The Bezier Extrude tool allows one to quickly extrude a geometry selection along the length of a curve. If the curve is pre-existing, select it first, then the polygonal geometry for extrusion. 'Bezier Path' will also allow the user to create a path interactively. To use, select the tool and make it interactive by clicking in the viewport. Once activated, a number of properties are available
Bezier Path--
Mode: By default the mode is set to Add. In the 'Add' mode clicking on a curve point and dragging will edit the curves position. Clicking anywhere in the 3D viewport other than the handles will create a new curve control point. To avoid creating new control points when dragging existing points around you can set this mode to 'Edit'. 'Delete' mode allows quick removal of control points by simply clicking on them.
Point X/Y/Z: Defines the XYZ position of the currently selected knot. The user can interactively edit the position by clicking over the knot indicated by the cyan dot, it will turn yellow; the user can now drag its position around in the viewport, or manually enter a position be editing any of the data fields.
In/Out X/Y/Z: Defines the XYZ position of the currently selected in or out bezier handle. The user can interactively edit the position by clicking over the handle indicated by the cyan rectangle at the end of the purple dotted line, it will turn yellow; the user can now drag its position around in the viewport, or manually enter a position be editing any of the data fields.
Closed: This toggle option will cause the curve to become a closed loop.
By Length: This option forces the newly created geometry to be evenly distributed across the entire length of the curve rather than spacing based on the control knots.
Create Polygon: This toggle option will generate a curve type polygon that remains after the tool has been dropped. This is useful if you want to re-use the curve you create with the current tool with additional curve based tools later in your project.
Make UVs: When enabled, modo will automatically create a UV map for along the length of the extrusion.
PathSteps Generator--
Automatic: This toggle control will force a computed number of segments based on the Smoothing Angle value such that an edge is created along the path to maintain a level of smoothness at or above the user set level.
Steps: Active only when Automatic is off, this is the number of segments generated along the curve path.
Smoothing Angle: Defines a minimum angle for generating a new segment for 'Automatic'.
Align to Path: When enabled the segment edges will align with the curves direction vector producing a consistent thickness.
Align to Normal: Aligns the Extrusion shape to the normal direction of the initial polygon selection.
Start at Source: Often a curve used for extruding will have its initial control knot imperfectly aligned with the geometry to be extruded. WIth 'Start at Source' active the curve is used as a relative guide using the original geometry as the true starting location. Disabling this option may cause the newly created geometry to move away from the intended original location.
Sweep Effector--
Sweep UVs: This popup control allows you to choose between the U or V axis when placing UV data for newly created geometry.
Invert Polygons: Reverses the normal facing direction of the polygons generated by the extrusion.
Cap Start/End: This toggle will force the back end of the extruded geometry to be capped or closed.
Profile Attributes--
Size: The size of 1D or 2D profile to sweep. If the size is 0.0, it uses the real size.
Curve Subdivision Tolerance: This is the minimum height when it subdivides bezier curve to polyline.
Pivot: Specify the pivot position of the profile.
Offset X/Y: These are the offset amount on the profile space.
Reverse X/Y: Reverse the selected profile to horizontal or vertical.
Profiles--
Mini Preset browser for viewing various profiles. Works the same as the standard preset browser. Selecting any of the various profiles will modulate the extrusion width with the selected shape over its length. To return to the original polygon selection for the extrusion, ctrl-click the selected profile to deselect it.
