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Scaling a grid (or copies) of shapes in NB3

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Alex

09 Jan, 2013 10:15 PM

The tutorial shows how to build a grid of ellipses with different sizes. The variety in size is achieved by generating ellipses with varying width and height and then positioning them in a grid.

However, I can't figure out how to achieve shape variety going the other way. Imagine I created a complex shape out of several components (like a polygon in the pattern tutorial), grouped them together and created a grid (or a series of copies). Now, I want to change the scale of each shape within the grid, so I connect the output of the translate node (with has the group and grid nodes as inputs) to a scale node. Next, I connect a random number generator to the scale port of the scale node. The amount of numbers generated is equal to the amount of shapes coming out of the translate node.

What I get is that each shape in the grid is scaled relative to the same origin -- the grid center. How do I make each one scale relative to its own center?

Relevant screenshots: http://d.pr/i/2Kar, http://d.pr/i/Oruw

Thanks.

1. 1 Posted by diki on 10 Jan, 2013 09:47 AM

   

   Hey Alex,

   you can put the 'scale' node right after the 'group' node (and before the 'translate') in the chain; this should scale each geometry from its own center.
   I think you'd also have to connect the 'count' & 'random' nodes to the 'grid' (instead of the 'translate'), to avoid patching a 'circle' or feedback loop.

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2. Support Staff 2 Posted by lucasnijs on 10 Jan, 2013 11:06 AM

   

   Hi Alex,

   Can't you just connect the grid to the origin point port of the scale node in your original file? That should take the grid points as the center of the scaling for each of your shapes.

   best,

   Lucas

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3. Support Staff 3 Posted by lucasnijs on 10 Jan, 2013 12:44 PM

   

   Here a file that shows you, I've added a random rotate. You have to connect this as the shape to the scale1 node to see how this works.

   • scalegridelements.ndbx 3.68 KB
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4. 4 Posted by Alex on 10 Jan, 2013 04:06 PM

   

   Thanks, lucasnijs. I had missed the ability to feed Grid's output to the scale node's origin port. Now it works as expected.

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5. Frederik De Bleser closed this discussion on 14 Jan, 2013 09:06 AM.