Softimage-Maya Bridge: Transformations

The following table lists the Maya equivalents for workflows related to transformations in Softimage.

Watch the following Softimage Learning Channel videos on how you can transform objects and components in Maya:

• Softimage to Maya Bridge: Basic Transformations in Maya
• Softimage to Maya Bridge: Freezing, Resetting and Storing Transform Values
• Softimage to Maya Bridge: Editing Pivots and Matching Transformations in Maya

In Softimage	...becomes in Maya
Translate tool: V	Move tool: W Transform tools are in the Tool Box on the left side of the interface. You can double-click their icons to open the Tool Settings where you can set their options and customize them.
Rotate tool: C	Rotate tool: E
Scale tool: X	Scale tool: R
Transform manipulators	Transform manipulators. Press Shift+middle-click and drag to move or scale an object along that axis without clicking the manipulator's axis. To hide manipulators, turn off Show > Manipulators in that view panel. To change their size, press the + and - keys, or set their default size (and other manipulator options) in the Preferences window (Windows > Settings/Preferences > Preferences): select Manipulators and set the Global Scale.
Transform manipulation modes	Transform modes are set per transform tool: double-click each transform tool icon to open its Tool Settings and select an Axis Orientation. Object, World, and Parent are the same as Local, Global, and Parent, respectively, in Softimage.
Transform panel in MCP and Keying panel	Channel Box - click in the Sidebar buttons to open. Transform values in the channel box always represent an object's local values that will be keyed, as in the Keying panel in Softimage. Select a channel, then middle-click and drag in the viewport to change the channel's values. If you want to have the same value for multiple channels, drag across to select them, then type in a value and press Enter. You can use math operations directly in the text boxes as relative operations with this syntax: +=n; -=n; *=n; /=n (for example, enter +=4 to add a value of 4). To add attributes to the Channel Box, choose Edit > Channel Control in the Channel Box. This is the same as adding parameters in the Keyable Parameters Editor in Softimage. If you need precise transform values, you can change the level with Edit > Settings > Change Precision.
Adjust values (middle-click in a numerical box)	Ctrl+click in the Attribute Editor to adjust the numerical values. See Attribute Editor overview for more information.
Global Transformation	Input box on the status line - see Status line Input box for more information. Type values in the X, Y, Z fields to move, scale, or rotate in global transformation values based on the currently selected transformation tool.
Snap Increments	Step Snap option in Tool Settings for each transform tool: press J as you transform object to have it snap to the increments you set.
Snap to Targets	With the Move tool active: Snap to Grid: X or click this icon in the Status Line, then middle-click and drag. Snap to Curves: C or click this icon , then middle-click a curve or edge. You can also set the Transform Constraint to Edge in the Move tool's Tool Settings. Snap to Vertex: V or click this icon , then middle-click a vertex or an object pivot. See this video for information: Maya Quick Tips - Snapping
Ref or Plane mode	Create a construction plane (Create > Construction Plane), or any other object, and choose Modify > Make Live or click this icon in the Status Line. Set the Axis Orientation to Along Live Object Axis in the Move tool's Tool Settings, then other objects snap to this "live surface" object as you move them.
Child Compensation	Preserve Children option in Tool Settings for each transform tool.
Freeze Transforms	Modify > Freeze Transformations Note that freezing transforms in Maya doesn't move the object pivot to the origin as in Softimage. To do this, you reset the transform. See this video for information: Softimage to Maya Bridge: Freezing, Resetting and Storing Transform Values
Reset Transforms	Modify > Reset Transformations
Match Transforms	Select the object you want to transform, press Shift and select the object whose transforms you want to match, and choose Modify > Match Transformations to open the submenu from which you can choose to match all transformations, or just the translation, scaling, or rotation. See this video for information on how to do other types of matching: Softimage to Maya Bridge: Editing Pivots and Matching Transformations in Maya
Object pivot	Object pivot Use the Edit Pivot tool to offset the pivot from the object's center: press the Insert key or select Edit Pivot in the Tool Settings for each transform tool. You can also press D to use the Edit Pivot tool in "supra" mode.
Center mode	There is no Center mode in Maya. To create a permanent pivot change, create a null object (Create > Locator) and make it the parent of an object.