3ds max: reset pivot rotation

BradMyers82

Hey, really simple question here, and I'm sure there is a simple solution...

Make a box, rotate it 45 degrees and now your pivot point is no longer aligned x,y,z.

Is there a quick and easy way to get the pivot point back in alignment without rotating it back?

My current resolution for this is to make a box in the viewport that has not been rotated, and attach the rotated box to it. This fixes the pivot point back to alignment, then I unattached the rotated box. It's just a little annoying is all; being that it takes a couple of steps to do.

If you guys know of an easier way please let me know, and if there is a possible way to assign it to a shortcut that would be great. Thanks in advance.

MoP

Go to the Hierarchy panel (to the right of the Modify panel), click Affect Pivot Only, then click Align To World, then click Affect Pivot Only again to turn that mode off.

A faster, similar way, may be to click the "Transform" button down in the "Reset" section of the "Adjust Transform" rollout in the same Hierarchy panel. It's near the bottom.

Mechadus

There is no way to assign a shortcut key to the button in max, but this script will do the same thing (and more), and you can assign a shortcut to it. Works up to MAX 2009, not sure about 2010.

http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/pivotplacer

-N!

BradMyers82

Thanks guys, these are certainly better solutions to my method. Great!

SyncViewS

Hi, in the MaxScript page of IllusionCatalyst website you can find a collection of tiny MacroScripts to assign shortcuts to common Pivot operations.

BradMyers82

Well, I just tried these methods out and for some weird reason it isn't working for me right.

Mop: on some objects when I click "affect pivot only" then "align to world" it actually moves the mesh!
I'm not sure why this is, but these were meshes that I have already edited so I tried to just make a simple box and try it out. When following the above procedure, with just a regular box it does indeed change the pivot back to the xyz axis correctly.

However, the purpose for me doing all of this is so I can use the "Symmetry" modifier and get the mesh to properly replicate itself over the x axis. With example b. (the simple box that appeared to reset the pivot properly) I add the symmetry modifier and it acts like I never aligned the pivot to world. It does symmetry over the same old rotated pivot.

This is really annoying. I am using max2010 64 bit btw.

Mechadus: I tried the plugin and I see it has a bunch of useful scripts there. It does appear to work in max2010 but when I select "align to world" from the drop down box, it makes no difference. It still simply throws the rotated pivot point around and does not fix the rotation. Oh well...

SyncViewS: Haven't tried those plug-ins yet but I will shortly. Thanks!

MoP

Oh, in that case, use Reset XForm from the Utilities tab.

SyncViewS

Hi Brad, I've got the same issue with Symmetry Modifier in 3dsMax 9, it takes into account the original Pivot, not the current, so it disregards any modification, realignment and so on. I found two solutions, the raw one is to align the whole object by hand to the wanted Symmetry Plane with Pivot sitting on it, then realign the vertexes in sub selection mode. A slightly better solution is to apply a Reset XForm (under Utilities panel) and collapse the stack to the Editable Poly, then apply the Symmetry Modifier. Save before trying anything like this. My scripts simply mime standard Pivot commands, which won't be of help in this case.

Mark Dygert

I use this very simple script to move the pivot to the lowest center point on the mesh, then move the mesh to 0, 0, 0. I use just before I export props (if I don't have a specific place the pivot needs to be).

(--Sets the pivot to the lowest point in a mesh, then center the object to world zero
if $ != undefined then    
    (
        ResetPivot $
        CenterPivot $
        for i in selection do 
            (
                i.pivot = [i.pivot.x, i.pivot.y, i.min.z]
            )         
        $.pos = [0,0,0]
    )
else
    (
        messageBox "Select an object then run this script again." title:"Selection Error" beep:true
    )
)

You can also turn on effect pivot only, and in the type in transform coordinates box zero out the rotation.

BradMyers82

Hey, thanks again guys. Reset Xform: From the utilities tab Works! The stupid thing is if you just place the Xform modifier on from the modifier list, then it doesn't work. Actually, attaching a box and unattaching is sort of easier if you just keep a box on 0,0,0 (the way I have been solving this issue all along). But at least now I have a better understanding on how to control the pivot point itself.
Vig: I'll have to give that script a try, thanks for posting it

Possibly a better solution then is to have a modified symmetry modifier script; that simply mirrors over the x, y, or z axis at 0. One that doesn't take into account rotation. Anyone know if this exists?

[Edit] I guess I could also just select all verts and rotate when needed to keep the pivot intact. But sometimes I forget about this little trick.

renderhjs

I have some custom scripts for this as well, reset Xform + pivot placement. Its one of those things one needs often when modeling in max.