Procedural Cable Generator (With "Chain" Feature)

Did you ever needed some wild cables to add to a render?
May it be for a massive machine, weapons, modified vehicles, a cyborg or just as a firefighter's hose or guitarcable…!

Here's a quick solution to create those big cable harnesses or just single cables.
As "Bonus feature" even chains! (See attached pic)

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Changelog v2.2 (current release)

- "Major update: OBJ Import" to bypass the cable generation and multiply, bundle and shape any even non rigged obj

- "Auto Live Preview" while dragging sliders (Massive Performance boost!)

- "Viewport is unlocked" behind the opened settings menu to rotate the cam and zoom for better inspection

I highly recommend to check the updated manual!

The zip file includes a "script folder" which just needs to be copied into the Daz Studio library script folder.
There're 2x folders with the former stable v2.1 and the v2.2 with lots of improvements.
For the rare case something should be broken in v2.2, please let me know.
Your feedback is highly appreciated.

Future updates include until v2.5:

- "Link Nulls to Spline curve" to pose the full cable / obj thru obstacles

- "A Connector / plug generator" to add these to the cable tips. Ranging from small HiFi plugs to big machine ones or even a hose noozle.

- "Presets" to load different settings for specific needs

Some demos are here in my forum posts: https://www.renderhub.com/forum/15181/procedural-cable-generator-with-ch...

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Performance tips for less powerfully PC systems:
1. Lower the amounts of cables/chains to generate at once
2. Set the "Smooth Curves / Segments" setting lower and add Sub-D later
3. Use the "Update / Refresh Preview" function to find the best working settings for your system

What you get?

A bundle of several scripts to create cable harnesses, attach those to objects/figures and even animate it.

"All only working in Daz Studio 6"!

01a + b Add Nulls Horizontal and Vertical
02 Null to Center
03 The actual PCG v2.1 script
04 Add D-Force Dynamic Surface
05 Set D-Force Dynamics Strength to zero for the Tips preset
06 Universal Node Attacher

How to use it?

01. DD 2 NULLS“ (or use the included scripts 01a or 01b).
Next add your objects or figures to the scene.

02. "NULL TO CENTER" is a little helper to position the nulls centered into a object/figure, with the option to move those to a specific side.
Just select the null > hold Ctrl > select the object/figure > run the script.

03. Now to the main script!
First of all it recognizes all nulls in a scene and gives the option to pick a start and end point.

Followed by a slider section with many selfexplaining options!

Random Seed: Varis the look of the cable/chain harness

Cables/Chains Count: Sets the number of cables/chains

Gravity Sag: Controls how much the cables/chains are hanging

Messiness / Mid & End Spread: Sets how tight the harness is
Note: There's a possible risk of some minor intersections, especially with many
or thicker cables/chains or a tight harness. Experiment with these settings for
the most satisfying results.

Tip Length: Sets the Tip Length

Radius: Sets the radius

Smooth curves / Segments: Sets how smooth the cables/chains will look.
Use lower settings to make the cables/chains less rounded.

The "Draft Mode" checkbox will reduce the "Smooth Curves / Segments" setting
from 64 > 32! If checked the value goes down and slider gets locked. Generation
time will cut down to half. Before the render you can still convert to Sub-D to
get the rounder curves again.

Tip: Once checked > uncheck it and the slider will be active again, but starting
at a value of 32.

Next up are some more checkboxes!

"Orientation of the start and end tips" will help for better placements.

The next checkbox breaks the bundle of the tips into several loose strands (if unchecked).
Use the nd Spread“ slider for a even wider spread.

MakeTarget nodes“ will help to move the cables/chains around or attach those to
a object/figure. Once created you can pick the tips inside of the "Cable Bundle"
and move those freely around. I've added a option to bend and twist the tips
too. This can be helpfully to fix collisions with objects, but shouldn't be
overdone. Since it's working with deformers, the cables/chains can change the
scale on too high settings.

The last checkbox changes the "cables to chains" and limits the surfaces to just
1. Depending on the PC this can be quite PC power demanding. 5-10x chains at
once should be still easy to get handled. Cables are less demanding.

Custom OBJ Model“ bypasses the cable generation.
A obj will get stretched between the 2 nulls. If it looks strange, change the distance between the nulls
(move the nulls along the x axis) and adjust the adius / Scale“ slider if needed.

Clear Custom OBJ“ reactivates the cable generation mode.

The OBJ checkbox“ disables the stretch and repeats the loaded obj as repeating links.

Next up is a ave Current Setting as Preset“ button.
Every saved preset will be direct accessible from the dropdown menu below the ave button“.
No hardcoded limit for the amount of presets set!

I thought it was too annoying to click the "Load Preset" button and then pick
one from a folder. If you want to get rid off of a preset, just delete it from
the folder and refresh the list with the button below.

The Auto-Update Preview“ checkbox activates a live preview, which is reactive to slider movements.
A massive jump in performance and efficiency!

I've added 3 scripts for all animators too!

1. -force Dynamics Surface“ will add one to the cables/chains
2. The next is just a "D-force settings preset", which deactivates D-force for the tips
3. "Universal Node Attacher" copies the new position along the timeline

So how to animate 2 objects/figures with the cables/chains between after D-force was injected?

Set your start positions at frame 0.
Then just move the object/figure to any new position. Don't wonder the cables/chains won't follow.

When done go back to frame 0 and select the tip which shall get attached to the object/figure.
Tip > hold Ctrl > object/figure > run "Universal Node Attacher" script
It'll update the cables/chains over the full timeline and keeps those attached to the object/figure.

What's in the package?

6x scripts to run straight from the scripts folder in your Daz Studio libary
1x D-force settings preset for the tips
1x this introduction/tutorial als PDF file

The zip file includes a "Script" folder" which just needs to be copied into the Daz Studio library folder.