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6 Chapter 10: Precision and Drawing Aids
To a ctivate a grid object:
1.
Create a grid object.
2. Choose Views > Grids > Activate Gr id Object.
To dea ctivate a gr id obj ect, do one of the foll owing:
• Select and activate another grid object.
• ChooseViews>Grids>ActivateHomeGrid.
•Deletethegridobject.
Creati ng a nd M odif y ing G ri d Obj ects
YoufindGridobjectsintheCreatepanel>Helpers
category.
When creat ing an object, you can also create a
temporary "AutoGrid" grid object that’s tangent to
an existing object surface at the point you click. To
dothis,turnonthe
AutoGrid (page 2–7) check
box in the Object Type rollout. You can save this
grid by holding the ALT key before you click.
Grid objects are named when you create them and
are saved with the scene. You can delete them at
any time.
Like other objects created in 3ds Max, standard
grid objects are placed on the grid of the current
v iewport. By default, this is a plane of the home
grid,butcanalsobeanotheractivatedgridobject.
For more information on grid object settings, see
Grid (page 2–19) .
Viewing Grid Objects
An act ivated grid helper object (page 2–19) creates
atrueplanein3Dspace. Nomatterhowsmall
an activated grid object appears on the screen, its
plane is effectively infinite, just as if it were a plane
of the home grid. However, you can view a given
grid object in different ways.
Setting the Display Pl ane
You can adjust the visible plane of a selected or
activatedgridobjectontheModifypanel.
To set the display plane:
1.
Open the Modify panel to display the
Parameters rollout for the selected grid.
2. In the Display group, choose any of the three
planes: XY, YZ, or ZX.
The grid rotates in world space to display the
corresponding plane, always based on the grid’s
local axis.
You can move or rotate a grid, either before or after
setting its display plane.
Setting Gr id V iews
You can set the view in any viewport to an
orthographic view as well as the display view.
To set grid view:
1.
Activate the grid object.
2. Right-click a viewport label and choose Views
> Grid to display a menu of possible views.
3. ChooseFront,Back,Top,Bottom,Right,Left,
or Display Planes. Display Planes corresponds
to the current setting on the Parameters rollout
(XY, YZ, or ZX).
The viewport now shows this view of the grid.
You can set different viewports to different views
of the gr id. Objects are always created on a view’s
orthographic grid, even if you rotate the angle of
view. In other words, you can set up a convenient
view and still construct on the chosen plane.
Deactivati ng Gr id Objects
You c an deactivate a grid object in any of the
following ways:
• Select and activate another grid object.