Lattice options

In the Animation, Modeling and Rigging menu sets: Deform > (Create) Lattice >

Note: This topic covers the options in the Lattice Options window. For information on using the Lattice deformer, see Create Lattice Deformers.

Basic tab

Divisions

Specifies the structure of the lattice in the lattice’s local STU space. STU space provides a special coordinate system for specifying the structure of lattices.

You can specify the lattice’s structure in terms of S, T, and U divisions. When you specify the divisions, you also indirectly specify the number of lattice points in the lattice, because the lattice points are located where the divisions meet on the lattice’s exterior. The greater the number of divisions, the greater the lattice point resolution.

Though your control over the deformation increases with the number of lattice points, the performance may be affected.

The default settings are: S has 2 divisions, T has 5 divisions, and U has 2 divisions, which provides 20 lattice points.

Use Local Mode

Specifies whether each lattice point can influence only the deformable object’s points that are nearby (local), or can influence all the deformable object’s points. Check on or off (default is on). If on, you can specify Local Divisions.

Local Divisions

Only available if Local Mode is on. Specifies the extent of each lattice point’s local influence in terms of the lattice’s local STU space. The default settings are: S has 2 divisions, T has 2 divisions, and U has 2 divisions. With the default setting, each lattice point can only influence the deformable object’s points that are at most two divisions away (in S, T, or U) from the lattice point.

Center around selection

Specifies whether the lattice is centered around the selected deformable object(s), or positioned at the workspace origin.

Typically you would want the lattice centered around the object(s) so that you can create deformation effects right after you create the deformer. However, you might want the object to be initially free of the lattice’s influence, deforming only when it moves into the base lattice’s space. For example, you might develop a ghost (the deformable object) that could squeeze through a keyhole-shaped influence lattice and then pop out on the other side, resuming its original shape.

Turn on Center around selection to center the lattice and turn off Center around selection to put the lattice at the workspace origin. Default is on.

Group base and lattice

Specifies whether to group the influence lattice and base lattice together. Grouping the influence lattice and base lattice lets you transform (move, rotate, or scale) the two together. Default is off. The influence lattice and base lattice are not grouped by default.

Auto parent to selection

Specifies whether to parent the lattice to the selected deformable object(s) upon deformer creation. Parenting them lets you transform (move, rotate, or scale) them together. Default is off.

Freeze geometry

Specifies whether to freeze the lattice deformation mapping. If frozen (checked on), components of objects being deformed that are inside the influence lattice remain fixed inside the lattice and affected only by the influence lattice, even if you transform (move, rotate, or scale) the object or the base lattice. For more information, see Freezing the lattice deformation mapping. Default is off.

Bind original geometry

Uses the original geometry for the bind. For an explanation of the Original Geometry attribute, see Original Geometry.

Outside lattice

Specifies the range of influence that the lattice deformer will have on its target object’s points. Lets you transform all an object’s points, even when parts of the object are outside of the lattice.

Transforming object points outside of the lattice is useful when you want to maintain a normal lattice deformation for objects that randomly pop outside of the lattice. For example, maintaining lattice deformations when chaining lattices together.

Transform Only If Inside Lattice: Only points within the base lattice are deformed. Transform Only If Inside Lattice is on by default.
Transform All Points: All the target object’s points—inside and outside the lattice—are deformed by the lattice.
Transform If Within Falloff: Points within the base lattice and up to the specified falloff distance are deformed by the lattice. For example, if you set the Falloff Distance to 2.0, then points within the base lattice and up to 2 widths of the lattice are deformed.

Falloff Distance

Specifies the distance from the base lattice up to which points are affected by the lattice deformer. The units of falloff distance are measured in lattice widths. For example, a Falloff Distance value of 3.0 sets the falloff distance to 3 lattice widths.

The falloff degrades linearly from the edge of the base lattice to the specified falloff distance. This option is available only when Transform If Within Falloff is on.

Advanced tab

See Advanced deformer options.

Deformation order: Specifies the placement of the deformer node in the deformable object’s history. For more information about deformer placement, see Deformation order.
Exclusive: Specifies whether the deformer set is in a partition. Sets in a partition can have no overlapping members. If on, the Partition To Use and New Partition Name options become available. Default is off.
Partition To Use: Lists any existing partitions, and a default selection New Partition. If you select Create New Partition, you can edit the Partition Name field to specify the name of a new partition. Only available if Exclusive is on.
Partition Name: Specifies the name of a new partition that will include the deformer set. The suggested partition name is deformPartition, which will be created if it does not already exist. Typically, you might put all your exclusive deformer sets in the partition named deformPartition. However, you can create as many partitions as you like, and name them whatever you want. Only available if Exclusive is on.