3ds Max 2018 Object question

jldragon · Dec 2020

Long time no post. But in need of some help.

How do I move a selected Object from an overall complex model into a new channel?

Model is editable poly mode. Model is made up of alot of complex parts / objects / selectable elements. I am wanting to break down the model in parts into seperate channels to edit the over all model with the option to hide channels to make this process easier. There doesnt seem to be a cut / paste as new channel / layer option.

Is there a way to do this without having to use the clone as copy then delete the object from original model? Because doing this process would take awhile to do.

jldragon · Dec 2020

IF this is not possible to be a quick resolve, Is it possible to make a script to do the following process?

Select subobject current channel

Clone - copy - name object001 (each piece following 002,003)

Select original sub object from original channel

delete.

Sort of a work around similar to a cut / paste as new subobject to new channel.

I am not good at scripting so if anyone is able to make this a working script, it would be greatly appreciated.

PolyHertz · Dec 2020

You could use selection sets, and hide the inverted selections as needed.

Eric Chadwick · Dec 2020

Selection Sets would be a good option, but it depends on what kind of edits you need to make.

Hidden polygons are still connected to unhidden ones, if the elements are not detached properly. Soft Selection also affects hidden polygons, unless you use Edge Distance. So if you are moving/rotating/scaling unhidden polygons, you may also be changing the hidden ones.

jldragon · Dec 2020

ok so i did a macro recording of the current process I have to do every time I want to take part / parts of the model and have it placed as a new channel.

Steps of the process:

Editable Poly mode.

1. subobject and or subobjects (Element aka keyboard shortcut 5) are pre selected.

a. Started Macro recorder at this point (dont want the macro to auto select parts for me)

2. Right click quad menu. Selected Clone.

3. Selected clone as Copy.

4.It autonames the file (which is fine, I can rename it accordingly to the part selected)

5. Hit the ok button.

a. Part is cloned as new channel / layer.

6. Selected Original Channel

7. Hit keyboard 5 ( plus side is that 3DS max auto highlights the part I cloned automatically)

8. Hit Delete.

Ended recorder.

As shown above its and 8 step process everytime I want to do this process. Hence the macroscript option to make it a 1 click / assigned keyboard shortcut to make this process less time consuming and less repeatative.

Here is the Macroscript from the recording.

actionMan.executeAction 0 "40213" -- Edit: Clone
subobjectLevel = 0
subobjectLevel = 5
subobjectLevel = 0
maxOps.cloneNodes $ cloneType:#copy newNodes:&nnl
select nnl
clearSelection()
macros.run "Ribbon - Modeling" "SubobjectConvertElement"
actionMan.executeAction 0 "40020"
max delete
$.EditablePoly.delete #Face

Now Is there a way to edit this script so it doesnt try to repeat the same process for the same piece over and over again?

And if so what needs to be changed to make it work?

I want to be able pre select any subobject / objects then execute this macro to do the above listed process (without ofc the start / stop of the recorder). This will save me ALOT of steps instead of having to constantly flip flop in the channels to do this to every single part of the model I want to create as a new channel? I hope this better explains what I am wanting to achieve..

In short this would considered a "move selected subobject / object to new layer / channel from original channel" Something like that of photoshop in short: Cut / paste as new layer.

I look forward to your replies and hopeful help.

jldragon · Dec 2020

Eric Chadwick said:

Selection Sets would be a good option, but it depends on what kind of edits you need to make.

Hidden polygons are still connected to unhidden ones, if the elements are not detached properly. Soft Selection also affects hidden polygons, unless you use Edge Distance. So if you are moving/rotating/scaling unhidden polygons, you may also be changing the hidden ones.

you are correct. Some parts would be edited / tranformed in one way or another so I do not want to distort or cause unwanted modifications to any parts that would be hidden and or unhidden.

Hence why it's a safer bet to simply do a clone as copy to a new channel and remove or not (users choice of course) it from the original. Keeps from accidentally doing the above.

Eric Chadwick · Dec 2020

Why not simply use the Detach tool in Element sub-object?

"channel or layer" ... These two words have specific meaning in 3ds Max. I think you mean "separate object" instead. You're detaching an Element into a new Object.

"Channel" is used in Max for UV Channel (though it may be in use elsewhere too, less often).

"Layer" is used in Max for the Layer Manager, a way to organize the scene using named sets.

poopipe · Dec 2020

Channel is for vertex data so UVs as Eric says, vertex colour and anything else you want to shove in there

And yes. Just Detach the bits

jldragon · Jan 2021

poopipe said:

Channel is for vertex data so UVs as Eric says, vertex colour and anything else you want to shove in there

And yes. Just Detach the bits

thank you all! Its been a few years since I've messed with 3DS max and just couldn't figure it out! Thats what I was looking for! BTW Happy NEW YEAR!

3ds Max 2018 Object question

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