panel system with N distinct panel types?

I'm designing a panel system with curve offsets defined by the distance to an attractor curve (or several curves & points). However, rather than a continuously-variable offset distance, I would like to limit the number of distinct panel types, and be able to control that number parametrically, so I can easily see what the difference between, say, 8 different types vs 6....

So as you can see in the attached image, I need to re-map some numbers. I tried a graph mapper, and this would work if there was a 'stepped graph' - but I'm at a loss now. Any ideas?

Attachments:

test1-continuous.jpg, 1.3 MB
test1-gh.jpg, 259 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Paolo Alborghetti on November 4, 2009 at 6:36am

Hi evan.I think you have to use an 'if then else' routine,using the function compnent.You should find the biggest and the smallest distance between the gird points of the surface and the points on the curve.Than make different intervals of numeber(from MIN to MIN+n, from (MIN+n) to (MIN+n)+n etc.. till MAX),as much as the number of type of panels(P,P1,P2,P3,P4....) you want to obtain.
So you will have:
if 'distance' is between MIN and MIN+n, then offset curve of M(an example value)-PANEL1
if 'distance' is between (MIN+n) to (MIN+n)+n, then offset curve of M1(another example value) -PANEL 2
etc...
This is probably how i would do that,i'm not sure it works but i think so.
Hope this could help you (and i hope you understand what i wrote :))
regards
Paolo

Permalink Reply by Marc Syp on November 4, 2009 at 8:41am