Image Sampling in GC

Question

Hello All, 
 
 We're currently producing a large perforated screen for manufacture and my office wants to use GC to produce this. 
 I have previous experience working with Grasshopper using the below tutorial to achieve what I wanted. Could anyone help with a tutorial on how to achieve the same in GC? 
 Tutorial - www.youtube.com/watch 
 Thanks for any help you can provide. 
 
 Tom

Mueller · Answer

Pending some additional testing, I now have an updated version for GenerativeComponents SELECTseries 6 Update 1 (v.08.11.09.436). Currently it is mostly equivalent to the image sampler described in the Wiki.

Mueller · Answer

The updated ImageSampler seems to work OK and is available as download in the GenerativeComponents Community Files section: http://communities.bentley.com/products/products_generativecomponents/m/generative_components-files/272269/download.

Mueller · Answer

Hi Karol, the updated version of the image sampler add-in works with the latest V8i version of GenerativeComponents (v.08.11.09.436). 
 Download the ZIP-archive and unzip it. It's easiest to deposit the contained "ImageSampler.dll" into the GC project's support/assemblies folder and the sample script and image in the GC project's Designs folder. Once you start GenerativeComponents use the Utilities (menu) > Manage Node Types > Load External Assemblies command to access the Manage Loaded Assemblies dialog. Select "Your Project Assemblies" and in the Open dialog identify the ImageSampler.dll. Click on Open. A "Successful - The selected assembly was loaded successfully." alert confirms that the DLL was loaded successfully. OK that alert. The Manage Loaded Assemblies dialog's list of "Assemblies Currently Loaded" shows a new entry "ImageSampler.dll". In order for that assembly to be available in future sessions of GenerativeComponents select the checkbox in the "Stored in Your GC Environment" column. Close the Manage Loaded Assemblies dialog. The ImageSampler node type is now available in the Utility node types section of the Node Types palette. Refer to the documentation for the Image UVSampler . Even though this is for previous versions of the ImageSampler node type the instructions are still applicable to the updated version. If there are any specific issues, please post them in this thread. 
 Regards, 
 Volker

Mueller · Answer

ImageUVSampler.dll is the old version of the image sampler. Therefore, it will not work with GC v.08.11.09.436. However, there should be a better warning... So, please don't try loading ImageUVSampler.dll. In the corresponding prior versions of GC that DLL did not do anything different than ImageSampler.dll does in the current version of GC. If you are wondering about the other examples contained in the older package you could try running those scripts in GC v.08.11.09.436. It will be necessary to update those scripts and change references to the ImageUVSampler to ImageSampler. I may have time later today to update those other scripts and package them up with the related images etc. However, I cannot promise that.

Mueller · Answer

Hi Karol, 
 When looking at the goal of creating a BSplineSurface, the most straightforward techniques are ByPoles and ByPoints, both of which require a point grid as inputs. In the imagetest example, there is a point grid in form of point01. However, that is planar and would not create a 3D surface of the type you expect. For that we'd need to create a point grid that changes in elevation, i.e. points with varying Z-coordinates. In the imagetest example we place circles around point01 with varying radii which are fed from the image sampler's Grayscale value. In the attached imagetest_BSplineSurface example we add a second point grid, point02, which uses the first point grid, point01, as Origin. Analogous to using Grayscale for the circle radii we use Grayscale as input for point02's ZTranslation, thus elevating point02. We also scale that elevation by 10 for more drama. This undulating point02 grid can then be used to generate a BSplineSurface.ByPoles. 
 HTH, 
 Volker 
 imagetest_BSplineCurve.dgn https://communities.bentley.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/360/imagetest_5F00_BSplineCurve.gct