Normal Direction on a Square

[logix1390]

Hello,

I have a square consisting of several points on each side. I want the Normals to face outwards on each point. I used the expression $BBX-$BBZ in a point sop and got two of the sides doing exactly what I want, But I need it for the other two sides.
 

I have attached my scene file. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks

Normal_Direction_On_Square.hip

[Atom]

We know we can get the type of normals you are looking for from a Facet following a box. But you only want a single square. So you can attribute transfer the normals from the box to the square after deleting all those extra box vertices.

ap_normals_attrib_transfer.hipnc

Edited January 13, 2017 by Atom

[logix1390]

This is perfect. Thank you Atom !!

[michael]

or just use a point wrangle with this:

v@center = set(0,0,0);
v@N = v@center - v@P;

 

[rreno]

Hi Michael, the code you shared gives a vector which points inwards to the origin at every point.

Here's my point wrangle code that gives normals at any point on the surface of a unit box. Given all the conditionals, I assume there is probably a much more succinct solution.

 

vector onSurface1;
vector onSurface2;

if (@P.z == 0.5 || @P.z == -0.5) {
     onSurface1 = set(-@P.y,@P.x,0);
     onSurface2 = set(@P.y,@P.x,0);
     
     @N = abs(normalize(cross(onSurface1,onSurface2)));
     if(@P.z < 0) {  @N *= -1.0; }
     
} else if (@P.y == 0.5 || @P.y == -0.5) {
     onSurface1 = set(-@P.z,0,@P.x);
     onSurface2 = set(@P.z,0,@P.x);
     
     @N = abs(normalize(cross(onSurface1,onSurface2)));
     if(@P.y < 0) {  @N *= -1.0; }
     
} else {
     onSurface1 = set(0,-@P.z,@P.x);
     onSurface2 = set(0,@P.z,@P.x);
     
     @N = abs(normalize(cross(onSurface1,onSurface2)));
     if(@P.x < 0) {  @N *= -1.0; }
}

 

[michael]

@rreno

mine was just for the OP specific case

 

[rreno]

Oops I read square and thought box. Mine is totally useless for this situation then.

[logix1390]

Thank you all for the help !