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Step Build
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With Step Build you can build and edit a surface vertex by vertex and polygon by polygon. Works at the object level and all sub-object levels. Right-click to exit the tool.
Following are the different functions of the tool, depending on which keyboard keys are pressed:
- Normal Click to place vertices on the grid or surface.
- Shift Drag over freestanding vertices to fill in the gaps with quad polygons. This always creates a polygon from the closest four vertices.
- Ctrl Click a polygon to delete it. The vertices remain so that if you accidently create a face in the wrong place it's easy to delete the face and draw again closer to the vertices you want.
- Alt Click a vertex to remove it.
- Ctrl+Alt Click an edge to remove it.
- Ctrl+Shift Click to place and select vertices, or to select existing vertices. Each time you place and/or select four vertices, Step Build automatically creates a polygon. It includes the last two vertices from the previously created polygon in the new selection, so you need only click twice to create the next polygon. To clear the selection, release the keys.
- Shift+Alt Move the mouse cursor (without dragging) over vertices to select them, and then click to create a polygon from the selected vertices. Useful for creating non-quad polygons. To clear the selection, release the keys.
- Ctrl+Shift+Alt Drag to move a vertex around on the grid or surface. At the Vertex sub-object level, a vertex highlights when you move the mouse near enough to start dragging it.
Important: Alt+click does not work as expected in Maya mode. In Maya mode, Alt+drag orbits a viewport (Perspective views only).Note: While Step Build is active, vertex ticks are always visible for the selected object. If you don’t see them at levels other than Vertex, make sure the object’s display properties are set to By Object. -
Extend
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With the Extend tool you can work on the open edges of the object; those on the border of the surface that have only one polygon attached. Following are the different functions of the Extend tool:
- Normal Drag a border vertex to create a polygon.
- Shift Drag a border edge to create a polygon.
- Ctrl+Shift Drag an edge to extend the entire loop on which the edge resides.
- Ctrl+Alt Drag between two edges to create a polygon.
- Ctrl Click to delete a polygon and its isolated vertices.
- Ctrl+Shift+Alt Drag a vertex to move it around on the grid or surface.
You can also use Extend to edit the object in screen space, thus moving sub-objects perpendicular to the view direction. You do not need to change the active coordinate system to use this method.
- Alt Drag a border vertex to create a polygon in screen space.
- Alt+Shift Drag a border edge to create a polygon in screen space.
Important: Alt+drag does not work as expected in Maya mode. In Maya mode, Alt+drag orbits a viewport (Perspective views only). -
Optimize
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Optimize meshes quickly by sketching away details. The tool options are:
- Normal Click edges to collapse them, combining two vertices into one.
- Shift Drag from one vertex to the next to target-weld the two, combining the first with the second. If you continue dragging to further vertices you can weld several vertices with a single stroke.
- Ctrl Drag between vertices to connect them with edges.
- Alt Remove a vertex by clicking it.
- Shift+Ctrl Remove an edge loop by clicking an edge on the loop.
- Shift+Alt Remove an edge ring by clicking an edge in the ring.
- Ctrl+Alt Remove an edge by clicking it.
- Shift+Ctrl+Alt Move a vertex by dragging it.
Important: Alt+drag does not work as expected in Maya mode. In Maya mode, Alt+drag orbits a viewport (Perspective views only). - Draw On:
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From the drop-down list, choose the entity type to draw on:
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Grid PolyDraw creates geometry on the grid of the active viewport. This drawing mode is particularly suited to orthographic viewports, but also works well in perspective viewports.
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Surface PolyDraw creates geometry on an object that you specify. Click the Pick button and then select a different object to draw on. The button then contains the name of that object. Use any of the PolyDraw tools (Strips, etc.) to draw on the object. To change the surface, click the button again and choose a different object to draw on.
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Selection PolyDraw creates geometry on the selected object.
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- Pick
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Designates an object to draw on for the Draw On: Surface option (see preceding).
After setting the Draw On option to Surface, click the Pick button, and then click an object to draw on. To remove the object, click the button again.
- Offset
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The distance that PolyDraw uses for creating geometry on (or moving it across) the grid or object surface (depending on the Draw On setting).