#Picking Points
12 messages in this thread
I'm having trouble doing something quite simple and hope one of the forum
experts can set me straight.
I've drawn a truck which consists of 3 objects grouped together. In the detail
editor I'd like to pick points from each object at the same time … that is,
my selection set must contain points from all the objects at one time so I can
adjust all the objects together.
Picking Group or Objects and then picking Points only picks points from the
first object in the selection set.
I'll start kicking myself now in anticipation of an embarassingly simple
answer.
Michael B.
Sorry, Michael, you're asking the impossible. All your sub-objects must be
joined in order to pick points simultaneously. If you must maintain the
heirarchy, you'll have to edit each object individually. If heirarchical
motion isn't what you're striving for, you may consider joining the three
objects and then creating sub-groups which contain the points you wish to edit.
–Rick Rodriguez
I believe you'll have to JOIN the three objects together to pick points on
all three sections at once. I don't think you can pick points on a group
I beleve everyone is right you must join the objects together, However
I think it might be somthing to look into for 3.5.
NightStalker
AP Incontrol
Michael,
if you describe what you're trying to accomplish by editing points from several
objects simultaneously, perhaps we can offer an alternate solution.
Blaq!
Charles,
Actually, I was drawing a truck with a camper kinda thing on the back. The
camper, truck body, and undercarriage were three separate objects that were
grouped together. I needed to manipulate points on each object all at the same
time. Peter Greci and Impulse (Rick R) pointed out that I could JOIN the
objects ….. I was being too myopic to think about it at the time (typical).
It worked fine in this situation.
Thanks for volunteering assistance though Charles.
I thanked Peter Greci and Impulse with a message tagged as personal, thinking
that it's sometimes a pain when I download a message that just says
"Thanks…". Next time I'll let you guys know that I've once again been saved.
Thanks, I appreciate this help!
Michael Bates
Michael,
I would still like to know what manipulation you were trying to effect on those
points. (Call me nosy B^) By joining the objects into one, you gave up the
flexibility associated with separate, grouped objects; I tend to avoid joining
like the plague — but that's just me.
Blaq!
Blaq! While I also used to avoid JOINS as much as possible, with the
Subgroups and restrict to Subgroup options Joined objects are not the
NIGHTMARE they once were IMHO.
Charles,
I've been off CServe for a week. On 16 May you asked why I wanted to pick
points simultaneously on different objects. Well, you asked so here goes…
I'm making a very basic animation which includes a 4X4 truck with a camper.
(It's basic because I'm still climbing the Imagine learning curve … and I'm
limping badly.) It will be used to liven-up a few hours of video which I took
while travelling from South Africa to Uganda with my brother and two friends.
It took us 14 weeks and they're still travelling and should be in London around
the end of August. So, I've got about 3 months to finish it and just ordered a
DPS PAR to get stuff onto tape. Hopefully, this will speed me up that learning
curve.
Now as for the 4X4 with points on different objects. Firstly, I'm really poor
at creating objects so don't laugh! I started with the body, making it similar
to the 4X4 we used. It turned out O.K. but, on shading, you could see through
the wheel wells behind the tires so I added an undercarriage (new object).
Then I added a camper shell (new object again). Well my truck was too long and
squat so I needed to stretch the whole thing including camper and
undercarriage. I had different colors on the different objects and wasn't sure
what would happen if I joined them into one object. Actually, I'm still not
sure!? However, I decided that making them all the same color and joining them
was good enough. It looks amaturish but works.
How's that for a long answer. Actually, I could have answered with… Well,
you see, it all started when I was born… 8^)
Michael B.
Michael,
Instead of moving bunches of points to change your object's proportions, you
could've picked the object, then pressed "s" (for "s"cale), "l" ("l"ocal), then
"X", "Y" or "Z" (note upper vs. lowercase). By moving the mouse, you would've
stretched/squashed your object in the desired axis. Spacebar would've accepted
the changes, ESC would've cancelled. Scaling object axes is a basic technique.
The main reasons why I never join objects into one big lump: first, it makes it
impossible to move parts separately. (Grouped objects can be moved as a group,
or individual components can be moved using Pick Objects) Second, all faces
belong to the same object, so the next time you change object attributes, all
faces will receive the new attributes. (You can Make Subgroups of faces, but
that doesn't prevent an object-wide attribute change — and then, you have to
recreate each subgroup's attributes) With grouped objects, each object has
separate attribute settings. Change the 4×4's color, and the camper shell stays
the same.
Blaq!
Charles,
A note on joining,
Before you join an object to another, select all of the faces of one
object and give them a SUBGROUP name., now do the same to the other objects
that you wish to join. Now join all of the up and when you need to get to a
specific object, no problem. go to point mode, find the subgroup and do what
you have to do.
Mike
Blaq! have you gotten yer 3.0 yet? If so moving parts in Joined objects
should no longer be a problem.