Edit wave nonlinear deformers

After you create the wave deformer, its handle is displayed in your scene and its nodes are listed in the Channel Box. The nodes include the wave handle node (default name: wavenHandle), the wave handle shape node (wavenHandleShape), and the wave deformer node (default name: waven).

You can edit the effects of the wave deformers by editing the wave handle node and the wave deformer node. You can move (translate), rotate, and scale the wave handle to edit the effects of the deformation. You can also edit the wave deformer node’s keyable attributes (channels), which are displayed in the Channel Box.

Tip: You can also paint weights to adjust the effect of the deformer. See Paint nonlinear deformer weights.

To edit wave deformers by using handle manipulators

  1. Select the wave deformer node (default name: waven).
  2. Select the Show Manipulator Tool (default shortcut: t key).
    Tip: Offset and Min Radius manipulators are both at the center of the handle by default.
  3. In the scene, select one of the manipulators on the wave deformer handle.

    The manipulators on the wave deformer handle let you edit attributes.

  4. -drag the mouse to edit interactively. Note that the Channel Box updates the values you are changing.

    The Offset and Min Radius manipulators are both located at the center of the handle by default.

To edit by moving, rotating or scaling handle

  1. Select the wave deformer handle node (default name: wavenHandle).
  2. Move (translate), rotate, or scale the handle to change the effect of the deformation.
  3. Move or rotate the handle pivot point by pressing or , moving the pivot point, and then pressing or again.

    Remember that you can access the deformer handle’s local axes (Display > Transform Display > Local Rotation Axes), rotate and scale pivots (Display > Transform Display > Rotate Pivots or Scale Pivots) and selection handle (Display > Transform Display > Selection Handle).

Tip: Adjust Dropoff from the Channel Box.

To edit waved deformers with the Channel Box

  1. Select the wave deformer node (default name: waven).

    One quick way to select the wave deformer node is to select the object being deformed, and then select the wave deformer node in its history from the Channel Box (under INPUTS).

    Note that you can control which attributes are listed as keyable attributes (channels) in the Channel Box with the Channel Control editor (select Window > General Editors > Channel Control).

  2. Click the name of the channel you want to edit.
  3. In your scene, middle-click and move the mouse to the left or right. By moving the mouse, you change the value of the selected channel. As you move the mouse, note that pressing the Ctrl key gives you finer control, and pressing the Shift key gives you less control.

To edit wave deformers with the Attribute Editor

  1. Select the wave deformer node (default name: waven).
  2. Open the Attribute Editor.
  3. Edit the attributes.

    See wave.

Tip: If you want to create a falloff (or ramp effect) for this deformer, so that the results of the deformation decrease or drop off after a specified distance, use Component Tags. See Create deformer falloffs.

To delete a wave deformer

  1. Select the wave deformer handle.
  2. Select Edit > Delete, or press Backspace or Delete.

    The wave deformer handle, wave deformer handle shape, and wave deformer nodes are all deleted. However, the object still has the tweak node as an input node, so any tweaks you might have made are preserved. Also, note that the various input nodes that structure the evaluation of the deformation are not deleted.

Related topics

Parent topic: Wave deformer