Polar copy
Creates a user-defined number of copies along a circular path. Useful for spiral stairs.
This modeling tool is a modifier, not an action, therefore it does not feature a construction tree.
How to use
1. Click the Polar copy icon or choose the Tools > Transform > Replicate > Polar copy menu command.
2. The program console prompts Pick object to copy.
3. Pick the object you want to copy in any view. Once picked, the object is copied 3 times along a default circle.
4. The program console prompts Copies.
5. Type the number of copies in the console and press Enter .
6. Open the Modeling Tool panel for more options.
7. Type the circular path radius value in the console and press Enter or pick and drag the Radius hot-spot (blue circle) in any interactive view to visually define its value.
8. Find more options in the Modeling Tool panel.
In the picture below, the original object is replicated 10 times with a path radius of 5.
To change the predefined position and orientation of replicated objects, switch to Edit mode and edit direction axes which are, in the beginning, coincident to the original object local axes.
The direction changes of the replicated objects reflect relative changes of these axes from original object axes.
Working in the interactive views you can also orient the plane on which the replicated objects lie by picking and dragging the Direction hot-spot.
Options
Object
To change the object to copy.
Views / Modeling Tool panel. Switch the Replace check button on and pick another object in the scene. The new object will be copied instead of the previous one.
Copies
To specify the number of copies along the circular path.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter.
Linear step
To specify the constant distance between each copy.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter.
Angular step
To specify the angle between each copy.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter.
Radius
To change the radius of the circular path.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter.
Start Angle
To change sweep of the arc.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter. The value can range from 0 to 360 degrees.
End Angle
To change sweep of the arc.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter. The value can range from 0 to 360 degrees.
Transformation
To specify how transformations will be applied to the replicated object.
Modeling Tool panel. Switch one of the following radio buttons on:
Step by step, if you want translation, rotation and/or scaling values to be applied to each replicated object with respect to the previous one.
Linear, if you prefer for rotation and/or scaling values to be applied to the last replicated object with respect to the first one (rotation and/or scaling values of intermediate objects will be automatically interpolated).
Constant, when the same rotation and/or scaling values must be applied to any replicated object.
Translation
To set the translation values on the X, Y, and Z axes.
Modeling Tool panel. Type translation values in the XYZ data fields and confirm them by pressing Enter.
Rotation
To set the rotation angle on the X, Y, and Z axes.
Modeling Tool panel. Type rotation values in the XYZ data fields and confirm them by pressing Enter.
Scaling
To set the scaling factor on the X, Y, and Z axes.
Modeling Tool panel. Type factor values in the XYZ data fields and confirm them by pressing Enter.
Translation noise
To apply a random effect on translation.
Modeling Tool panel. Type values in the XYZ data fields and confirm them by pressing Enter.
Rotation noise
To apply a random effect on rotation.
Modeling Tool panel. Type values in the XYZ data fields and confirm them by pressing Enter.
Scaling noise
To apply a random effect on scaling.
Modeling Tool panel. Type values in the XYZ data fields and confirm them by pressing Enter.
Noise seed
This parameter affects the sequence of random numbers which determine the noise.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter.
Axis direction
To set the axis direction of the polar replication (i.e. the direction of the normal to the plane on which the replicated object lies).
Views. Pick the Axis hotSpot to orient the replication plane.
Modeling Tool panel. Type the new values in the XYZ data fields and confirm them by pressing Enter.
Default direction
To set one of the predefined orientation of the replication plane.
Modeling Tool panel. Switch one of the following radio buttons on:
X/Y/Z if you want that replicated objects lie respectively on the YZ, XZ or XY world planes (Axis direction parallel to X, Y or Z world axis).
Horizontal/Vertical if you prefer that Axis direction will result horizontal or vertical in the active view.
Custom if you want that Axis direction assumes non-standard values that can be set interactively by working in the views or numerically by modifying the Axis direction option.