Duplicates one or more objects and places the copies in arrays on surfaces.

Access this tool from the Transform tool palette by doing either of the following:

• Clicking this icon:
• Right-clicking Transform and selecting Arrays > Surface Array.

Surface Array options

Position

Offset in the N, U, and V directions along the duplicates local axes.

Rotation

Rotation around the local, X, Y, and Z axes of the duplicates.

Primary

Specify

Choose to duplicate by Spacing or Number.

Spacing

Choose distance between duplicates.

Number

Choose number of duplicates.

Start / End

Specifies where the duplicates Start and End in the primary direction of the surface. These can be adjusted in the control window or with in-canvas range manipulators.

Scale

This is a relative scale factor applied to the original object to produce the last duplicate in each row . The size of the intermediate duplicates is interpolated.

Offset

Offsets each row in the array by this distance from the previous row.

Stagger

Offsets each row half of the spacing value, creating a "stagger" effect.

Rotation

When checked, displays fields to change the Incremental Rotation of the duplicates in the X, Y and Z.

Range Fit

Expands the array to fit within the start and end range.

Secondary

Direction

If U is selected, the objects will be laid out along U isoparms. If V is selected, they will be laid out along V isoparms. If the target is a U or V isoparm, the U or V direction will be selected by default and is dependent on the primary direction.

Perpendicular creates the secondary direction perpendicular to the primary direction.

Perpendicular

Select UV or 3D coordinates when a Perpendicular direction is selected. Selecting UV can give non-perpendicular results in world space coordinates depending on the shape of the surface (the angular difference increases with the ratio of the extents of the surface in U and V directions). Selecting 3D gives perpendicular results in world space.

Side

Creates the secondary direction of the array on the Positive, Negative or Both sides of the primary input.

Specify

Choose distance between duplicates.

Spacing

Choose distance between duplicates.

Number+ Spacing

specify both the number and the spacing of the duplicates.

Number

Choose number of duplicates.

Positive End / Negative End

Specifies the start and end of the secondary direction duplicates on the positive and negative side of the primary input.

Scale

This is a relative scale factor applied to the original object to produce the last duplicate in each row . The size of the intermediate duplicates is interpolated.

Offset

Offsets each row in the array by this distance from the previous row.

Stagger

Offsets each row half of the spacing value, creating a "stagger" effect.

Rotation

When checked, displays fields to change the Incremental Rotation of the duplicates in the X, Y and Z

Range Fit

Expands the array to fit within the positive and negative end range.

Control Options

Auto Update

When this box is checked, duplicates update automatically when values in the control window are changed.

Chain Select

When checked, selecting a surface also selects all other curves that are tangent continuous with it.

Create History

When checked, the duplicates have construction history. Modifying the stitch objects or target curves causes the duplicates to update accordingly.

Orientation

• None – No change in orientation.
• Tangent – The first copy of the object takes the original orientation and all subsequent copies are rotated based on the tangent of the input curve at the point where the object is being placed. This allows the arrayed objects to follow the flow of the input curve.
• Normal – Aligns the local X axis of each duplicate with the tangent of the target curve at the position of the duplicate. If the target curve is a curve-on-surface, each duplicate is oriented so that its local Z axis matches the normal direction of the surface where the curve-on-surface lies. If the target curve is a free curve, the Z axis of each duplicate is oriented along the direction of the curvature vector of the curve (like plot combs).