3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [159]
Divide
When you select a segment, the Divide button becomes active. This button adds the number of vertices specified to the selected segment or segments. These new vertices are positioned based on the curvature of the segment with more vertices being added to the areas of greater curvature. Figure 12.28 shows the diamond shape (second row, second from right) after all four segments were selected, a value of 1 was entered into the spinner, and the Divide button was clicked.
FIGURE 12.28
The Divide button adds segments to the spline.
Detach
The Detach button separates the selected subobjects from the rest of the object (opposite of the Attach button). When you click this button, the Detach dialog box opens, enabling you to name the new detached subobject. When segments are detached, you can select the Same Shape option to keep them part of the original object. The Reorient option realigns the new detached subobject to match the position and orientation of the current active grid. The Copy option creates a new copy of the detached subobject.
You can use Detach on either selected Spline or Segment subobjects.
Tutorial: Using Connect Copy to create a simple flower
Connect Copy is one of the features that you'll use and wonder how you ever got along without it. For this tutorial, you create a simple flower from a circle shape using the Connect Copy feature.
To create a simple flower using the Connect Copy feature, follow these steps:
1. Select Create⇒Shapes⇒Circle, and drag in the Top viewport to create a simple circle shape.
2. Right-click on the circle, and select Convert to⇒Editable Spline to convert the shape.
3. In the Modifier Stack, select the Segment subobject mode (keyboard shortcut, 2) and enable the Connect option in the Connect Copy section.
4. Select one of the circle segments, and with the Shift key held down, drag it outward away from the circle. Then repeat this step for each segment.
Figure 12.29 shows the results. With the Connect Copy option, you don't need to worry about the connecting lines.
FIGURE 12.29
The Connect Copy feature joins newly copied segments to the original.
Surface Properties
For segment and spline subobjects, you can access a Surface Properties rollout that lets you assign a Material ID to the subobject. These Material IDs are used with the Multi/Sub-object Material available in the Material Editor. For example, suppose you've created a road from a bunch of splines that are part of the same object. You can assign one Material ID for the lines at the edge of the road that will be the curb and a different Material ID for the yellow lines running down the middle of the road. Separate materials then can be applied to each of the parts using the matching Material IDs.
Cross-Reference
You can find information on Material IDs in Chapter 16, “Creating and Applying Standard Materials.” •
Using the Select ID button and drop-down list, you can locate and select all subobjects that have a certain Material ID. Simply select the Material ID that you are looking for and click the Select ID button, and all segments (or splines) with that Material ID are selected. Beneath the Select ID button is another drop-down list that lets you select segments by material name. The Clear Selection option clears all selections when the Select ID button is clicked. If disabled, then all new selections are added to the current selection set.
Editing Spline subobjects
To edit a spline, click the Spline subobject in the Modifier Stack or select the spline icon from the Selection rollout. Transforming a spline object containing only one spline works the same way in subobject mode as it does in a normal transformation. Working in spline subobject mode lets you move splines relative to one another. Right-clicking a spline in subobject mode opens a pop-up quadmenu that lets you