Chapter 6: Creating and Editing Primitive Objects


So what exactly did the Romans use to build their civilization? The answer is lots and lots of basic blocks. The basic building blocks in Max are called primitives. You can use these primitives to start any modeling job. After you create a primitive, you can then bend it, stretch it, smash it, or cut it to create new objects, but for now, we focus on using primitives in their default shape.

This chapter covers the basics of primitive object types and introduces the various primitive objects, including how to accurately create and control them. You also use these base objects in the coming chapters to learn about selecting, cloning, grouping, and transforming.

Modeling is covered in depth in Part III, but first you need to learn how to create some basic blocks and move them around. Later, you can work on building a civilization. I'm sure workers in Rome would be jealous.

Creating Primitive Objects

Max is all about creating objects and scenes, so it's appropriate that one of the first things to learn is how to create objects. Although you can create complex models and objects, Max includes many simple, default geometric objects called primitives that you can use as a starting point. Creating these primitive objects can be as easy as clicking and dragging in a viewport.

Using the Create menu

The Create menu offers quick access to the buttons in the Create panel. All the objects that you can create using the Create panel you can access using the Create menu. Selecting an object from the Create menu automatically opens the Create panel and selects the correct category, subcategory, and button needed to create the object. After selecting the menu option, you simply need to click in one of the viewports to create the object.

Using the Create panel

The creation of all default Max objects, such as primitive spheres, shapes, lights, and cameras, starts with the Create panel (or the Create menu, which leads to the Create panel). This panel is the first in the Command Panel, indicated by an icon of an arrow pointing to a star.

Of all the panels in the Command Panel, only the Create panel (shown in Figure 6.1) includes both categories and subcategories. After you click the Create tab, seven category icons are displayed. From left to right, they are Geometry, Shapes, Lights, Cameras, Helpers, Space Warps, and Systems.

image from book
Figure 6.1: The Create panel includes categories and subcategories.

The Create panel is the place you go to create objects for the scene. These objects could be geometric objects like spheres, cones, and boxes or other objects like lights, cameras, or Space Warps. The Create panel contains a huge variety of objects. To create an object, you simply need to find the button for the object that you want to create, click it, click in one of the viewports, and voilà-instant object.

image from book After you select the Geometry button (which has an icon of a sphere on it), a drop-down list with several sub-categories appears directly below the category icons. The first available subcategory is Standard Primitives. After you select this subcategory, several text buttons appear that enable you to create some simple primitive objects.

Note 

The second subcategory is called Extended Primitives. It also includes primitive objects.

As an example, click the button labeled Sphere (not to be confused with the Geometry category, which has a sphere icon). Several rollouts appear at the bottom of the Command Panel: These rollouts for the Sphere primitive object include Name and Color, Creation Method, Keyboard Entry, and Parameters. The rollouts for each primitive are slightly different, as well as the parameters within each rollout.

If you want to ignore these rollouts and just create a sphere, simply click and drag within one of the viewports, and a sphere object appears. The size of the sphere is determined by how you drag the mouse before releasing the mouse button. Figure 6.2 shows the new sphere and its parameters.

image from book
Figure 6.2: You can create primitive spheres easily by dragging in a viewport.

When an object button, such as the Sphere button, is selected, it turns dark yellow. This color change reminds you that you are in creation mode. Clicking and dragging within any viewport creates an additional sphere. While in creation mode, you can create many spheres by clicking and dragging several times in one of the viewports. To get out of creation mode, right-click in the active viewport or click the Select Object button or one of the transform buttons on the main toolbar.

After you select a primitive button, several additional rollouts magically appear. These new rollouts hold the parameters for the selected object and are displayed in the Create panel below the Name and Color rollout. Altering these parameters changes the object. The button remains selected, allowing you to create more objects until you select a different button, click on a toolbar button, or right-click in the active viewport.

