8

Setting Standard Snaps 11
can move this dialog to any convenient location
on your screen and turn options on and off as you
work. Panels are reset to defaults for each new
session.
You can also make commonly used snap settings
on the
Snaps toolbar (page 2–39) .
Snap settings are stored in the
3dsmax.ini file
rather t han in the MAX file. This means that the
state of the snap settings persists from session
to session without your having to modify the
maxstart.max file.
Gr id And Sna p S etti ngs Dia log a nd S na ps
Toolbar
The most commonly used g r id and object snaps
appear on the
Grid and Snap Settings dialog (page
2–38)
. T his is the general sequence for using these
snaps:
1. Turn on snaps by clicking the 3D Snap
button on the main toolbar, and then right-click
this button to display the Grid And Snap
Settings dialog. Standard snaps are t he default.
The dialog also contains NURBS snap options,
discussed in
Snap Settings (page 2–38) .
You can also make commonly used snap
settings on the
Snaps toolbar (page 2–39) .
2. By default, only Grid Points snap is active. Turn
on other s nap types to activate them . When
youcreateormoveobjects,thesesnapsarenow
in effect anywhere in 3D space, a nd unaffected
by the current transform coordinate system.
As you move the cursor, each snap type is
marked by a distinctive icon shown on the Snap
panel. The current icon indicates the type and
position of the next snap.
Gridpointsandgridlinesaresecondarytothe
other snap types. For example, if both Grid
Point and Vertex are active, the software snaps
to a vertex in preference to an equally close grid
point.
3. Turn snaps on and off as needed; the easiest
way is by pressing the S key.
For more information on snaps, see
2D Snap, 2.5D
Snap, 3D Snap (page 2–35)
and Snaps Settings
(page 2–38)
.
Snap Override
Snap Overr ide bypasses c urrently selected snaps.
You use a keyboard-mouse combination or a
keyboard shortcut to define a new snap for the
next click. You can override on the fly, one snap
at a time.
For example, while creating a spline between
grid points, you might need to snap to a vertex
or midpoint of an object. This is the general
procedure:
1. Asyouusepresetsnapstocreateormovean
object,holddownSHIFTandright-click.This
pops up a three-quadrant right-click menu,
which you c a n use to override the current snap
setting(s).
Note: You can begin the creation or
transformation process before accessing the
override menu. This typically means that
you’ll be holding down the left button as you
SHIFT+right-click.
2. From the Snap Override quadrant, choose the
snap type you want to use. T he cu rsor switches
to this type.
3. Make the snap. After the snap, currently set
snaps are back in effect.
In addition, the Snap Override quadrant lets you
reuse the last override you used (listed by name),
and gives y ou an option for None. None turns off
snapping entirely on the next click. The Snap quad
menu also contains an Opt ions quadrant, with
toggles for snapping within current transform