Snap Override

Snap Override lets you supersede all the currently selected snap types and temporarily use only one, or none, of the snap types currently selected on the Grid And Snap Settings dialog. For example, you might be creating a spline while snapping to grid points, but then need to snap one of its vertices to the midpoint of an object.

Tip: You can choose the override by cycling through active snap types via a keyboard shortcut instead of using the quad menu. Press Alt+S repeatedly to choose the override snap type. If the Grid and Snap dialog is displayed, the "Override OFF" label changes to display the selected snap type.

Procedures

To use Snap Override (keyboard shortcut method):

  1. Activate all the snap types you want to use or override with.
  2. Make sure the Grid And Snap Settings dialog is open to the Snaps panel, so you can easily track the override type. Alternatively, if you're using only snap types available on the Snaps toolbar, you can keep the toolbar open instead.
  3. While creating or moving an object with Snap on, press Alt+S repeatedly.

    The Grid And Snap Settings dialog "Override OFF" label changes to display the first available override snap type, chosen from the active snap types. If the Snaps toolbar is open, and the override snap type is available on the toolbar, the override snap type is visible there as well.

  4. Press Alt+S repeatedly.

    3ds Max cycles through all the active snap types for the override type.

    The benefit of this method is that it's fast and easy; you don't have to use the quad menu. But if you want to override with a snap type that isn't active, it's necessary to use the standard override method, which is described in the next procedure.

To use Snap Override (standard method):

  1. While creating or moving an object with Snap on, hold down Shift and right-click in a viewport.
  2. Select one of the snap types from the sub-menus in the Snap Override quadrant to make it the only active snap type.

    If the Grid And Snap Settings dialog is open to the Snaps panel, the "Override OFF" label changes to display the active snap override type. When you complete the mouse action, "Override OFF" is again displayed in the dialog, and the previously active snap types are active again.

To use Snap Override during a drag operation:

  1. Left-click, press Shift, and then right-click to display the menu.
  2. Release the left mouse button, and then left-click to select the snap you want.
  3. Release the Shift key, right-click, and continue the drag operation (the geometry remains locked to the mouse).
  4. Left-click to complete the operation.

Interface

In addition to the available snap types, the snap quad menu contains these items:

Snap Options quadrant

Lets you set the following options:

  • Grid and Snap Settings: Toggles display of the Grid And Snap Settings dialog.
  • Snaps To Frozen Objects: Turn this on to enable snapping to frozen objects. Default=off.
  • Enable Axis Constraints in Snaps: Turn this on to use the current transform constraints. For example, if you're moving a vertex with Restrict To XY Plane on and want to snap the vertex to a point removed on the Z axis, turn this off, if necessary. Default=off.
Snap Override quadrant

Lets you set the following options:

NURBS / Body Snaps / Standard

Let you choose a snap type for one-time use. This applies to the next snap only.

None

Turns off all snap types for the next mouse action. (This item is unavailable if the Snap Toggle is off.)

[last]

Displays the last snap override type you chose from the NURBS or Standard submenu, letting you easily reuse that type.

Snap Toggles quadrant

Lets you set six of the most common snap types on an ongoing basis. These remain in effect until you turn them off; it's the same as setting them on the Grid And Snap Settings dialog.

Parent topic: Grid and Snap Settings Dialog