Anyway to get a fence/railing to follow a curved polyline?

[Nicinus]

Have a property perimeter with one side against a culdesac, and need a iron fence that follows that path. I have the exact property line and was hoping to use it as a path for a fence. Possible?

[Nicinus]

I should mention that I've found a decent method in drawing a fence from a segment end point on my curve, converting that portion to an arch, and then snapping it to the curve underneath. However, there are a number of segments, and I will also need to plant bushes along the perimeter, so a tool that follows a path would helpful.

[glennw]

I'm not sure I understand 100% what you want.

You can only draw a straight wall or a curved wall (arc) - you can't draw a freeform wall. 

You can always join a whole lot of curved walls to approximate the shape - but it sounds like that is what you have done. 

 

What type of iron fence do you want.

You may be able to use a molding polyline if it's not too complicated - or there may be other option, depending on the detail required.

[Nicinus]

I think I was more thinking if there was some tool that would allow you to disperse objects, like posts, on a path/polyline. Like the move/transform tool that would let you pick a path. The design has about 40 plants that follow the fence as well so it would make life easier. I will look into the molding polyline and see if that can be used, thanks.

[glennw]

There is a tool to do exactly what you want.

Have a look at the Distributed Objects tools like Polyline Distribution Path and Spline Distribution Path - at the bottom of the Build menu. 

[Richard_Morrison]

Just discovered that one feature of this new forum is that is shows you when a response has been added while you're typing your own response. Saved me typing a whole sentence! (Except for this...)

[Nicinus]

There is a tool to do exactly what you want.

Have a look at the Distributed Objects tools like Polyline Distribution Path and Spline Distribution Path - at the bottom of the Build menu. 

 

Thanks, and you're right, this is exactly what I was looking for.

 

Is there a way to convert an existing spline into a distribution path? I tried walk through animation path, but they have different dbx. 

[Richard_Morrison]

Thanks, and you're right, this is exactly what I was looking for.

 

Is there a way to convert an existing spline into a distribution path? I tried walk through animation path, but they have different dbx. 

No.

[Nicinus]

Ok, thanks. 

[dshall]

Thanks, and you're right, this is exactly what I was looking for.

Is there a way to convert an existing spline into a distribution path? I tried walk through animation path, but they have different dbx.

[dshall]

Interesting, I wonder what would happen if you turned EDIT PLINE PARTS on. There must be a way to convert a spline into something useful. I bet Glenn knows.

There must be a way to deconstruct a spline.

[dshall]

How about this, save plan as junk, do a CUT TO CAD, or whatever that is called, now copy the pertinent lines, open original plan and paste in place.

[glennw]

  There must be a way to convert a spline into something useful.

 

 

Yes, you can convert a spline into a wiggly line - these are most useful for all sorts of things. 

 

 

 

There is no problem deconstructing a spline.

The problem is what to do then.

 

You can copy an object along a straight line by using either the Multiple Copy tool or the Align/Distribute along line tools.

But I think these only work for a single line.

I don't thing that there is another tool (apart from the Distributed Object tools) that will allow you to distribute along a polyline or a spline.

 

Probably easier to just trace over the existing spline with the Spline Distribution Path tool.