9

Grid Helper 21
These are available by a cascading Grid menu that
providesLeft,Right,Front,Back,Top,Bottom,
and Display Planes. Each of the orthographic
directions is local to the grid object, regard less of
its orientation in the scene.
When you choose a specific orthographic grid
viewport (as opposed to the Display Planes
viewport), the construction of objects in that
viewport is on the plane specified in the viewport
title regardless of the displayed plane of the grid
object.
You can create more than one viewport based on
the same grid object, with each using a different
plane. For example, you can have a Grid (Front)
viewport and a Grid (Top) viewport, as well as a
Grid (Display Planes) viewport.
When you deactivate a grid object, its remaining
v iewpor t s show the assigned orthographic view.
Thus, a Grid (Front) viewport becomes a Front
viewport, for example. A Grid (Display Planes)
viewport always reverts to a Top view, regardless
of the currently displayed plane.
Scaling Not Advised
As a rule, don’t use scaling to resize a grid object.
Scaling enlarges or reduces the apparent size of the
grid object but has no effect on grid spacing. A
sphere20unitsinradiuscreatedonagridobject
appears s ma ller than another 20-unit sphere
created on a scaled-up version of the same grid.
If you want to change the actual size of the grid
object,selectitandgototheModifypanel>
Parameters rollout > Grid Size group, and change
the Leng th and Width settings.
Locat ing Gr id Tools
Grid tools are spread throughout the 3ds Max
interface.
• In the Views menu, under Grids, are the
commandstoactivatehomeandusergrids.
The same tools are available with a r i g ht-click
anywhere in the viewport when a grid helper
is selected.
• Choose Customize menu > Grid and Snap
Settings to display the Grid and Snap Settings
dialog (page 2–41). Two tabs are devoted to
Grid tools, one for home, another for user
grids. You can change parameters of any active
grid using the Modify panel.
See also
Viewing Grid Objects (page 2–6)
Procedures
To create a gr id obj ect:
1.
Click Create panel > Helpers > Standard
>ObjectTyperollout>Grid.
A Parameters rollout appears on the Create
panel.
2. Inaviewport,dragarectangleandrelease
the mouse button. T his creates and selects a
grid object, which appears in w hite wireframe,
divided into four quadrants with coordinate
axes at the center.
While the newly created gr id object is still selected,
you c an change its settings on the Parameters
rollout.
You can also create a grid object during object
creation. Turn on AutoGrid, then press
Alt
during object creation. A grid is created at the
same time as the object and remains displayed
and active. See AutoGrid (page 2–7) for more
information.
To a ctivate a grid object:
A grid object requires activation before use.
Standard select ion doesn’t activate it unless you
turnontheoptiontodoso(seeUser Grids (page
2–51)).