Subdivide faces after paint selection

1. Select a polygon.
2. In the Tool Box, double-click the Paint Selection Tool icon to access the Tool Settings.
3. In the Paint Operations section, turn off Add to Current Selection.
4. On the Maya status line, right-click the pick mask and select Poly Faces.
   
5. Open the Stroke section of the Tool Settings editor; in the After Stroke Cmd box, enter this command string:

   polySubdivideFacet -dv 1 -m 0 -ch 1
   

6. Paint the faces you want to subdivide. When you release the mouse button, new edges are created in each painted face, radiating from the center to the midpoint of each bounding edge.