is it possible to add 3d objects with radial symmetry relative to another existing object (well I guess it would be pixols by then)?
e.g., to add evenly-spaced cylinders sticking out of a sphere, or evenly spaced rings encircling another larger ring
thanks for any tips,
Kevin
The way i’d go about it although maybe not the best way is…
To draw out a circle on the canvas using the circular alpha with the simple brush set to the drag rectangle stroke.
Position and mark each object around the circle - then use the multi-marker tool to re-draw the original tools in their marked circular relationship on the canvas and then polymesh them.
If you want different colours and textures for each element of the circular arranged objects that will be united as a polymesh- make sure the texture and colour option is checked in the marker preferences options.
However the only disadvantage of this solution is say you want each object within the circular group to respond individually to the surface normals of a shape beneath.
In that case… fizzle, pop…
Somebody else can tell you.
Personally I’d hash it by re-adjusting each element so it follows the normals beneath. Using Edit Mode once you’d pulled out the MM Tool and tweaking each component.
WingedOne put together a script for building symmetrical multimarkers objects ( http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=006310 ).
I’ve never used this and it only goes up to quadrilateral symmetry, but you may be able to use it to achieve radial symmetry in stages.
thanks for the tips, guys 
Perhaps you could use the Deformation sub-palette to move the object away from the red cross, which is where the object is rotated from. Then put the modified object on the canvas and put the true center of the object (where the red cross would be, or where the center of the gyro is) at the center of the circle or sphere. Then, when you rotate it, it will move around that center point. Using radial symmetry would then be a simple matter of entering numbers into the rotation slider/rotation deformation slider.
(Maybe I said that too fast and it didn’t make sense? )
Muvlo, that actually did make sense … I have been trying it out
Tool>Mods>Deformation>Offset is the key … after that I rotated (revolved?) the blue rings roughly into position with the gyros, and then adjusted the XYZ numbers in the Transform Info sliders … in one case I had to enter 0.01 instead of 0 otherwise the ring would jump into the hole in the center.
[edit follows]
And along the way I learned that there can only be one marker per XYZ location … I had been marking and snapshotting the blue rings before revolving the next one, but since all nine rings share the same pivot point, only the last blue ring was available using the MultiMarker tool.
Workarounds are explained in this QuickLink about markers for concentric objects
Anyways, thanks again, that was just what I was looking for … I’m all set for next time I want to build a cyclotron or something
