Maya Normal editing tools?

Xoliul

I'm learning some Maya, and was expecting to get better/more control over normals than in Max. Doesn't look like it'll turn out that way, so I'm wondering if there's a script or anything to make this a bit easier? Specifically, something that allows me to set normals to align to a face, instead of having to rotate every normal separately (ughh). Any tips? There doesn't seem to be a script repository as good as Scriptspot for Maya (Creative Crash is a bit cluttered and undescriptive).

fatihG_

I use a plugin thingy called "normal tools".. not the best name for a script.

Anyway after a quick search.
http://cmcproductions.co.uk/files/migNormalTools.mel
is probably the one.

It does what you ask, select vertices/normals and align em to a face.
What I do is have the "type-in dialog" open (polygon menus. Normal Tools>Type-in Dialog) be in face select mode. Select a face and hit the "get normal from select face" button.

Have the "convert selection" menu rip off the main menus. (Select>Convert selection)
And just hit to verteces. And then hit "Set to normal" in the Type in Dialog.

To rip of a sub menu, click on the top dashed line in the menu.

passerby

my script here is made to do exactly what you want, than there is mig normals tools.
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/VertexNormal#FaceNRMtoVert

Xoliul

Hey thanks guys. There's just the issue that you cant set custom normals on a hardened edge. Unless I physically split them

passerby

go into "vertex face" mode, which will let you independently set the normals for each normal on a hard edged vertex.

EDIT:

if you can explain exactly what your trying to accomplish i could prolly figure out a good solution for you, and make a script if needed.

equil

hey xoliul, the little used selection mode "vertex face" is perfect for that scenario.

Xoliul

Yes I tried vertex face mode, and that ends up looking like I hardened every edge of the face. Maybe I need to select some outlying vertex faces as well?

Passerby: well your script automates things nicely already, because mignormaltools requires like 3 steps each still. It should be like Enrico's maxscript on that page you linked. Right now, if I do it on a face that has a hardened edge, it overrides that hardened edge and it looks soft again. Worst things is I can't seem to harden that edge back unless I reset all the normals.

Bal

I bothered Rebb to make me a plugin that does what you want and works with hard edges (preserves them), but he's never distributed it publicly. I'll try to get him to post it here.

passerby

ya I will see what I can do with the script, and making it respect hard edges. Just need to make the script figure out which face a vertex normal belongs too.

will do that when I get home later tonight.