getting maxes working pivot to work like mayas

SHEPEIRO

I use this so much in maya, and its so quick and intuitive, but im struggling with maxes, i can use it and it seams pretty powerfull, but really slow, needing to change menus etc just to place or rotate it, any workrounds/flows for this would be appreciated

or is this just another of maxes, shit lets copy a tool but not quite implement it properly things

MoP

Can't you hotkey it onto Insert so that it works like Maya's?
Maybe a simple script is needed if there isn't a "toggle working pivot" hotkey option in the customisation menu, but it should definitely be possible so you don't have to go switching menus.

SyncViewS

I don't know Maya, could you please elaborate on how would you like it to work? If not already available, I can for sure write down two tiny MacroScripts to toggle Working Pivot Edit Mode and Use Mode.

Farfarer

I think with Maya (same as modo and LightWave) you can basically click anywhere on the screen and the pivot becomes that point. So you can scale/rotate things with the origin of the tool anywhere you like.

Whereas in Max, it's always centred to your selection or you have to create an object and then selelect it to move the pivot to it's centre.

It's one of my major annoyances with Max, too. Although I'm told in 2009+ you can do that (not used it so I can't confirm it).

Mark Dygert

You can assign "Place Pivot to view & Surface" to KB shortcuts by going to:
Customize > Customize UI > Keyboard Tab > Category: Working Pivot

Also the pivot point doesn't always need to be centered to your selection, Use Selection Center is just one of the pivot options you can have it set to. At the top there is a drop down menu that looks like two little boxes linked in some way.

In that drop down there is:
- Use Pivot Point Center (two boxes each with their own pivot, hover over one object to use its pivot)
- Use Selection Center (two boxes linked by one pivot, probably what you have it set to now)
- Use Transform Coordinate Center (two boxes one pivot. World center, unless you pick a pivot)


Next to that you have a drop down list that lets you specify the orientation of the pivot.
- View
- Screen
- World
- Parent
- Local
- Gimbal
- Grid
- Working
- Pick
- And under it all a list of pivots you've picked.

These are not bound to keys, buttons or the quad menu just the main menu drop down list. If you want it customized its going to require some simple scripts.

If you need help with that, now would probably be a good time to get your feet wet in scripting, these are very simple but will teach you some of the basics.

MoP

Talon wrote: »

I think with Maya (same as modo and LightWave) you can basically click anywhere on the screen and the pivot becomes that point. So you can scale/rotate things with the origin of the tool anywhere you like.

Whereas in Max, it's always centred to your selection or you have to create an object and then selelect it to move the pivot to it's centre.

It's one of my major annoyances with Max, too. Although I'm told in 2009+ you can do that (not used it so I can't confirm it).

They actually added the Working Pivot stuff (it now works more like Maya / Lightwave as you give examples here) in Max 2008, so you can put the pivot anywhere dynamically without losing the object's "default" pivot info.

Mark Dygert

Never mind... redundant post.

SHEPEIRO

ok ive set edit working pivot to insert, but if i put the pivot to centre of selection, it works until i put my mouse on it then it runs back to where-ever, so i have to find it and move it manually to where i want it every time, which is an arse when working on massive massive meshes.

how would i go about making it so that when i press insert it toggles on edit working pivot and the surface snappers, hang on think ive answered my own Q

ive just put ctrl insert to surface align, but its still a pain in the arse to use, what i want to be able to do is place the pivot, rotate and use it really quickly when in working mode, unfortunatly if i got into surface align, getting it to rotate after seams to require two insert presses, its getting confusing.

If anyone would care to make it, a script that would allow one press to activate theworking pivot, then place it with one mouse click, then rotate it with the next, then activate it on the next would be ace and i would love you long time