Point Surface

Point surfaces are NURBS surfaces whose points are constrained to lie on the surface.

• Create panel > (Geometry) > NURBS Surfaces > Object Type rollout > Point Surf
• Default menu: Create menu > NURBS > Point Surface
• Alt menu: Objects menu > NURBS and Patches > Point Surface

Points shape the surface they lie on.

Because an initial NURBS surface is meant to be edited, the Create Parameters rollout does not appear on the Modify panel. In that respect, NURBS surface objects are different from other objects. The Modify panel rollouts provide other ways to change the initial settings.

Procedures

To create a point surface:

1. Go to the Create panel.
2. With (Geometry) active, choose NURBS Surfaces from the drop-down list.
3. Turn on Point Surf.
4. In a viewport, drag to specify the area of the planar segment.
5. Adjust the surface's creation parameters.

Interface

The creation parameters are the same for both point surfaces and CV surfaces, except that the labels indicate which kind of basic NURBS surface you are creating.

Keyboard Entry rollout

The Keyboard Entry rollout lets you create a point surface by typing. Use the Tab key to move between the controls on this rollout. To click the Create button from the keyboard, press Enter while the button is active.

X, Y, and Z

Let you enter the coordinates of the center of the surface.

Length and Width

Let you enter the dimensions of the surface in current 3ds Max units.

Length Points

Lets you enter the number of points along the length of the surface (this is the initial number of point columns).

Width Points

Lets you enter the number of points along the width of the surface (this is the initial number of point rows).

Create

Creates the surface object.

Create Parameters rollout

Length

The length of the surface in current 3ds Max units.

Width

The width of the surface in current 3ds Max units.

On the Modify panel, the Length and Width spinners are no longer available. You can change the length or width of the surface by scaling the surface at the Surface sub-object level. Moving point sub-objects also alters the length and width of the surface.

Length Points

The number of points along the length of the surface. In other words, the initial number of point columns in the surface. Range=2 to 50. Default=4.

Width Points

The number of points along the width of the surface. In other words, the initial number of point rows in the surface. Range=2 to 50. Default=4.

On the Modify panel, the point Length and Width spinners are no longer available. You can change the number of rows and columns by deleting existing rows and columns, or by adding new rows and columns using the Refine controls at the Point sub-object level.

Generate Mapping Coordinates

Generates mapping coordinates so you can apply mapped materials to the surface.

The Generate Mapping Coordinates control is present on the Modify panel. It is at the Surface sub-object level.

Flip Normals

Turn on to reverse the direction of the surface normals.

The Flip Normals control is present on the Modify panel. It is at the Surface sub-object level.

When you modify a point surface, a rollout lets you change its surface approximation settings.