3d max: Shapes-> Line - question

pittek

I want to create some rope (or cable) wrapped around some stick or pale.
Always when I use 'line' tool, I have turned on option 'snap to face', that allows me to create line around object properly.

The problem is.. that I can't rotate viewport, to snap line points to proper faces.
Is it any way to rotate viewport when I use Line tool ?

4evra

One way(probbably one of the longest ) of doing it is to just pull the line with aproximate number of points(vertexes) needed,and then select line,switch to vertex mode,and reposition the vertexes one by one.
I've used it when i had to draw the precise of some objects,objects that we're too big to fit in screen.

.morph3us

i think there was a script on scriptspot for doing that.
you probably use 2009 then? Because in newer versions it works out of the box

a quick search didnt turn anything up, though. i swear i've seen it somewhere

pittek

yes, 3d max 2009

Mark Dygert

There are a few ways to do this.

While creating a spline pressing "i" will center the viewport to the last created vert. This helps to get you in the right place but won't let you rotate the view. For that you can just exit creating, rotate the camera and then create a new line and attach/weld it to the old one.

You can also cut a line into your mesh, select the edge and click "create shape" which will give you a spline. I like to drop a edit poly on top of my stack, make the cut and then delete that lonely modifier like nothing ever happened.

I remember several scripts like others mentioned but I don't have time to track them down.

Goat Justice

If you want something wrapped evenly around a cylinder you could also check out the Helix primitive.