3D tubing lisp challenge

Let me start this challenge with the statement that "I definitely am not a lsp writer" and this post might be a little long. In my recent self imposed crusade to find an automated routine to extrude a shape along a path in 3d space using ACAD2004 has come up dry. I have tested and tried over 20 different routines that I have found for extruding and none will pass. I have and use a number of methods to do this "manually" but all are very time consuming and full of places where errors and problems creep in. The most evident thing I found was the vast number of people looking for a similar thing. Personally I want to use it to make formed wire parts & I have seen people looking for same for tubing, drainage pipe, plumbing & wiring. All the lisp routines out on the web that I and others have found don't work on 90% of what I need to do and were written back in the early 90"s. It is a very simple thing to make a "3d poly" and extrude a shape along its length in 3d space as long as there is no radius requirements in the path. A drawn arc can be turned into a lt weight poly but can't be joined to the 3d poly to form a continuous path which stops the ACAD extrusion process.
Here is the basis for the lisp challenge to whom wants to take it on.
(1.) Be able to group pick a series of lines & arcs drawn in free 3d space. (2.) For the lack of better terms "Chain or Join" them into a useable path. (3.) Pick a drawn shape or shapes at one end of this path to be extruded along it. (4.) Extrude this shape or shapes to be a solid so holes or cuts can be subtracted from it.
Good luck and a bunch of people are looking...................
Tks Gene

Hi Gene, 1. Try out my PEDIT3D from www.black-cad.de to join any 3d-line segments (i.e. linear, circular elliptical and splines) to a unique 3d-polyline. But saying the truth: the arcs and splines are divided in short linear segments. You can determine the number of segments. 2. Did you try the TurboTube-program from a german team in Göttingen? Try it too. 3. I have a routine to create real arcs (toroidal segments) for the (2-dimensional) circular arcs in the 3d-polyline. 4. I worte a routine to create eccentric reducers round-to-round and round-to square both in surface and in solid-modelling. In case of interest contact me via www.black-cad.de Regards Jochen
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Hi Gene, I think the best approach would be: 1. Draw the 3Dpolyline the routing you want. 2. Make a routine that 'fillet' the corners. This routine should not add real arcs on the corners, but look-alike arcs consisting of short straight lines in the direction of an arc. In this way the 3dpolyline remains intact. (Also see 3D spiral-routines.) 3. Extrude your profile along this path.
With lots of time and persistance you can do it!....
Paul
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If this is a frequent need, I would think investing in software that would easily do what you want would be a far better option than trying to find a workaround.
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The purpose of this "challenge" seems to be to avoid the investing part ...
Henrik Vallgren
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Yes, but there is a point where it is more economical, in the long run, to make the investment. I do what is being requested here all the time though I wouldn't think of doing it with Autocad.
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I completely agree with you. I'm a software developer ;)
Henrik Vallgren www.stream-space.com
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I guess the main thing I was trying to do is use an existing function that ACAD allready provides at a $$ paid for the initial program. This function will extrude along a "path" problem is the path code is not very flexable. Just wanted some way to make a "good" 3D path for simple jobs.
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