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# Path : PositionController

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NoteThe Path controller has been replaced by the Path_Constraint PositionController in 3ds Max 4 and higher. The description below applies to versions prior to 3ds Max 4 and is thus obsolete and provided for historical and backwards compatibility reference only.

Path_Constraint : PositionController

Constructor

    path...

Properties

    <path>.allowUpsideDown Boolean default: false -- alias: Allow_Upside_Down

Turn on to avoid the situation in which an object flips when going around a vertically oriented path.

    <path>.axis Integer default: 0

axis = 0 - X; 1 - Y; 2 - Z

    <path>.axisFlip Boolean default: false -- alias: Axis_Flip

Flips the direction of the object on the path 180 degrees.

    <path>.bank Boolean default: false

Allows the object to bank (roll) as it negotiates the curves of the spline.

    <path>. bankAmount Float default: 0.5 -- animatable, alias: Bank_Amount

The amount of the banking to one side or the other, depending on whether the value is positive or negative.

    <path>.constantVel Boolean default: false -- alias: Constant_Velocity

Provides a constant velocity along the path. When off, the velocity of the object along the path varies depending on the distance between the vertices on the path.

    <path>.follow Booleandefault: false

Aligns the object to the trajectory as it follows the contour.

    <path>.loop Boolean default: false -- boolean

When turned on, the path controlled object will loop back to the start point of the path, after the end point is reached.

    <path>.path Node default: undefined&emdash;node; Path_Constraint

The spline in the scene that you want the selected object to follow.

    <path>.pathlist Array default: #() -- node array; SubAnim

The object will follow the resultant path which is the weighted average of the paths in this array. The weight for each path is found in the corresponding entry in <path>.weightlist .

    <path>.percent Floatdefault: 0.0 -- animatable, percentage

The percent that the object is positioned along the path.

    <path>.relative Boolean default: false -- booleanExample

When turned on, the path controlled object will maintain the position offset between its initial position and the start point of the path.

    <path>.smoothness Float default: 0.5 -- animatable

Controls how rapidly the roll angle changes as the object moves through bends in the trajectory. Smaller values will make the object more responsive to subtle changes in the curve, while larger values smooth out jerking. The default value is a good value for general damping along the curve. Values below 2 tend to make the action jerky, but values around 3 can be very useful for simulating a certain degree of realistic instability.

    <path>.weightlist Array default: #() -- float array; Weight; SubAnim

Array containing weights corresponding to entries in the <path>.pathlist array. The object will follow the resultant path which is the weighted average of the selected paths.

The following script shows an example of assigning and animating a path controller.

EXAMPLE
    thePath=circle radius:50-- create shape node for path
    theObj=cone radius1:6 radius2:0 height: 15-- create object to travel on path
    theObj.pos.controller=path follow:true -- assign path controller to object
    PosCont=theObj.pos.controller -- grab the path controller
    PosCont.path=thePath -- set path to shape node
    PosCont.axis=2 -- point local Z axis along path
    animate on -- create keys at&ldots;
    (
    at time 30 PosCont.percent=25 -- frame 30 - 25% along path
    at time 100 PosCont.percent=95 -- frame 100 - 95% along path
    )

#### See Also

- Controller Common Properties, Operators, and Methods

- MAXWrapper Common Properties, Operators, and Methods

- Value Common Properties, Operators, and Methods