Naming and renaming objects

Every object in the scene can have both a name and a color assigned to it. Each object is given a default name and random color when first created. The default name is the type of object followed by a number. For example, when you create a sphere object, Max labels it "Sphere01." These default names aren't very exciting and can be confusing if you have many objects. You can change the object's name at any time by modifying the Name field in the Name and Color rollout of the Command Panel.

CROSS-REF 

Names and colors are useful for locating and selecting objects, as you find out in Chapter 7, "Selecting Objects, Setting Object Properties, and Using Layers."

The Tools image from book Rename Objects menu command opens a dialog box that lets you change the object name of several objects at once. The Rename Objects dialog box, shown in Figure 6.3, lets you set the Base Name along with a Prefix, a Suffix, or a number. These new names can be applied to the selected objects or to the specific objects that you pick from the Select Objects dialog box.

image from book
Figure 6.3: The Rename Objects dialog box can rename several objects at once.

Assigning colors

The object color is shown in the color swatch to the right of the object name. This color is the color that is used to display the object within the viewports and to render the object if a material isn't applied. To change an object's color, just click the color swatch next to the Name field to make the Object Color dialog box appear. This dialog box, shown in Figure 6.4, lets you select a different color or pick a custom color.

image from book
Figure 6.4: You use the Object Color dialog box to define the color of objects displayed in the viewports.

The Object Color dialog box includes the standard 3ds Max palette and the AutoCAD ACI palette. The AutoCAD palette has many more colors than the Max palette, but the Max palette allows a row of custom colors. Above the Cancel button is the Select by Color button. Click this button to open the Select Objects dialog box where you can select all the objects that have a certain color.

With the Object Color dialog box, if the Assign Random Colors option is selected, then a random color from the palette is chosen every time a new object is created. If this option is not selected, the color of all new objects is the same until you choose a different object color. Making objects different colors allows you to more easily distinguish between two objects for selection and transformation.

The Object Color dialog box also includes a button that toggles between By Layer and By Objects, which appears only when an object is selected. Using this button, you can cause objects to accept color according to their object definition or based on the layer of which they are a part.

You can select custom colors by clicking the Add Custom Colors button. This button opens a Color Selector dialog box, shown in Figure 6.5. Selecting a color and clicking the Add Color button adds the selected color to the row of Custom Colors in the Object Color palette. You can also open the Color Selector by clicking on the Current Color swatch. The current color can then be dragged to the row of Custom Colors.

Tip 

You can fill the entire row of Custom Colors by clicking repeatedly on the Add Color button.

image from book
Figure 6.5: The Color Selector dialog box lets you choose new custom colors.

The Color Selector dialog box defines colors using the RGB (red, green, and blue) and HSV (hue, saturation, and value) color systems. Another way to select colors is to drag the cursor around the rainbow palette on the left. After you find the perfect custom color to add to the Object Color dialog box, click the Add Color button. This custom color is then available wherever the Object Color dialog box is opened.

Object colors are also important because you can use them to select and filter objects. For example, the Selection Floater (which you can open by choosing Tools image from book Selection Floater) includes a Sort by Color setting. You can also choose Edit image from book Select by image from book Color menu (or click the Select by Color button) to select only objects that match a selected color.

Note 

You can set objects to display an object's default color or its Material Color. These options are in the Display Color rollout under the Display panel (the fifth tab from the left in the Command Panel with an icon of a monitor). You can set them differently for Wireframe and Shaded views.

Using the Color Clipboard

The object color is one of the first places where colors are encountered, but it certainly won't be the last. If you find a specific color that you like and want to use elsewhere, you can use the Color Clipboard utility to carry colors to other interfaces. You can access this utility using the Tools image from book Color Clipboard menu command, which opens the Utilities panel, as shown in Figure 6.6.

image from book
Figure 6.6: The Color Clipboard utility offers a way to transport colors.

