View Full Version : Extrude Face Along a Path Problem in Maya 8
agentprovo
11-09-2006, 10:13 PM
I just installed Maya 8 and I'm having a problem extruding faces along a cv path. The thing is . . . extrude faces using a curve does not seem to be working. Extrude using curve is checked, but . . . nothing seems to happen (see pics). In Maya 7, you just shift selected the curve and hit extrude.
But . . . all the extrude functions have been consolidated in Maya 8 into one button. I'm sure I just some option not set correctly. I'm sure it's something simple. I've tried resetting the tool, but . . . same results.
Any advice?
pixelmage
11-10-2006, 07:02 PM
agentprovo,
I'm in the middle of modeling a football helmet and I've gotten to the point where I'm going to build the mesh for the facemask portion. I'm probably going to use cv's and the path extraction tool as well. I'm at work right now, but once I get home and try it, if I have the same problems I'll post back.
That is of course unless you've already found a solution to your problem.
BTW, how did you get your Windows color settings to read black like that? It's pretty slick. I right clicked properties on my desktop, went to settings, and simply saw the options for Windows Classic, Green, or Silver.
PM
agentprovo
11-10-2006, 09:14 PM
Thanks for the reply and let me know what happens. As for the Windows thing . . . that's one of the default themes that came with my Alienware 9700 Aurora notebook.
pixelmage
11-10-2006, 10:21 PM
Thanks for the reply and let me know what happens. As for the Windows thing . . . that's one of the default themes that came with my Alienware 9700 Aurora notebook.
Rats!
PM
pixelmage
11-11-2006, 12:22 AM
agentprovo,
Sorry I'm getting back to you a little late. I got caught up watching Executive Decison on TNT. Just had to watch the scene when Steven Seagal gets blown out of the umbilical link between the 2 planes. Getting killed like that was probably one of the best roles he's ever done! :laugh
Ok, now for your problem:
1) Draw out your ep curve the way you want it.
2)Then make sure the curve is close to the poly you want to extrude.
3) Right click to bring up your submenus and select FACES.
4)Select the poly face you want to extrude, then select your ep curve. MAKE SURE BOTH ARE HIGHLIGHTED.
5)Go to Edit Mesh>go to the submenu>dial in the number of divisions you want and the smoothing angle
6) Hit EXTRUDE and your done! Woo hoo!!! :yes
Post again if any of this is confusing.
PM :wink:
Edit: Forgot to add: Highlight your newly formed extruded polygonal object and delete history in order to separate it from your ep curve.
agentprovo
11-11-2006, 08:18 AM
Appreciate the advice, but . . . that's just the problem. I know how to extrude a face along a curve in Maya 7. It's not working in Maya 8. You do the same steps you outlined, which is what you do in 7, you hit the Extrude button, and it acts just like a regular extrude. It generates additional faces and just sits there with the extrude manipulator.
As for getting them close, I snapped the initial CV to the middle vertex of the cube. Don't get much closer than that.
As for Executive Decision . . . I agree. I really enjoyed seeing the pompus windbag get blown into space.
pixelmage
11-11-2006, 03:09 PM
Appreciate the advice, but . . . that's just the problem. I know how to extrude a face along a curve in Maya 7. It's not working in Maya 8. You do the same steps you outlined, which is what you do in 7, you hit the Extrude button, and it acts just like a regular extrude. It generates additional faces and just sits there with the extrude manipulator.
Hey agent,
Yeah that's happened to me before. Check to make sure that the DIRECTION that you are extruding corresponds to the same direction that you originally drew out your ep curve. My version of Maya 8 seems to be a bit tempermental about such things. :frown:
One other thing you might want to check: If you happened to combine any points along that particular face you want extruded, make sure all the points are merged.
Maybe the issue might be also that you are trying to xtrude from
a "vertex" in the center of the cube. Did you try just making a simple cube and extruding a face along an ep curve just to test if your software is having issues with something pretty simple? If it works, it's probably something localized with your model.
If all else fails, delete your Maya preferences. When you reboot, it will rebuild it and ask you if you want the default preferences or go back to an older version. Try using the default and run the test again.
Post again if you still haven't resolved it. Good luck.
PM
agentprovo
11-11-2006, 11:40 PM
Still no luck. I tried to extrude an edge along a curve, like in the Photoreal Car Modelling tut. Same problem.
pixelmage
11-12-2006, 09:52 PM
Still no luck. I tried to extrude an edge along a curve, like in the Photoreal Car Modelling tut. Same problem.
Wow I'm stumped...Did you try contacting Autodesk about this?
The only other thing I could suggest would be to make sure all your drivers for your videocard are current. And see if your particular video card has a selection in the GUI to optimize for Maya. What version Windows are you running? Perhaps that might provide a clue. At this point I'm shooting in the dark.
Anyone else out there lend assistance to agent? Maybe we should call Steven Seagal...
Sorry...couldn't resist.
PM
danlefeb
11-13-2006, 07:09 AM
BTW, how did you get your Windows color settings to read black like that? It's pretty slick. I right clicked properties on my desktop, went to settings, and simply saw the options for Windows Classic, Green, or Silver.
As a side note, Vista will be black like that. Also if you want your XP to look "customized" you can do so with Stardock's products (Windowblinds, DesktopX, etc.)
agentprovo
11-13-2006, 07:39 AM
OK. How idiotic is this? Hitting F11, apparently, puts EVERY object into face mode. :eyeRoll To extrude polys along a curve, you have to:
1. Right Click on the curve to put it into object mode
2. Then RIGHT CLICK (NOT F11) on the polygon object to put it into face mode.
3. Then select all the faces on the polygon object
4. Then select extrude.
It says nothing about this in the Maya documentation and every tut that I've done DT, SimplyMaya, 3D Palace makes a big deal out of getting you to use Hot keys. :mad: And then, once the habit is firmly in place . . . no no, you can't use F11 if you want to extrude faces along a curve. :eek:
Follow the above 4 steps and it works like a charm. :yes
It's a hidden feature that's accessible via Maya's Hotbox control.
Follow these steps for a face extrude along a path.
1. Select the face you want to extrude...
2. Hold shift key and...
3. Select the CV curve you want to extrude along.
4. Right mouse click and select 'Extrude face' option box
5. There you go.
Have fun
Sia
LoveFest
02-24-2011, 03:52 PM
How about extruding a polygon edge of a polygon object with a separate curve? Can you separate the edge of a poly in Maya and then do an edge extrude along a path?
Hello LoveFest! Wow this is an old post. :) Not sure what version of Maya you're using, but assuming you're on Maya 2011 it's very easy to extrude an edge along a curve. Here's a look at how you can do that:
20348187
Here's a link to the Introduction to Modeling in Maya (http://www.digitaltutors.com/09/training.php?cid=5&pid=2530) course that was referenced in the video.