Need help tweaking my first attempt at a Grasshopper definition

I've been taking tutorials for a while, and I recently decided to try making a definition of my own. I was hoping to get some of you all to take a look at the file to see how I could simplify it. As it is, it seems like I had to do too much work to get my result, plus some occasional errors occur.

I am trying to make a set of parametric stairs based off of the contour lines of a lofted surface. The surface is based off the front edge curves of a series of six curved posts. The lofted surface will not be baked, it is only to create a starting point for the contour stairs. As I move the control points of the posts back and forth (orthographically), the loft surface changes and the stairs regenerate and hug the posts.

Problems:
- when I bend the posts using the control points, occasionally one or more stairs will disappear. Not sure why this is happening.
- definition might be more complicated than necessary.

Please take a look at the rhino file and the grasshopper file and tell me what you think.
Thanks!

-Sky

Attachments:

facade study5.3dm, 41 KB
contoursteps.ghx, 1.4 MB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by SkyC on April 5, 2010 at 9:48am

Here's a version of the grasshopper file with some notes, plus a shot of the final product:

Attachments:

contoursteps_w_notes.ghx, 1.6 MB
parametricstairs.jpg, 315 KB

Permalink Reply by Victor Leung on April 5, 2010 at 11:35pm

This is a quick reply only, I wrote a little bit for you, I think you should try using more section operations.
using tree structures will also free you from using a lot of repeat code.

See if this helps

Attachments:

contoursteps_w_notes_victor.ghx, 1.8 MB
facadestudy5_victor.3dm, 42 KB

Permalink Reply by Victor Leung on April 5, 2010 at 11:38pm

I didnt figure out the risers, they should be the same logic as the steps. Just section the surface with a series of planes and get the profile, move the profile and then loft and extrude them to get the risers.

using sweep to make the risers are risky, as the sweep may return funny results.

Please also note that you posted double, where discussions should go back to discussion.

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