Help needed! unable to select object/verts etc - 3DS max after using cut tool - solved?

Daniel91

Hello,

Im new to 3ds max and modeling, I am current following a tutorial by chamfer zone.

i am unable to select an object or any control points on an object after trying to use the cut tool.

operation im trying to do - i have 2 objects, i am trying to cut into the face of one, using the vertex snap to trace the other.

before trying to do this, i can select everything fine, afterwards, i cant select the model unless i select everything and then deselect what i dont want, or if i go to scene exporer, but even once i have selected the object, it wont let me select verts, edges or faces. its like it doesnt see the object there. (the cut doesnt work either)

i have performed this operation somewhere else on this object with no issues at all.

i have checked to make sure the object isnt frozen, or selection locked and i have double checked that there is no selection filter.


does anyone have any ideas? its driving me crazy

Dubious_Fellow

Hi, I've been modelling for around 10 years now and I have to admit that I'm having a hard time understanding what it is you're doing/trying to achieve i.e. "using the vertex snap to trace the other." -I have no idea what this means...

"once i have selected the object, it wont let me select verts, edges or faces. its like it doesn't see the object there. (the cut doesn't work either)" -this does sound familiar, my first instinct would be to unfreeze all, but you've already tried that...

Once you have the troublesome object selected have you tried right-clicking and converting to an editable poly (effectively resetting it), this might help?

Could you post a couple screenshots? (some of the more experienced guys on here might understand the problem but I'm having a hard time visualizing it).

-Have you perhaps inadvertently cloned the object so that you have 2 sat on top of each other -or maybe you are locked in an Orthographic view and are having an issue seeing stacked objects in your scene? (are you using Perspective view as well?)

Daniel91

Hi Dubious,

hopefully i can explain it a bit better.

i have a stock for a gun, and i need to cut a whole in it, the method i was trying to use is to make an object that is the shape of the whole i need and to 'trace' it with the cut tool onto the stock, so that i can then delete the polygons. ( i know there are other methods of doing this, but i was trying to follow the tutorial)

i have discovered that if i convert to editable mesh and then back to poly, i can select the objects and verts again, how ever if i try to use that method again, it causes the same problem.

*********************
Might have solved it, kinda?

i moved the object i wanted to trace further into the model, and that seems to have allowed me to 'trace' it and remove the polys like i wanted

i still have no idea why i couldnt select anything before, or why the cut tool would make this happen, but at least its working now i guess?

Dubious_Fellow

Cool, glad you got it working. Don't forget you can use the "Boolean" method to do the same thing a bit quicker:

First of all select the object you want the outline to be cut into, then...

1. Select 'Compound Objects' from the 'Standard Primitives' dropdown.

2. Click on the 'ProBoolean' tab.

3. Click on the 'Imprint' option.

4. Click on the 'Start Picking' tab.

5. Click on the object you want to remove and leave an imprint.

6. Right click on the original mesh and 'Convert to Editable Poly'

Daniel91

awesome tip, thanks heaps mate!

musashidan

There's also the Shapemerge compound object(found in the same place as boolean) that will project a spline as new topology onto your mesh.

Dubious_Fellow

Hi Daniel, I've been having a selection problem on a different project. Just found the cause of it:

-Window Crossing! This should be set to the default to avoid annoying selection issues!

Daniel91

Dubious_Fellow said:

Hi Daniel, I've been having a selection problem on a different project. Just found the cause of it:

-Window Crossing! This should be set to the default to avoid annoying selection issues!

thanks mate, i will be sure to keep it in mind if i run in to the issue again!

jdellinger98

Looks like everything is good but, what was happening is that snap tool your using. The snap tool in this case snaps to vertices. it does not matter if it the object you working on or another one (the one you were trying to cut into it. This is great BUT, Unless those vertices were aligned EXACTLY (not close) to the surface being cut; The cut tools won't work, because there is no surface to cut at the position the vertex is snapped too. 

If this is happening in the future try this first; Right click on the snap tool and check mark Edges only (make sure the other surface is going through the object being cut. 

NOTE: there are a few reasons this issue happens, sometime it's hidden polys/vertex/edge, and other things.

I also feel it's heavily dependent on the project but, I prefer this method on more simple, single objects being that with the Boolean method you need to retopologize the mesh. I use boolean but I wouldn't for this. If anyone disagrees with that statement please reply; I'm also on the hunt for tips and tricks.