Edit Poly Modifier

The Edit Poly modifier provides explicit editing tools for different sub-object levels of the selected object: vertex, edge, border, polygon, and element.

The Edit Poly modifier includes most capabilities of the base Editable Poly object, except for Vertex Color information, Subdivision Surface rollout, Weight and Crease settings, and Subdivision Displacement rollout. Edit Poly lets you animate sub-object transforms and parameter changes. In addition, because it's a modifier, you can retain the object creation parameters and change them later.

Edit Poly gives you these options:

Tip: You can exit most Edit 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, you might be working at the Polygon sub-object level, moving polygons, and need to rotate the object to access a different part of it. Instead of having to exit the Polygon sub-object level, rotate the object and then re-enter the sub-object level, you could simply press and hold 6, rotate the object, release the key, and immediately return to moving polygons.

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.

Differences Between Edit Poly and Editable Poly

Functionality in Edit Poly is mostly the same as that of Editable Poly. Please note the following differences:

Following is a table showing the Edit Poly functions that are and are not animatable. Functions that are not animatable are unavailable in Animate mode. Functions marked “Yes” can be animated explicitly in Animate mode.

Functions marked “Proc” cannot be animated explicitly, but can be animated procedurally. This means they can be applied to different parts of the Edit Poly object at different points in the animation by means of an animated sub-object selection passed up the stack. For further information, see this procedure.

Function Animatable?
Transform sub-objects Yes
Shift+Transform sub-objects Yes
Constraints No
Preserve UVs No
By Vertex No
Optional Culling No
Ring No
Loop No
Shrink No
Grow No
Selection conversion No
Named Selection copy/paste No
Soft Selection (most settings) Yes (but not painting soft selection)
Shaded Face toggle No
Delete Proc
Create Vertex No
Create Face No
Create Edge No
Collapse Proc
Attach / Attach List No
Detach No
Slice Yes
Quickslice No
Cut No
MSmooth Proc
Tessellate Proc
Make Planar Proc
View Align Yes
Grid Align Yes
Relax Yes
Hide Selected No
Hide Unselected No
Unhide All No
Remove Proc
Break Proc
Extrude Yes
Chamfer Yes
Bridge Yes
Weld (selected) Proc (can animate Weld Threshold)
Target Weld No
Connect Yes
Remove Isolated Vertices Proc
Remove Unused Map Verts Proc
Remove Yes
Split Yes
Insert Vertex No
Weld (selected) Yes (Threshold)
Target Weld No
Connect (Vertex) Proc
Connect (Edge) Yes
Create Shape No
Edit Triangulation No
Cap Proc
Insert Vertex No
Extrude Yes
Bevel Yes
Outline Yes
Inset Yes
Retriangulate Proc
Flip Proc
Hinge from Edge Yes
Extrude Along Spline Yes
Set Material ID Yes
Select by Material ID No
Set Smoothing Group Yes
Select by Smoothing Group No
Auto Smooth Proc

Edit Poly Workflow

Edit Poly differs from other Edit modifiers in 3ds Max in that it provides two different modes, available on the Edit Poly Mode rollout: one for modeling and another for animating. By default, Edit Poly operates in Model mode, whose modeling functionality is mostly the same as that of Editable Poly; animation is unavailable in this mode. Alternatively, you can work in Animate mode, which makes available only functions that you can animate.

Each Edit Poly modifier set to Animate mode can preserve any number of keyframes animating a single operation type, such as transforming faces, on the same sub-object selection. To animate other parts of the object, or to animate a different operation on the same sub-object selection, just use another Edit Poly modifier.

You’ll find functions specific to the active sub-object level on a special rollout, leaving the Edit Geometry rollout with functions that can be used 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:

Interface

Stack Display

For more information on the stack display, see Modifier Stack.

Show End Result

Because Edit Poly is a modifier, if you apply further modifiers and then return to the Edit Poly stack entry, Show End Result is on by default, and you can still see the results of any modifiers above Edit Poly on the stack. This is different from the Editable Poly object, where if you apply a modifier such as Symmetry and then return to the Editable Poly stack entry, you cannot see the effect of the modifier on the object's geometry. While at a sub-object level, if you turn on Show Cage on the Edit Poly Mode rollout, you can see the final object as a white mesh, the original sub-object selection as a yellow mesh, and the original Edit Poly object as an orange mesh.

Selection rollout

The Selection rollout provides tools for accessing different sub-object levels and display settings and for creating and modifying selections. See Selection Rollout (Edit Poly Modifier).

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) rollouts provide sub-object-specific functions for editing an Edit Poly object and its sub-objects. For specific information, click any of the following links:

Edit Poly (Object)

Edit Poly (Vertex)

Edit Poly (Edge)

Edit Poly (Border)

Edit Poly (Polygon/Element)

Edit Geometry rollout

The Edit Geometry rollout provides global functions for editing an Edit Poly object and its sub-objects.

Paint Deformation rollout

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