Overview

At the core of the add-on, there is a set of Geometry Nodes: regular ones, and Tool Nodes (introduced in Blender 4.0). Together with the Python code, they create a comprehensive modelling system for curve lofting.

Core Nodes

_images/Frame__Loft_Nodes.png

The core nodes are marked as Assets. By linking the nodes from Loft Tools.blend into your file, you can use them in custom node trees.

Tool Nodes

_images/edit_mode_tools_menu.png

The Tool nodes together with the add-on’s Python part create a powerful manual modelling system.

They are also marked as Assets and available from a menu in the Curves Edit Mode. Blender adds the menu automatically reading the hierarchy from the asset library metadata objects. If you want to move or rename the menu, edit the catalog paths in the Loft Tools.blend.

Python Components

The Python part of the add-on is focused on improving availability and the user interface of the core system.

Handles

The code adds gizmo-handle for curves created by the nodes. The gizmo edits the geometry attributes which define handles, similarly to how the built-in handles work, with some limitations.

_images/handle_gizmo_1.png

Operators

The main add-on’s operators call Tool nodes. They also automatically link the library with the required nodes if not already linked.

_images/f3_loft.png

Interface

There is a panel and a pie menu with all the available operators in one convenient place.

_images/sidebar_panel_and_menu_pie.png

Asset Library Path

By enabling the add-on, the code adds the Asset Library automatically into your File Paths in the Preferences.

_images/asset_library_file_path.png

Hair Curves Requirement

We need to use the new (Hair) Curves data-block, introduced in 4.0, instead of the legacy Curve. This is required for new Node Tools to be able to create and edit original geometry attributes, as there is no support for that in the current regular Curve data-blocks.