[FEATURE REQUEST] Enhance "Circular Pattern" to add Displacement

[I_B_Jones]

Problem Example: To Design a Spiral Staircase.

In Fusion 360 / Design / Create / Circular Pattern, it is easy to select a Component (eg Stair Step) and Axis and create a sequence of Components in circular sequence. Parameters even work ok. What's missing is the ability to Displace each Component by an amount along that Axis.

Please can a Displacement distance input (default 0) be added? This to displace the Origin of each generated Component along the Axis by the specified Displacement distance.

Ideally field able to use Parameters too, as the others do.

Nice to have: Ability also to use the pattern Iteration Number in the Displacement parameter (and perhaps in others too).

That would make spiraled components easy to achieve.

[I'm aware there's a Script "Spiral Pattern" created to do this in response to an old Post, but it does n't allow Parameters to be used.]

Thank you.

[Drewpan]

Hi,

This feature already exists. Circular pattern works in 2D but Pattern on a Path will work on 3D.All you need is to use

a coil to create your core of your staircase, design your step and it should work in 3D.

Cheers

Andrew

[davebYYPCU]

Have you tried it (in fusion?)

Steps align with the path not the floor.

@I_B_Jones That script should allow manual edits of the Model Parameter, it uses.

Might help...

[laughingcreek]

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@Drewpan wrote:

Hi,

This feature already exists. Circular pattern works in 2D but Pattern on a Path will work on 3D.All you need is to use

a coil to create your core of your staircase, design your step and it should work in 3D.

...

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Drew, you really should try your suggestion.  (spoiler-you're going to find a a fun alignment issue)

[Drewpan]

Hi all,

A spiral staircase is on my list, I just haven't reached it yet. From @laughingcreek and  @davebYYPCU it looks like

I am about to egg on my face (again😎).

Cheers

Andrew

[I_B_Jones]

So, is my Feature Request still valid then, since (spiral) Paths don't do the same thing?

@davebYYPCU: Yes, I tried the Spiral Pattern script, and manually changing the parameter value does of course work, but I don't think you can paste/enter a User Parameter into the fields and have them work - and respond when a Parameter updates, which makes things a bit tedious : have to remember and do the manual update.

How DO people design "spiral staircase" type scenarios in Fusion?

Actually, if active Parameters can be used in all the fields of create Circular Pattern AND Displacement was added AND the Iteration Number was made available to use in the Parameter formulae, then this might produce some very interesting Design results.

[davebYYPCU]

My script has stopped working, (not surprising with constant upgrades)

Sure original iteration, is not taking User Parameters, but you can edit the respective Model Parameter to receive the User Parameter in most features.  As I can't test the script anymore, will suggest that 2 + versions would / should work with change of User Parameter.

Otherwise, it is combination of circular and rectangular patterns with Removal.

Might help...

[I_B_Jones]

Hi Dave.  @davebYYPCU 

I think we may have been talking about different SpiralPattern scripts. The one I'd tried was by Pavel Holecek I think.   However, I still believe there's value in the in-built Fusion Circular Pattern feature being extended. It seems a bit of a functionality hole at present that needs fiddly work-arounds!

What's the correct route to raise Feature Requests? Have I used it? I could not find any other path in my searches...

[TrippyLighting]

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@Drewpan wrote:

Hi all,

A spiral staircase is on my list, I just haven't reached it yet. From @laughingcreek and  @davebYYPCU it looks like

I am about to egg on my face (again😎).

Cheers

Andrew

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Even after 10 years, I almost never post a solution or make a suggestion I have not tried before posting 😉

[TrippyLighting · Accepted solution]

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@I_B_Jones wrote:

So, is my Feature Request still valid then,

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Absolutely!

This was recently requested by another user who also made a very well-thought-out suggestion for implementing it.

I wish I could find the post!

IIRC, I also posted it on the Fusions Slack channel but did not receive any responses.

[davebYYPCU]

I agree, with the feature upgrade, 

I would need a renewal for the Script, but yes that's the one I had.

Trippy has the ear of a few Autodesk peeps, should get a push here anyway.

[I_B_Jones]

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@I_B_Jones wrote:
What's the correct route to raise Feature Requests? Have I used it? I could not find any other path in my searches...

??? So is there a "correct" way to raise Feature Requests?   Is it sufficient to post one as I have above, or does it need a different approach?

Thanks,    IanBJ.

[TrippyLighting]

There is only one "official" way, but that has its own drawbacks.

You can become part of the Fusion Insider program. There is a interface that allows you to submit new ideas:

I personally question the effectiveness of that "feature". I've requested enhancements to the pattern tools 9 years ago (in the now defunct idea station), that aren't implemented today.

These weren't as "sophisticated" as this request, but features I had already used in other CAD software at the time!

I have re-requested these many times here on the forum, but to no avail.

If you do become part of the insider program, you may want to consider NOT using the insider version of Fusion.

If you need help here on the forum, most of us use the production version and we cannot open your files!

[I_B_Jones]

Thanks for clarifying that.  I'd come across the "Ideas Station" too, but of course that's long defunct despite its good intentions. Oddly, the advice to use it is still there in the Forum Community User Guides though!

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/community-user-guides/how-to-post-to-the-idea-boards-collaborate/td-p... 

Anyway, I've digressed from my Feature Request subject matter. I'll trust to someone picking up on it... One day, maybe, in the long distant future, in a galaxy...   Cheers, Ian