Unrolling a spiral shape

Does anyone know of a reasonable method to animate a spiral unrolling to a straight line? The points used to describe the spiral take a fairly complex path during unrolling and are thus it is quite hard to record or keyframe their positions during the process. Maybe I'm missing something easy? Thanks.

David Bogie Chq-1 wrote:
Can you use a replicator to create a spiral that is complex enough to satisfy your needs?
bogiesan
Turns out your idea to use a replicator was very helpful. I made a small circle, replicated it (Shape = spiral, # of arms = 1, and enough points to fill in the shape of a spiral. Then I applied the sequence replicator behavior, sequencing TO zero opacity (makes the spiral disappear starting from the outside). I then rotated and translated the replicator while having it follow a growing straight line.
Yeah, kind of a pain, but if I absolutely need it, I can make it work. Here's a video example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WATNlzUkBg
It's still a little lame, but it wouldn't take much to clean it up. Still looking for a better approach though.
Thanks, Pat

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There's no glow. Just gradients.
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This is a little inexact at the left and it's not colored, but I hope you get the point.
The gradients:

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I'm trying to spiral around in a rectangle shape (clockwise) but can't seem to get it to work properly with any sized rectangle.
Here is what I have so far...
public class Test {
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    private static final int DOWN = 1;
    private static final int LEFT = 2;
    private static final int UP = 3;
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        int maxX = x + xTol;
        int curX = x;
        int minY = y - yTol;
        int maxY = y + yTol;
        int curY = y;
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        System.out.println("ini Compare:\tcurX: " + curX + " curY: " + curY);
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        int downFinish = 0;
        int leftFinish = 0;
        int upFinish = 0;
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                    rightFinish = curX;
                    break;
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                    for (int i = 0; i != checks; ++i) {
                        ++curY;
                        System.out.println("DOWN Compare:\tcurX: " + curX + " curY: " + curY);
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                    for (int i = 0; i != checks; ++i) {
                        --curX;
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}The above code almost accomplishes what I want but not quite.
Ultimately i want to create a "rectangle" out of dots by specifying a maxX, maxY, minX and minY in clockwise form.
IE the output would be something like:
ini Compare:     curX: 100 curY: 100
RIGHT Compare:     curX: 101 curY: 100
DOWN Compare:     curX: 101 curY: 101
LEFT Compare:     curX: 100 curY: 101
LEFT Compare:     curX: 99 curY: 101
UP Compare:     curX: 99 curY: 100
UP Compare:     curX: 99 curY: 99
RIGHT Compare:     curX: 100 curY: 99
RIGHT Compare:     curX: 101 curY: 99
RIGHT Compare:     curX: 102 curY: 99
DOWN Compare:     curX: 102 curY: 100
DOWN Compare:     curX: 102 curY: 101
DOWN Compare:     curX: 102 curY: 102
LEFT Compare:     curX: 101 curY: 102
LEFT Compare:     curX: 100 curY: 102
... and so on until complete. The above code almost makes a square but would not work for rectangle.

Jardium wrote:
OK, but you thought about the algorithm, corrected little errors within it, etc. without viewing the points on the screen?
How can you be sure that the points which are generated by your program really make up a spiral? Just by reading them?As in my original post the output of the code I write is:
ini Compare: curX: 100 curY: 100
RIGHT Compare: curX: 101 curY: 100
DOWN Compare: curX: 101 curY: 101
LEFT Compare: curX: 100 curY: 101
LEFT Compare: curX: 99 curY: 101
UP Compare: curX: 99 curY: 100
UP Compare: curX: 99 curY: 99
RIGHT Compare: curX: 100 curY: 99
RIGHT Compare: curX: 101 curY: 99
RIGHT Compare: curX: 102 curY: 99
DOWN Compare: curX: 102 curY: 100
DOWN Compare: curX: 102 curY: 101
DOWN Compare: curX: 102 curY: 102
LEFT Compare: curX: 101 curY: 102
LEFT Compare: curX: 100 curY: 102
That is spiroling around...
But would not complete correctly if the width and height are not the same.
Please only post if you have a valid question or are willing to help out.
Thanks,

Shape annoyances.... don't know if there's any help...

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HTH

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Object >> Path >> Add Anchor Point (about 2 times)
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Good links to those automators, Linc
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Simple way to create a Helix (Spring) shape?

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residualhaunt,
To continue:
until I know how to make vectors from scratch I've been making due with the 'Image Trace' option for my logos
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You may then scan the hand drawn artwork and place it on its own layer, locked, then recreate it (on top) by using the Pen Tool or other tools for special shapes (such as Rectangle/square, Ellipse/circle, Star, Polygon, Spiral, whatever), and you may use the Type Tool to create the text if you have the right fonts; you may edit while drawing with the tools, and you may edit/adjust afterwards.
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Unrolling a spiral shape

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