Curve Extract
Overview
The Curve Extract tool offers a fast and effective method for extracting curves from geometry tubes, cards, or selected edges. As a Groom artist, we often need to work with proxy models. When these models are thoughtfully constructed as tubes or cards, the tool can significantly speed up your workflow. All Proxy/Geometry tools in Groomer's Tool, such as Curve to Proxy Tube, Curve to Proxy Card, Curve to Proxy Twist, Hair Tube Builder, and the Braid Tool, generate geometries that is compatible and can be extracted using the Curve Extract tool.
The curve extract tool allows extraction from:
Tubes - polygons tubes (open ends) and are quads in equal rows/column alignment.
Cards - polygons cards that are flat and are quads in fairly equal rows/column alignment.
Edges - edgeloops of selected edges.
Guided - best attempt curve extractions for tubes/cards.
A safety measure to check for the geometry type has been added in V.15.0 +. The tool will first check to see if a geometry is a tube or card before doing anything. This will greatly reduce the chances of freezing your machine when accidentally selecting the wrong type of geometries.
Tubes
Extract Type
Custom
CV Count: Define a custom CV count to the length of the curve extracted
# of Curves: Define number of curves to be extracted
Geo Topology
Number of CV count per curve and number of curves extracted will be based on the geo topology
Retain Curvature - Only available with Topology mode. When checked, it will keep the curvature from poly tubes.
Example: when extracting from a twisty twist (from the Twist Tool), use this mode to keep the extracted curves from smoothing.
Geo Center
Extract a curve from the average center of the tube.
Volume Fill
Fills each selected tubes with layers of curves.
Scatter Fill
Fills each selected tubes with curves in even spaced fashion.
Cards
Extract Type
Custom
Span Count: Define a custom span count to the length of the curve extracted
# of Curves: Define number of curves to be extracted
Geo Topology
Number of CV count per curve and number of curves extracted will be based on the geo topology
Geo Center
Extract a curve from the average center of selected card(s)
Sides
Extract the side curves from selected card(s)
Hide Mesh
Enabling this option hides the mesh after the extraction
Flip Direction
If the U and V directions on a surface are incorrect, the extracted curve may form a loop. Use the 'Flip Direction' option and extract again.
You can hit the repeat key (default Maya 'G' key) to repeat the extraction.
Edges
Single Edge to Extract Full Loop:
On - Selected edges will expand their extraction to full edgeloops
Off - Only the selected edges will be extracted.
Guided
A best effort extraction method that can give you quick results without having to resolve/clean up the topology of tubes/cards.
Samples - Controls how many points are solved along the guided path. Higher values add detail and may take longer
Smooth - Softens the guided curve path. Higher values reduce wiggles but can soften sharp turns.
Auto Extract (Best Effort)
Automatically calculates a mesh and extract one curve from the mesh.
Vertex Guided Extract
Select two or more ordered guide points to extract curve from the mesh.
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