[MAX] Is there a fast selection script out there ?

BeatKitano

I'm coming from a maya/silo background and max is starting to grow on me with 2012, I've done some extensive scripting to make it behave how I like it but I'm hitting a wall here.

In maya if you use the middle mouse button you can move the component selection in screen space. I know that I can achieve that in max with the freeform tool "drag".

But is there a way (or a script), to have that option ON all time ? Cause going from let's say extrude, then press another hotkey to tweak vertices is kinda annoying and the centerbox handle on the gizmo is very small (silo is very nice for that as its selection radius are really easy on the user).

Thank you for you time.

r_fletch_r

I believe switcher, by draster lets you do this just like maya.

rather than using drag i find it easier to set ther transform space to screen.
alt-rightclick, select screen.
then hide the transform gizmo with 'x'
works just like drag, but also works for scaling and rotating. (scaling needs the gizmo)

BeatKitano

Yeha I know switcher does it, but they don't seem to be reacting very quickly to 2012 release :x
I bought a license of switcher a while ago, but could never get into max, and now I'm used to its navigation scheme and I need switcher for something totally different ahah.


Scale is working, it's rotating that only works on previously selected axis. Too bad, but I don't rotate to much (I like to push vertices around ^^) so it's ok.
I would still love to have a larger selection radius when clicking components though...

I will make a script for that one, thanks.

monster

You don't need a script for this.

Got to: Customize | Preferences... | Gizmos
In the Gizmos tab, under the Move Gizmo group select Move in Screen Space

BeatKitano

Yeah but that only activate the centerbox thing which is ridiculously tiny, lost in between the axis (which makes selecting individual axis very easy in an inconvenient way)

r_fletch_r

BeatKitano wrote: »

Yeha I know switcher does it, but they don't seem to be reacting very quickly to 2012 release :x
I bought a license of switcher a while ago, but could never get into max, and now I'm used to its navigation scheme and I need switcher for something totally different ahah.


Scale is working, it's rotating that only works on previously selected axis. Too bad, but I don't rotate to much (I like to push vertices around ^^) so it's ok.
I would still love to have a larger selection radius when clicking components though...

I will make a script for that one, thanks.

I havent tested it but maybe paint selection would work for you in this instance. (be warned paint selection isnt very good in max, its prone to selecting back facing geometry)

Bryan Cavett

Maybe adjusting the size of the verts will help? Im not sure if it actually affects the selection of them or not.

BeatKitano

@ r_fletchg_r I wasn't clear by "selection radius" I meant "click drag radius" :> Like in silo you know in the properties you can adjust the "hotzone". But thanks for you answer

@Bryan Cavett Unfortunately no, you still have to point to the exact origin of the vert.
THanks for the suggestion though.

I guess that will have to do till draster releases their 2012 version of switcher. But if you ever happen to find a way to do that, don't hold back, I would love to do without an entire plugin just for that ^^

BeatKitano

BeatKitano wrote: »

Scale is working, it's rotating that only works on previously selected axis. Too bad, but I don't rotate to much (I like to push vertices around ^^) so it's ok.

Just a little update for those who might be interested, I created a little macro as a workaround for that:

macroScript Move category:"BTK Scripts" toolTip:"Move"
(
actionMan.executeAction 0 "50001"  -- Tools: Select and Move
max move
tmGizmos.useGizmo=false --turn off gizmo
toolMode.coordsys #screen
)
macroScript Rotate category:"BTK Scripts" toolTip:"Rotate"
(
actionMan.executeAction 0 "50002" -- Tools: Select and rotate
max rotate
tmGizmos.useGizmo=true
toolMode.coordsys #world
)

macroScript Scale category:"BTK Scripts" toolTip:"Scale"
(
actionMan.executeAction 0 "50003" -- Tools: Select and scale
max scale
tmGizmos.useGizmo=true
toolMode.coordsys #view
)

That way only move is "free": scale and rotate are using their gizmos for proper control. The move part could do with a toggle but for my workflow it's actually annoying so I mapped a "worldcoord+gizmo" script to another key when I need it. I hope it will be useful for someone.