Editable Poly Surface

Editable Poly is an editable object with five sub-object levels: vertex, edge, border, polygon, and element. Its usage is similar to that of an editable mesh object, with controls for manipulating an object as a polygon mesh at various sub-object levels. Rather than triangular faces, however, the poly object comprises polygons with any number of vertices.

• Create or select an object. > Quad menu > Transform quadrant > Convert to > Convert to Editable Poly
• Create or select an object. > Modify panel > Right-click the base object in the stack. > Choose Convert to: Editable Poly.

Tip: This section covers Editable Poly usage on the command panel. Most of the same functions and quite a few others are available on the Graphite Modeling Tools.

Editable Poly gives you these options:

• Transform or Shift+Clone the selection, as with any object.
• Use the options supplied on the Edit rollouts to modify the selection or object. Later topics discuss these options for each of the polymesh components.
• Pass a sub-object selection to a modifier higher in the stack. You can apply one or more standard modifiers to the selection.
• Use the options on the Subdivision Surface Rollout (Polymesh) to alter surface characteristics.

Tip: You can exit most Editable Poly command modes, such as Extrude, by right-clicking in the active viewport.

Overriding Actions with Press/Release Keyboard Shortcuts

While working with poly objects, you can use a “press/release keyboard shortcut” to temporarily override the current operation and perform a different one. As soon as you release the keyboard shortcut, you return to the previous operation.

For example, while moving vertices within a soft selection, you may want to adjust the overall size of the selection. Instead of going to the Command panel to change the Falloff option, you can press and hold the B key to adjust the falloff directly in the viewport. Simply release the key to return to manipulating the vertices.

To see a list of press/release keyboard shortcuts, go to Customize Hotkey Editor, open the Group drop-down list, and choose Edit Poly or Editable Poly. The actions in boldface can be assigned as press/release shortcuts. Not all are assigned; for information about assigning keyboard shortcuts, see the Hotkey Editor.

Toggling Between Sub-object Levels

While working with poly objects, you can easily toggle between sub-object levels using a hotkey. Using a single hotkey to move between levels allows you to spend less time searching for the appropriate key or button, and more time working.

Instead of removing your focus from what you are working on to find the appropriate button to click, you can simply hover the cursor over the desired sub-object level and press the hotkey. For example, to go to the vertex sub-object level place the cursor over a vertex and press the hotkey. Likewise if you place the cursor over a polygon and press the hotkey, you will switch to the polygon sub-object level.

Using a single hotkey to change sub-object level is called Subobject Pick. To view/assign the keyboard shortcut for this action, go to Customize Hotkey Editor, then from the Group list select Editable Poly Subobject Pick. For information about assigning keyboard shortcuts, see the Hotkey Editor.

Editable Poly Workflow

Commands for specific sub-object levels, such as Remove for edges, appear on a rollout for that sub-object level (for example, Edit Edges) in the Editable Poly user interface. This leaves the Edit Geometry rollout with functions that you can apply at most sub-object levels, as well as at the object level.

Also, many commands are accompanied by a Settings button, which gives you a second way to use the command:

• In Direct Manipulation mode, activated by clicking the command button, you apply the command by manipulating sub-objects directly in the viewport. An example of this is Extrude: You click the Extrude button, and then click and drag sub-objects in the viewports to extrude them.
  Note: Some buttons, such as Tessellate, operate on the mesh immediately, with no viewport manipulation required.
• Interactive Manipulation mode is well suited to experimentation. You activate this mode by clicking the command's Settings button. This opens a non-modal settings interface (typically a caddy) and places you in a preview mode, where you can set parameters and see the results immediately in the viewport on the current sub-object selection. You can then accept the results or cancel the operation. Alternatively, you can apply the settings to the current sub-object selection and then make one or more subsequent selections and apply or change the settings. Make the selection, optionally change the settings, click Apply And Continue, and then repeat with a different selection.
  Attention: When you click Apply And Continue, the settings are “baked into” the selection, and then applied again to the selection as a preview. If you then click OK to exit, you will have applied the settings twice. If your intention is to apply them only once, simply click OK the first time, or click Apply And Continue and then Cancel.
  Note: Changes implemented in Interactive Manipulation mode with editable poly objects cannot be animated. However, they can with Edit Poly objects.

Procedures

To produce an editable poly object:

First select an object, and then do one of the following:

• If no modifiers are applied to the object, On the Modify panel, right-click the modifier stack display, then on the pop-up menu, choose Editable Poly from the Convert To list.
• Right-click the object and choose Convert To Editable Poly from the Transform quadrant of the quad menu.
• Apply a modifier to a parametric object that turns the object into a poly object in the stack display, and then collapse the stack. For example, you can apply a Turn To Poly modifier.

  To collapse the stack, use the Collapse utility and set Output Type to Modifier Stack Result, or right-click the object's modifier stack and then choose Collapse All.

Converting an object to Editable Poly format removes all parametric controls, including the creation parameters. For example, you can no longer increase the number of segments in a box, slice a circular primitive, or change the number of sides on a cylinder. Any modifiers you apply to an object are merged into the mesh as well. After conversion, the only entry left on the stack is "Editable Poly."

To maintain an object's creation parameters:

• As noted in the previous procedure, if you convert an existing object to editable poly format, 3ds Max replaces the creation parameters in the stack with "Editable Poly." The creation parameters are no longer accessible or animatable. If you want to maintain the creation parameters, you can use the Edit Poly Modifier or the Turn To Poly Modifier.

Interface

Stack Display

For more information on the Stack Display, see Modifier Stack.

Show End Result

Normally, if you apply a modifier such as Symmetry to an editable poly object and then return to the Editable Poly stack entry, you cannot see the effect of the modifier on the object's geometry. But if you turn on Show End Result while in sub-object level, you can see the final object as a white mesh, the original sub-object selection as a yellow mesh, and the original editable polymesh as an orange mesh.

Selection rollout

Lets you access the different sub-object levels. See Selection Rollout (Polymesh).

Soft Selection rollout

Soft Selection controls apply a smooth falloff between selected sub-objects and unselected ones. When Use Soft Selection is on, unselected sub-objects near your selection are given partial selection values. These values are shown in the viewports by means of a color gradient on the vertices, and optionally on the faces. They affect most types of sub-object deformations, such as the Move, Rotate, and Scale functions and any deformation modifiers (such as Bend) applied to the object. This provides a magnet-like effect with a sphere of influence around the selection.

For more information, see Soft Selection Rollout.

Edit (sub-object) rollout

The Edit (sub-object) rollout provides sub-object-specific functions for editing an editable poly object and its sub-objects. For specific information, click any of the links below:

Edit Vertices rollout

Edit Edges rollout

Edit Borders rollout

Edit Polygons/Elements rollout

Edit Geometry rollout

The Edit Geometry Rollout (Polymesh and Edit Poly) provides global functions for editing an editable poly object and its sub-objects.

Subdivision Surface rollout

Controls on this rollout apply subdivision to the polymesh in the style of the MeshSmooth modifier. See Subdivision Surface Rollout (Polymesh).

Subdivision Displacement rollout

Specifies surface approximation for subdividing the polymesh. See Subdivision Displacement Rollout (Polymesh).

Subdivision Presets group & Subdivision Method group

The controls in these two groups specify how 3ds Max applies the displacement map when Subdivision Displacement is on. They are identical to the Surface Approximation controls used for NURBS surfaces.

Paint Deformation rollout

Paint Deformation lets you stroke elevated and indented areas directly onto object surfaces. For more information, see Paint Deformation Rollout (Polymesh).