Instance geometry replacement

[sparky]

is there a way to replace cv's with other geometry?

example:I have been creating soft bodies from objects, so I can have particles that can be replaced by instanced geometry- a sphere coverd in spheres-as an example.

What I want is to have more control over the geometry of the final object that I am trying to create. I would like to somehow create an object-then having that as the base, convert it's cv's to the origin for a series of duplicated objects- that I can then edit as geometry.
Its the editing as geometry that is the hard part.

thanks for any help

flint

[fomstudios]

Check out the Script Paint Tool (Modify > Script Paint Tool). There is an example script that ships with Maya called geometryPaint. In the Tool Settings window for the Script Paint Tool, click the Setup tab and type geometryPaint in the Tool Setup Cmd box. The Geometry Paint Settings window will open. To paint instances of an object onto the CVs of another, type the name of the object to instance in the Geometry box, set Operation to Create/Modify, uncheck Grid, check Attach and uncheck Duplicate (there are several other settings described in the docs). An instance will be created at each CV that is painted over. Deforming or tweaking CVs on the original will effect the instances accordingly.

Cheers,
Eric