extrude

hello 

i'm trying to duplicate a layer along a path.

i managed to do successfully - by using a mask path.

but mask path is only 2d...

now i want to do it in 3d - best way to describe it would be like auto-orienting a layer along a 3d path - just instead of movement i need duplication to occurs.

there's a cool plugin that took this functionality to the extreme: BAO Mask 3D Warper Extrude using a Light Path Tutorial - YouTube

there's also "trapcode TAO" that do it, but it's limited to its own kind of shapes.

what would be the general steps to do it?

i already figured out that i would have to read a path from a position property which allows for 3d.

any help would be more than greatly appreciated!