When selected, the Color Clipboard appears as a rollout in the Utilities panel and includes four color swatches. These color swatches can be dragged to other interfaces like the Material Editor. Clicking on any of these swatches launches the Color Selector. The New Floater button opens a floatable Color Clipboard that holds 12 colors, shown in Figure 6.7. Right-clicking the color swatches opens a pop-up menu with Copy and Paste options. Using this clipboard, you can open and save color configurations. The files are saved as Color Clipboard files with the .ccb extension.

image from book
Figure 6.7: The Color Clipboard floating palette can hold 12 colors.

Using different creation methods

You actually have a couple of ways to create primitive objects by dragging in a viewport. With the first method, the first place you click sets the object's initial position. You then need to drag the mouse to define the object's first dimension and then click again to set each additional dimension, if needed. Primitive objects with a different number of dimensions require a different number of clicks and drags.

For example, a sphere is one of the simplest objects to create. To create a sphere, click in a viewport to set the location of the sphere's center, drag the mouse to the desired radius, and release the mouse button to complete. A Box object, on the other hand, requires a click-and-drag move to define the base (width and depth), and another drag-and-click move to set the height. If you ever get lost when defining these dimensions, check the Prompt Line to see what dimension the interface expects next.

When you click a primitive object button, the Creation Method rollout appears and offers different methods for creating the primitives. For example, click the Sphere button, and the Creation Method rollout displays two options: Edge and Center. When you choose the Edge method, the first viewport click sets one edge of the sphere, and dragging and clicking again sets the diameter of the sphere. The default Center creation method defines the sphere's center location; dragging sets the sphere's radius. The creation method for each primitive can be different. For example, the Box primitive object has a creation method for creating perfect cubes. Table 6.1 shows the number of clicks required to create an object and the creation methods for each primitive object.

Tip 

If you're dragging to create a primitive object and halfway through its creation you change your mind, you can right-click to eliminate the creation of the object.

Table 6.1: Primitive Object Creation Methods
Open table as spreadsheet

Primitive Object

Number of Viewport Clicks to Create

Default Creation Method

Other Creation Method

image from book Box

2

Box

Cube

image from book Cone

3

Center

Edge

image from book Sphere

1

Center

Edge

image from book Sphere

GeoSphere

1

Center

Diameter

image from book Cylinder

2

Center

Edge

image from book Tube

3

Center

Edge

image from book Torus

2

Center

Edge

image from book Pyramid

2

Base/Apex

Center

image from book Teapot

1

Center

Edge

image from book Plane

1

Rectangular

Square

image from book Hedra

1

  

image from book Torus Knot

2

Radius

Diameter

image from book ChamferBox

3

Box

Cube

image from book ChamferCyl

3

Center

Edge

image from book OilTank

3

Center

Edge

image from book Capsule

2

Center

Edge

image from book Spindle

3

Center

Edge

image from book L-Ext

3

Corners

Center

image from book Gengon

3

Center

Edge

image from book C-Ext

3

Corners

Center

image from book RingWave

2

  

Hose

2

image from book Prism

3

Base/Apex

Isosceles

Note 

Some primitive objects, such as the Hedra, RingWave, and Hose, don't have any creation methods.

Using the Keyboard Entry rollout for precise dimensions

When creating a primitive object, you can define its location and dimensions by clicking in a viewport and dragging, or you can enter precise values in the Keyboard Entry rollout, located in the Create panel. Within this rollout, you can enter the offset XYZ values for positioning the origin of the primitive and the dimensions of the object. The offset values are defined relative to the active construction plane that is usually the Home Grid.

When all the dimension fields are set, click the Create button to create the actual primitive. You can create multiple objects by clicking the Create button several times. After a primitive is created, altering the fields in the Keyboard Entry rollout has no effect on the current object, but you can always use the Undo feature to try again.

Altering object parameters

The final rollout for all primitive objects is the Parameters rollout. This rollout holds all the various settings for the object. Compared to the Keyboard Entry rollout, which you can use only when creating the primitive, you can use the Parameters rollout to alter the primitive's parameters before or after the creation of the object. For example, increasing the Radius value after creating an object makes an existing sphere larger. This works only while the primitive mode is still enabled.

