Maya - Is there a way to separate a model which intersect with another model?

datoyaya

I have a scene with tree branches and leaves.
Each tree branch is a mesh and all leaves is one mesh.

What I want to do is get leaves which intersect with one branch and separate it.

I know I can do that through Max vol. select with crossing mesh object, an the result I want is like this


I am wondering if there is a way to do this in Maya, since I want to write a script for that, I cannot just use my eyes and hand select leaves I want.

Thanks >"<

throttlekitty

A couple options:
Select by material if it has multiple, then deselect whatever you don't need.
Select some faces on the leaves and use expand selection ">", if they aren't welded to the branches.
^Select shell works too, I forget about that one. Either on the mesh, or by UV shells.

datoyaya

Expand selection works for me!!! Thanks, Throttlekitty
But how to get faces, edges which cross or intersect with the branch objs?

Thanks again.

throttlekitty

Just to be sure, you'd want the selection of the red or blue planes, right? That I'm not really sure of, there was a thread (from Malcom?) a while back but I don't think they had a solution.