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How can I align a Cylinder with the normals of the surface? I want it to be aligned with the points on the surface as well.

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  • $\begingroup$ I edited my answer. Apart from placing the nodes in the wrong order, your general idea seems to he correct, it's just that the Align Rotation to Vector node doesn't use the normal attribute (yet?). $\endgroup$
    – Gordon Brinkmann
    Commented Mar 4, 2021 at 20:56

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UPDATE: The answer below is for Blender 2.92, in the experimental build 2.93.0 Alpha this already works. Keep the nodes in the order described down here. Set Vector to Attribute and enter the value vertex_normal (or choose it from the dropdown menu).

For Blender 2.92: Not the answer to get it working (because it doesn't in this or older versions), jut a quick explanation of how to setup the nodes and what they do.

The Align Rotation to Vector node rotates the points of the plane object according to values you enter in there (if Vector option set to Vector instead of Attribute). Which means, you have to put it before the Point Instance node to have an effect on the rotation of the instanced objects.

However, this only rotates all points into the same direction for X/Y/Z given by the three values entered there (all set to 0 would mean, the rotation isn't changed at all).

So Attribute must be the option to choose I guess - and this is the point where someone should take over who knows how to get the vertex normals. I don't know and can't find a list which attribute names Blender understands, but in my opinion the attribute which gets the vertex normal must be put in there and it should work as you want it.

I just watched a Youtube video on geometry nodes and talking about the attributes it was mentioned that the normal attribute is still a work in progress and yet only used by the Point Distribution node.

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  • $\begingroup$ Typing in "normal" as the attribute works for me for the Align Rotation to Vector node $\endgroup$
    – Zach Eastin
    Commented Mar 11, 2021 at 21:43
  • $\begingroup$ How? It doesn't do what is desired to do, you could only align all instances in the same direction. If you've got a working solution, please add it as an answer here. $\endgroup$
    – Gordon Brinkmann
    Commented Mar 11, 2021 at 22:18
  • $\begingroup$ My apologies I mistook what you said about the Point Distribution node. $\endgroup$
    – Zach Eastin
    Commented Mar 12, 2021 at 15:03
  • $\begingroup$ That's a pity, I was hoping there is a solution to this... $\endgroup$
    – Gordon Brinkmann
    Commented Mar 12, 2021 at 15:39
  • $\begingroup$ I've updated the answer. $\endgroup$
    – Gordon Brinkmann
    Commented Mar 13, 2021 at 12:14

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