Update Sweep modifier

[jpedleham]

The sweep modifier yields very unpredictable results especially with acute corners.

It is lacking in many controls such as limits and segment controls. It also feels like it should have additional controls for aligning your sections as far too often it relies on sections oriented perfectly with reset xforms  in order to work correctly.

The main issue is with 'overshoot' on acute corners where Max is lacking when compared to drafting software such as Vectorworks, Rhino3D and Autocad.

In the attached image, the top sweep is Max, the bottom is Rhino3D. Its impossible to achieve the same result as Rhino with the current sweep modifier.

[Swordslayer]

That will happen either with a big offset value or pivot that's way out of the profile, otherwise you'll get the expected result:

[jpedleham]

@Swordslayer this is incorrect. Both pivots are centered and xforms reset. This is an issue with sweep itself not being able to handle profile intersects on acute corners well with no offsets applied. Your sweep spline is far larger.

[mgmcgill]

I would add that it should be animatable like the pathDeform modifier. 

[Kranos_Orphydian]

pls report it as a bug  and maybe join Beta program to make a better point about this

[jpedleham]

Just to add to this, the way sweep handles generating UVs is also absolutely terrible. Every time youre near a corner the UVs stretch towards the corner. This needs to be changed.  As you can see on the left side the texture is absolutely fine. This is where the spline begins. As it moves around the room it picks up a slant that only seems to be caused by the way sweep likes to do its mapping. The mapping should be as if it has been unwrapped and wrapped to a spline.

[Kranos_Orphydian]

@jpedleham now this forum allows editing the original post. I guess it's a good idea to update the OP with all the extra ideas and feedback! I might add: instead of needing to create and pick up an additional spline for the section a more elegant and consistent solution would be to create that using a curve graph/profile editor. 

Also, did you check the Maya new sweep mesh tool? Maybe you can borrow some ideas from there as well 

Maya 2022 - New Sweep Mesh from Curve Tool - YouTube

[Kranos_Orphydian]

Option to disable Caps on the ends of the tubes is another omission IMO

[Kranos_Orphydian]

It would still not be on par with the awesome and versatile Sweep Mesh Tool in Maya 2022

Maya 2022: New Features for Modelling - YouTube (watch from 04:45 onwards!)

It should go beyond a simple sweep update