Adding a texture map to a beveled curve or path

Question

I really want to be able to apply mapping to a curve object. For instance a rope or pipe that has a repeated pattern along its length that follows it's twists and turns.

There must be a simple way to generate UV coordinates for such an object without converting it to a mesh and unwrapping it. Can anyone help?

Answer 1

Yes, you can. Just simply toggle the Use UV for mapping option in Properties Editor > Object Data Tab > Texture space panel.

For BI render

• In order to use UV coordinate, you have to convert the curve object into a mesh object to store UV (AltC > 2). Just besure to have that optio toggled, which will automatically generate a neat UV (named Orco by default). and set Texture coornidate to UV:

• If you don't want to convert the curve object into a mesh, for regular use, you have a nice option, by using Generated coodinate instead for texture:

For Cycles Render:

• After toggling Use UV for mapping option, you can immidiately see the automatic Orco UV in 3D View, Cycles will by default use UV coordinate for both curve and mesh:

Answer 2

The easiest and quickest way to create UV for a pipe (curve) without having to convert it to a mesh is to use the generated UVs.

1. I am assuming that you are using cycles

2. Assign a (diffuse) material to your mesh (in the materials tab) if you haven't already

   

3. Add an image to your material, Shift + A -> Texture -> Image Texture

4. Add an UV input, Shift + A -> Input -> Texture Coordinate

   

NOTE:

• the curve is still intact, you don't have to convert to mesh

• the generated UV is not perfect and there may be some minor stretching

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Answer 3

This answer only applies if you are using cycles to render your scene. Note that I can't provide an answer for the internal renderer.

However, in cycles, this can be achieved easily by using the following note setup. This generates a nicely distributed trexture ove the beveled curve (I guess that is what you want):