:
  • Generate curves on the path curve.
Curve Density:
  • Controls amount of curves generated along the path curve.
Interpolation Weight:
  • Controls the blending weight from Start Curve to End Curve.
Interpolation Distance:
  • ​Controls the distance the curves ‘starts’ to blend towards the End Curve.
Reverse Start/End Curves:
  • This will put the Start Curve on the Tip of Path Curve and put the End Curve onto the Root of Path Curve, basically reverses the order
Create Root/Tip Control :
  • ​Allows further shaping of curves. Hit B + middle mouse drag for fall off.
NOTE: Tip/Root Controls will be reset if any of the sliders are adjusted. Please define the general look first before triggering Tip/Root Control
Finally, click on Bake/Clean Up to clean up the curves.

​TIP:
To 'scale' the curves, select all the curves and use the Curve Manipulator to 'set pivot' to root. 
​Known Issues:

Q: Curves generated do not sit on the path curve.
A: If this happens, make sure that you have no transforms on all the curves.

Q: Defined Curves have no transforms, but curves generated are still not sitting on the path curve
A: Save your Maya scene, and reopen it. Delete the ‘xgt_curveFromPath_grp’ in the outliner, and try again.