3d max - 2 questions

pittek

1. I have some cylinder and selected bottom vertices with 'Edge' option:



.. then when I move vertices up to the top, they move along the edges.
Is it possible to move vertices in opposite (down) direction? but along the edges? As if the edges (and whole cylinder) where longer?

2. I want to select edges in this cylinder - is it possible to select automatically not all of them, but every other (every second) edge?
PS. I have RappaTools - maybe there is such option?\
PS2. I have 3dmax 2009

Farfarer

For 1, you might be better of selecting the poly on the end of the cylinder and setting the Reference Coordinate System to Local (drop-down next to the scale button on the toolbar - or alt+right click in the viewport and select Local from the top-right menu). Then moving it that way. Or if there isn't a poly there, create one and delete it afterwards.

For 2, I'm not sure. I think it's possible in a version of Max with the graphite tools, but not sure about how to do it in 2009.

pittek

Farfarer:

1. Sometimes Local Coordinate System is not correct - becouse of earlier modifications on the object.

Farfarer

Yeah, what Max thinks of as local is often totally random compared to the selection.

Not got any other suggestions, though, sorry

imperator_dk

Cap the end of the cylinder and set to local cordinate system, max should be fine at calculating a local coordinate system for the resulting face.

cptSwing

Or a face extrude on the cap?

Eric Chadwick

Another option. Set the Snaps to Edge, select the verts, lock the selection, drag along an edge.

(Edit) For #2, in 2009 maybe you could use PolyBoost http://www.polyboost.com/ or RappaTools http://remusjuncu.com/rappatools/#dotloop

elec²ron

http://www.funkybunnies3d.com/tools.php#fbsubobjpivot

FB SubObj Pivot does the job for me. I have it on a shortcut i use it that often.

SlyRipper

1. Like the others already said, use the "local" coordinates for the Face to drag it and increase the length of the cylinder, or you can set it to "gimbal" coordinates, sometimes this works, because it takes the middle value of all values, so if you select the vertices on the edge and set the coordinates to "gimbal" it should work properly.


2. This depends on the Max version you are using, I think since Max 2010 or 2011 they implemented the Graphite Tools, with them you have advanced selection options, like select a muster that you've preset. You could easily select 2 edges and set a gap and it will select every nth edge for you.

Another way would a script. You can find some useful ones at ww.scriptspot.com

Minato

Now that we're at it, can what i'm showing here be done in any shape or form in Max and/or any other application? I'm aware what I'm asking is kind of peculiar to the technical guy but meh, call me curious... As for OP's issue I personally either use the local coordinate or use funky's script...

What I'm asking is to extrude the edges/faces in the way seen below, following/constrained to the shape of the base, don't really know how to describe it better, but should be quite obvious what i'm asking...

poopipe

imagine the angled edges form a cone

place the working pivot at the point of the cone

uniform scale around that

Minato

Thanks poopipe! That does work, A nice work around, Would be really nice if there was an automated solution based on some sort of normal math that could predict the normals of the faces beyond the border... I don't know, there's only so much i can assume...