Knife Tool!

[Arngautr]

..........uh, you draw a straigt line and then slice......you can move around said line....................try using the right mouse button and pressing 'n'? I don't mean to be too rude but this isn't the first (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=133647) post (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=132807) you've made which is trivial, next time consider RTFM (http://www.newtek.com/products/lightwave/downloads/)!
(http://www.newtek.com/products/lightwave/downloads/)

[Sanby]

Thanks for the link.

BTw, I see how this is trivial. The point of a forum is so someone can post questions, no matter how dumb someone may think they are. I happen to find this tool tricky use.

Sanby

[SplineGod]

Shift + K activates the knife tool. If you draw the cut with the left mouse button its not permanent which means you can move the widgets on the ends of the knife tool around.
Using the RMB makes the cut permanent (unless you undo). You can also click down anywhere and the knife tool (if still active) will cut wherever you click down. :)

[JVitale]

your question isn't trivial Sanby...people new to LightWave always have questions that to seasoned veterans may seem trivial...

If you are new to LW just remember that the Knife tool doesn't "Cut"...it adds geometry and points where you slice across..its name can be deceiving....(believe me! I fell for that when I first started using LW)

[Sanby]

K, thatnks for the comments guys.

JVitale thanks for telling me that, because I was under the impression that it cut stuff. Now I understand why it reactes the way it does. What then, is the best way to "cut" a polygon in half?

Sanby

[riki]

The name 'Knife' kind of implies that it cuts things into pieces, but actually it just adds segments as described above.

[SplineGod]

"Cut" can mean various things. Computer applications typically use terms that best fits the description of the tool. Cutting can mean removing, cutting in new vertices or geometry and so on. People think of different things when hearing the same word.
Boolean operations can also be thought of as cutting operations as well because it may "cut" in new geometry or cut away geometry.
Most people used to using LW or other 3D apps will understand what terms mean relative to the function.
When you say you want to cut a polygon in half what do you mean precisely? :)

[Sanby]

What is mean by cut is I want to take a single 4 point poly (that's is part of a model) and divide it in half. I want to divide it the same way the bandsaw does, except I only want the one poly, not the entire string.

Sanby

[AFalk]

If you are using LW7+, try using the edge tools (Add Edges specifically).

When you activate the tool you'll see little blue spheres where edges can
be added. Click the two points (start and end) where you want your new
edge (cut ) to exist, and presto.

The tool is built in to LW8 and was available as a free d/l back in the LW7
days.

Good luck

[Phyrea]

What is mean by cut is I want to take a single 4 point poly (that's is part of a model) and divide it in half. I want to divide it the same way the bandsaw does, except I only want the one poly, not the entire string.

SanbyIf I understand what you're asking for, you can do this with the Knife tool. Simply select the poly you want to cut (and only that polygon), then select the Knife tool, and left-mouse drag a "cut" across the polygon. You should see it split into two. Then deselect the knife tool. Is that what you're going for?

[NanoGator]

..........uh, you draw a straigt line and then slice......you can move around said line....................try using the right mouse button and pressing 'n'? I don't mean to be too rude but this isn't the first (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=133647) post (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=132807) you've made which is trivial, next time consider RTFM (http://www.newtek.com/products/lightwave/downloads/)!
(http://www.newtek.com/products/lightwave/downloads/)

I wonder how many people read these lame RTFM comments and think the LW Community is hostile towards the new peeps.

[Erich]

Hi. Here is another way to cut a poly. First select the poly you want to cut in polygon mode. Then switch to points mode and add points to the edges of the poly you want to cut in half with the Add Points tool. Then select those points (lasso select). With the points selected switch back to polygon mode. With the poly still selected, press Control L. This will cut the poly in two.


Hope this helps.

[riki]

Edge Tools are sweet

[Erich]

Here is a brief demo vid of how I use the Split tool. Hope it helps. It is a rar file inside of a zip. So you will need winzip and winrar to open it.

[leigh]

Hmmm I would say that the Knife tool is one of the simplest ways to split a poly in two :shrug:
The main problem with it is that you cannot really use it efficiently in the Perspective viewport. Edge tools are best for that, but LightWaves edge tools leave a lot to be desired...

[SplineGod]

What is mean by cut is I want to take a single 4 point poly (that's is part of a model) and divide it in half. I want to divide it the same way the bandsaw does, except I only want the one poly, not the entire string.

SanbySelect the poly(s) that you want to cut. Activate the knife tool and create the cut. The tool will only work on selected polys. :)

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