5 point patch

[petokosun]

this is a bit elimentary.

But can any one xplain how i can render a 5 point spline so that the patches can be seen

[agep]

Hi

Select the 5 points. When done, the [Make 5pt Patch] button should get activated (see fig.). If not, hit period twice to activate it. Then push the button

 

[Gerry]

I was unfamiliar with hitting the period key twice to activate the 5 point patch button. I'll have to try that! I have found though, that sometimes getting the button to activate depends on the order I've selected the cp's. If it doesn't activate, I select the cp's in a different order, and eventually the button becomes active.

[petokosun]

thank man,

i will try it out.

[agep]

If it doesn't activate, I select the cp's in a different order, and eventually the button becomes active.

Hitting period key solves that 99% of the time:) And it is a lot quicker

[steve392]

Glad that was asked I didn't know about the period key either ,learning all the time

[Eric Camden]

If you have 5 continuous splines, as in Stain's pic above, the 5 point button will usually work; worst case, the period should work. If you have more splines converging on the 5 pointer, then the only way to skin the patch is to keep selecting different combinations till you hit the right one. If you have a hook right next to the 5 pointer, you need to delete the hook, close the 5 pointer, and then rehook the adjacent spline.

[phatso]

...or better, extend the spline and make the hook somehwere else, in a 4-CP patch. 5-point patches can have smoothing issues anyway, and having a hook in there only makes the situation worse.

 

Generally, when I can't get a 5-point patch to "make," even with the period, it's because I've duplicated a spline - got two right on top of each other - so I'm really selecting 7 CPs with the group tool and of course that won't make a patch. I find the dupe by clicking on each CP in turn and pulling it out of position, then using "undo" to put it back where it should be.

 

Having said that, it's worth noting that one of the few things that will crash A:M is being too fast and loose with the undo. Save before doing the above.

[Gerry]

Lots of good info here!