AF Loft Parameters Panel Shape Rollout Shape Transform Rollout Geometry Parameters Rollout (main parameters) Capping Rollout Mapping Rollout Sequence Animation Rollout Advanced Rollout

Shape Rollout Selects a shape or NURBS curve to be used for the profile shape.

Sync Path Directions Synchronize Directions of the Path closed Splines

Geometry Rollout General geometry parameters.

Loft Mode Method of creating loft object. AF Loft basically 2D Lofting plugin. In version 1.25D we added new loft methods that improve abilities of plugin. AF Loft now is not 2D, but is not full-fucnction 3D yet. We prefer call it 2.5D. In some simply cases it can work with 3D Splines but with Loft Methods restrictions. 2D Mode - Original "AF Loft 1.0" method. Z coordinates of Path points are ignored. Loft elements are generated in Path coordinate system. The fastest and accurate methods for 2D path, like text shapes. 2.5D Mode - Result is similar to 2D Mode but every loft element will be moved in 3D space according Z coordinate of first point of every Path spline. Z Shift Mode - 3D Fake mode. 2D Loft with Shifting each point in Z space according Z path coordinate. Z Shift Reorient Mode - Similar to "Z Shift". But before lofting AF Loft generates for each Path spline unique coordinate system, best suitable for that spline. Attention: Reorient mode good works only with path splines which points are complanar.

Visible Edges Methods of generating visible edges. Isolines - Default AF Loft methods. Show only important edges. Doesn't work correctly with Boolean operation and MeshSmooth or EditPoly modifiers. Loft Standard - Suitable for Boolean, MeshSmooth and EditPoly. All Edges - Show all generated edges.

Parameters Rollout (main parameters)

Amount Path profile part on which spreads act of Loft (in percentages)

Start Displacement along path contour of initial point Loft-object building. (1.0 correspond with path length)

Twist    Object twist (dimension unit depends on "Twist type")     Twist type: Absolute Parameter "Twist" sets the conditional speed of twisting. As we have seen from example, twisting on all elements of object is even. Major shortage: Lack of smooth joint in initial point of closed contours.     Twist type: Absolute Round Parameter "Twist" sets the conditional speed of twisting. But unlike from type "Absolute" it is being corrected personally for each element, so that to provide smooth edges joint.       Twist type: Relative Parameter "Twist" sets the quantity of full twisting revolutions. Because of that there is lack of twist even. So that to get smooth joint on closed contours, set integernumerical value of "Twist" parameter.

Additional steps Additional segments of path spline interpolation. Parameter influence on smoothness being got mesh.

Shape transform Rollout Profile shape transformation before lofting. Order of transformations: Scale, Shift, Rotate and in the last turn fasten on Anchor. Parameter Rotate sets in revolutions. 1.0 corresponded to full revolution. Rotate 90 degrees buttons.

Anchor          Select profile pivot point.

Capping Rollout Ends type of Loft-element, with impossibility to splice its edges. (Open path spline, parameter Amount less 100%, parameter Twist in which is not provided smooth joint) Height Capping element height (Cone or Spherical type) in conditional units, relatively profile size. Absolute (Height) To use absolute units for notifying capping element height. Cap steps - Interpolation of capping mesh (for Spherical type only). Flex Capping So that with animating parameters Amount and Start it wont be harsh leaps with passing path spline corners, Flex Capping tries to adapt turn of capping element.     Smooth cap seam Disabled Enabled Smooth away the seam between basic Loft-object and capping element. (Spherical or Cone type)

Mapping Rollout UVW mapping transformation. (Map Channel 1) For unit of scale adopted profile spline length. (W axis) Angle is set in degrees.

Advanced Rollout Additional parameters.

Fit to Frame Scaling path profile thus created object is fitted in path borders. Source Path profile Fit to Frame Disabled Fit to Frame Enabled

Fix Indirect Smoothing On acute angles is appeared the problem incorrect directed faces. It can damage smoothing results. (ex. left) For removal of this problem serves "Fix Indirect Smoothing" flag. Fix Off Fix On Smoothing error Fix On (wrong result) Fix Off But, unfortunately with large amounts of Twist parameter, this parameter can be not good (and better disable it).

Sequence Animation Rollout Available only in registered version. Animation distribution between Loft-elements. Transformation of time space inside the Loft-object between path polygons.

Inside Spline-object each polygon has a unique number (in order to creating) "Sequence Animation" operates polygons using just these numbers.

Type Using this parameter, one can change the order of polygons numeration. Forward - order remains invariable Backward - numeration in backward order Random - numeration in random order

For example we have animated parameter "Amount". (Two keys on 0 and the 100 frame)        Such looks like the graph of changing parameter. Equally for all object path polygons. (Sequence Animation Off ) All the same it will look like with: Sequence Anination On Cover = 1.0 Acceleration = 0.0

Cover With turning on "Sequence Animation", sets relative displacement in time between polygons. Cover = 1.0 Full cover. Absence of displacement as without Seq. Animation) Cover = 0.0 Absence of cover. Animation time is divided on equal segments between path polygons.

Acceleration Disproportionate distortion of time space. Acceleration = 0.0 disabled Acceleration < 0.0 acceleration in the beginning, slowing-down at the end Acceleration > 0.0 acceleration at the end, slowing-down in the beginning