maya basics?

[anakinskywalker]

Edge extrude :

You can use edge extrude once and then keep pressing G (previous action shortcut key) to keep on extruding more edges.

You can map the extrude edge action to a shortcut key.

You can use the hotbox instead of the menus on the top.

You can create a custom marking menu for extruding edges.

cut tool:

Well you start to cut as soon as you press the mouse button. Although the cursor changing on hovering over a edge is a good idea.. the Split Polygon Tool ( i think you were refereing to that) is pretty much useful as it is now.



:wavey: A max to maya guy myself

[misterdi]

For first question:
1. yes, you can assign a key to call this tools.
2. but I prefer to use shelves instead, you could also do with marking menu, but there is a bit customization you need to do.
By default, this should be under Polyogons shelf.
Or create new shelf, hold ctrl-alt-shft and choose any tools from menu and you will have it on that shelf.

For 2nd question:
You could use a tool called split polygon tools, which do what cut tool do as your description, it also give you extra information with rubber band.
Or you could use some more advanced script like MJPolyTools, Goomoo or other at highend3D which extend the functionality with some MELscript, like multi slice, edge loop etc.

Best regards,

[holosynthetic]

thanks for the reply guys, the information regarding the extrude edge was very helpful but cut still remains a little tricky for me, but i'll look into it elseware, I do have another question someone might be able to answer?

channel Box: in the channel box is gives a list of attributes or modifiers as they are called in max, my only problem is that once given an attribute like poly smooth I can't find out where to reorganize its place on the list, or even how to delete it, i read the help manual and it says that you can delete custom attributes but not regular attributes, does that mean once i select poly smooth or something else that i can never delete it from the list?

thanks again for your time :)

[anakinskywalker]

All the reorganisation of attributed can be done in Hypergraph.

Windows>Hypergraph

For example

If you select polysmooth. You can later delete the node in the hypergraph and you will have your unsmoothed geometry back.

see pic. the upper part is with polysmooth node in place (yellow).. the letter part after i deleted polysmooth node.

[misterdi]

Hmm, I think you are confused by attributes and nodes.

For examples, polySmooth is a node, inside this node there are several attribute like division etc.

If you look in your channel box, you will see under the transform attribute of your object, there should be a list of input nodes.
This list is a construction history of your object to reach its final shape. For instance if you have apply polySmooth to the object then on input node section of Channelbox you should see "polySmoothFace1". If you click on this nodes it wil open a roll-down showing attributes you gave to it. It actually about the same thing you have in Max, the roll-out.

If you want to delete the nodes (clear it from history) is either you do type it in like "delete polySmoothFace1" in command line or you can open hypergraph to see how your information flow and select the node from there and hit 'del'.

Regular attributes can not be deleted, but can be hide so it doesn't clutter your channel box. You can decide which attribute should be shown by using windows>general editor>channel control. But be aware there are so many attributes that you can display or hide. I think Maya call it keyable and non-keyable attributes (it related with 's' or setKeyFrame command).

If you add your dynamic attributes (custom attributes) you can remove it using the attribute editor.

I'm suggesting if you are deleting nodes from construction history list, use the hypergraph. You can see clearly how the information flow.

For some reason, there also a MEL script in highend3d that will allow you to list construction history nodes in separate floating windows, where you could choose and delete it from the list.
I think it's called zzHistory.mel

Best regards,

[lricho]

The Cut tool is fairly easy - just some tips

1. always start your cut on an edge because,
2. you can drag your cut point along the edge if you hold down your mouse button when making a cut.
3. the dragging will stop once it hits a vertex. It's smart enough not to make another vertex there if you have dragged the cut point to a vertex. So there really isnt any point in having a cursor that changes whether you are over an edge or vertex (in fact, i think that cut edge only works in edge mode anyway, so that is a bit of a moot point)

Channel box and history windows in maya really aren't the same as the modifier panel in max. It looks similar, but dont really function the same way, i'm sorry to say. That was the biggest hurdle for me when I migrated. It'll take a bit to get used to, but trust me, it works very nicely when you finally figure it out. :)

[holosynthetic]

thank you so much for the info about the hypergraph, it does exactly what i wanted, thanks again

[visualboo]

If you want to delete the nodes (clear it from history) is either you do type it in like "delete polySmoothFace1" in command line or you can open hypergraph to see how your information flow and select the node from there and hit 'del'.
HAHAAH.... and that's why maya frustrates the hell out of me. You have to be a frickin programmer just to use the stupid app.

That's a lot of typing just to delete something.


:beer:

[misterdi]

Then we should send request to AW programmer to insert small routine, right click on the input node give marking menu with option delete selected, delete to top, and ripple delete.

Best regards,

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