3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [303]
If the Sphere base object is selected after a modifier has been applied, the Topology Dependence warning dialog box appears. This dialog box doesn't prevent you from making any changes to the base object parameters, but it reminds you that changes you make to the base object's parameters may disrupt the changes to the surface accomplished by the modifiers. The warning dialog box also includes a Hold button to load the current scene in a buffer in case you don't like the results.
Caution
One drawback of the Edit Mesh modifier is that its subobjects cannot be animated. •
Edit Poly modifier
The Edit Poly modifier lets you work with primitive objects using the operators found in the Editable Poly rollouts. A huge benefit of this modifier is that you can remove it at any time if the changes don't work out.
The Edit Poly modifier includes two separate modes: Model and Animate. You can select these modes in the Edit Poly Mode rollout, shown in Figure 26.6.
Model mode lets you access the same features available for Editable Poly objects. Animate mode lets you animate subobject changes made with the features used to edit the object. To animate these subobject changes, you use the Auto Key or Set Key buttons to set the keys.
FIGURE 26.6
The Edit Poly Mode rollout lets you switch between Model and Animate modes.
The Commit button lets you freeze the changes and set the keyframe for the current change. The current change is listed directly above the Commit button. The Settings button lets you access the dialog box used to make the changes. The Cancel button cancels the last change, and the Show Cage option displays an orange cage around the object; you can change the color of the cage using the color swatch. The cage is useful when using the MeshSmooth modifier to see the original shape of the object before being smoothed.
The differences between the features available for the Edit Poly modifier and the Editable Poly object are subtle. In the Selection rollout is a Get Stack Selection button. Clicking this button passes the subobject selection up from the stack. Also, the Edit Poly modifier doesn't include the Subdivision Surfaces rollout, but you can use the MeshSmooth modifier to get this functionality.
Edit Geometry Modifiers
Most of the Mesh Editing modifiers are used to change the geometry of objects. Some of these modifiers, such as Extrude and Tessellate, perform the same operation as buttons available for the Editable Mesh or Editable Poly objects. Applying them as modifiers separates the operation from the base geometry.
Cross-Reference
You can find a more general explanation of modifiers in Chapter 11, “Introducing Modifiers and Using the Modifier Stack.” •
Cap Holes modifier
The Cap Holes modifier patches any holes found in a geometry object. Sometimes when objects are imported, they are missing faces. This modifier can detect and eliminate these holes by creating a face along open edges.
For example, if a spline is extruded and you don't specify Caps, then the extruded spline has holes at its end. The Cap Holes modifier detects these holes and creates a Cap. Cap Holes parameters include Smooth New Faces, Smooth with Old Faces, and Triangulate Cap. Smooth with Old Faces applies the same smoothing group as that used on the bordering faces.
Delete Mesh modifier
You can use the Delete Mesh modifier to delete mesh subobjects. Subobjects that you can delete include Vertices, Edges, Faces, and Objects. The nice part about the Delete Mesh modifier is that it remains in the Modifier Stack and can be removed to reinstate the deleted subobjects.
The Delete Mesh modifier deletes the current selection as defined by the Mesh Select (or Poly Select) modifier. It can be used to delete a selection of Vertices, Edges, Faces, Polygons, or even the entire mesh if no subobject selection exists. The Delete Mesh modifier has no parameters.
Note