The parameters are different for each primitive object, but you can generally use them to control the dimensions, the number of segments that make up the object, and whether the object is sliced into sections. You can also select the Generate Mapping Coordinates option (which automatically creates material mapping coordinates that are used to position texture maps) and the Real-World Map Size option (which lets you define a texture's dimensions that are maintained regardless of the object size).

Note 

After you deselect an object, the Parameters rollout disappears from the Create tab and moves to the Modify tab. You can make future parameter adjustments by selecting an object and clicking the Modify tab.

Recovering from mistakes and deleting objects

Before going any further, you need to be reminded how to undo the last action with the Undo menu command. The Undo (Ctrl+Z) menu command will undo the last action, whether it's creating an object or changing a parameter. The Redo (Ctrl+Y) menu command lets you redo an action that was undone.

You can set the levels of undo in the Preference Settings dialog box. If you right-click on either the Undo button or the Redo button on the main toolbar, a list of recent actions is displayed. You can select any action from this list to be undone.

The Edit image from book Delete menu command removes the selected object (or objects) from the scene. (The keyboard shortcut for this command is, luckily, the Delete key, because anything else would be confusing.)

Tutorial: Exploring the Platonic solids

Among the many discoveries of Plato, an ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher, were the mathematical formulas that defined perfect geometric solids. A perfect geometric solid is one that is made up of polygon faces that are consistent throughout the object. The five solids that meet these criteria have come to be known as the Platonic solids.

Using Max, you can create and explore these interesting geometric shapes. Each of these shapes is available as a primitive object using the Hedra primitive object. The Hedra primitive object is one of the Extended Primitives.

To create the five Platonic solids as primitive objects, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Create panel, click the Geometry category button, and select Extended Primitives from the subcategory drop-down list. Click the Hedra button to enter Hedra creation mode, or select the Create image from book Extended Primitives image from book Hedra menu command.

  2. Click in the Top viewport, and drag to the left to create a simple Tetrahedron object.

    After the object is created, you can adjust its settings by altering the settings in the Parameters rollout.

  3. Select the Tetra option in the Parameters rollout, set the P value in the Family Parameters section to 1.0, and enter a value of 50 for the Radius. Be sure to press the Enter key after entering a value to update the object. Enter the name Tetrahedron in the Object Name field.

  4. Click and drag again in the Top viewport to create another hedra object. In the Parameters rollout, select the Cube/Octa option, and enter a value of 1.0 in the Family Parameter's P field and a value of 50 in the Radius field. Name this object Octagon.

  5. Drag in the Top viewport to create another object. The Cube/Octa option is still selected. Enter a value of 1.0 in the Family Parameter's Q field this time, and set the Radius to 50. Name this object Cube.

  6. Drag in the Top viewport again to create the fourth hedra object. In the Parameters rollout, select the Dodec/Icos option, enter a value of 1.0 in the P field, and set the Radius value to 50. Name the object Icosahedron.

  7. Drag in the Top viewport to create the final object. With the Dodec/Icos option set, enter 1.0 for the Q value, and set the Radius to 50. Name this object Dodecahedron.

  8. To get a good look at the objects, click the Perspective viewport, press the Zoom Extents button, and maximize the viewport by clicking the Min/Max Toggle (or press Alt+W) in the lower-right corner of the window.

Figure 6.8 shows the five perfect solid primitive objects. Using the Modify panel, you can return to these objects and change their parameters to learn the relationships between them. Later in this chapter, you can read about the Hedra primitive in greater detail.

image from book
Figure 6.8: The octagon, cube, tetrahedron, icosahedron, and dodecahedron objects; Plato would be amazed.




3ds Max 9 Bible
3ds Max 9 Bible
ISBN: 0470100893
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2007
Pages: 383

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