Array bricks along hose path in LDCad — built-in feature or Lua script?

[Simone]

Hi everyone,
I have a flexible hose already placed in my model, complete with bends and curves. I've also built a small ring-shaped assembly (grouped as a sub-model) that is sized to fit snugly around the hose — for simplicity, let's say I could reduce it to a single Technic Brick 2×1 with Hole (3700).

What I'd like to achieve is essentially an array along a curve: repeat that brick or sub-model N times at regular intervals along the hose, so that each instance follows the hose's orientation at its respective position — i.e., it inherits the local rotation of the hose segment it sits on.
Think of it like cable clamps or spacer rings distributed evenly along a hydraulic line or wiring harness.

Does LDCad have any built-in feature that allows this, or is it achievable through a Lua script?

Any pointers — tools, scripts, workflows, or even manual tricks — would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Philippe Hurbain]

The LQ version of flexible hose does have connectivity defined for the cable segment, allowing to attach (with "decent" placement and orientation) any elements with bar female connectivity, such as clips or Technic bushes.
So a possible workflow would be to
- create the bent hose in LQ version (this doesn't work with HQ hose as there is no connectable segments)
- Attach small elements (Technic half bush works fine for that) where you want to have your ring-shaped assembly
- Select the bushes, and double click on your ring assemby in file content part bin to replace the bush with the subfile.

Of couse the subfile must be desiged with origin and orientation to match the bush...

[Simone]

The LQ version of flexible hose does have connectivity defined for the cable segment, allowing to attach (with "decent" placement and orientation) any elements with bar female connectivity, such as clips or Technic bushes.
So a possible workflow would be to
- create the bent hose in LQ version (this doesn't work with HQ hose as there is no connectable segments)
- Attach small elements (Technic half bush works fine for that) where you want to have your ring-shaped assembly
- Select the bushes, and double click on your ring assemby in file content part bin to replace the bush with the subfile.

Of couse the subfile must be desiged with origin and orientation to match the bush...

Thanks Philippe for answer. About "LQ version" (i suppose you mean low quality), currently, to generate pipes, I use the lsynth executable with a file containing only the waypoints through which the pipe must pass. Then, once I've verified that I like the way the pipe is generated, I embed it into the project as a subfile. Is the workflow you suggested also feasible with lsynth?

[Philippe Hurbain]

Thanks Philippe for answer. About "LQ version" (i suppose you mean low quality), currently, to generate pipes, I use the lsynth executable with a file containing only the waypoints through which the pipe must pass. Then, once I've verified that I like the way the pipe is generated, I embed it into the project as a subfile. Is the workflow you suggested also feasible with lsynth?

I think it should work if your LSynth template uses as pipe element "77.dat", the same segment as the one used by LDCad.
Looking at this documentation, the LSynth template uses LS02.dat, hopefully it will work with 77.dat instead.

Out of curosity, why do you use LSynth? I used it (quite a lot!) in the past, but I find LDcad flex generation MUCH more convenient

[Simone]

I think it should work if your LSynth template uses as pipe element "77.dat", the same segment as the one used by LDCad.
Looking at this documentation, the LSynth template uses LS02.dat, hopefully it will work with 77.dat instead.

Out of curosity, why do you use LSynth? I used it (quite a lot!) in the past, but I find LDcad flex generation MUCH more convenient

Sorry for the delay. I didn't receive the notification email. I use it because I learned to use it back then (the ldcad one didn't quite fit into my head) and I found myself being "efficient" with it (certainly more laborious, but I could do what I wanted). So I never switched from it. But if that's what you say, then I'll try the ldcad one now. Thanks for the further explanation.