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6 Chapter 10: Precision and Drawing Aids
To a ctivate a gr id object:
1.
Create a g rid object.
2. Choose Views > Grids > Activate Gr id Object.
To deacti vate a gr id obj ect, do one of the following:
• Select and ac tivate another gr id object.
• ChooseViews>Grids>ActivateHomeGrid.
•Deletethegridobject.
Creati ng a nd M odif y ing G r id Objects
YoufindGridobjectsintheCreatepanel>Helpers
category.
When creating an object, you can also create a
temporary "AutoGrid" grid object that’s tangen t to
an exist ing object sur face at the point you click. To
do this, turn on the AutoGrid (page 2–7) check box
intheObjectTyperollout.Youcansavethisgrid
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 iewpor t . By default, this is a plane of the home
grid,butcanalsobeanotheractivatedgridobject.
For more information on grid object settings, see
Grid (page 2–20).
Viewing Grid Objects
An ac tivated grid helper object (page 2–20) 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. H o wever, you can view a given
grid object in different ways.
Setting the Display Pla ne
You can adjust the visible plane of a selected or
activatedgridobjectontheModifypanel.
To set the display plane:
1.
Open the Modif y 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 v iewport 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 v iew’s
orthographic grid, even if you rotate the angle of
view. In other words, you c an set up a convenient
view and still construct on the chosen plane.
Deactivati ng Gr id Objects
You can deact ivate a grid object in any of the
following ways:
• Select and ac tivate another grid object.