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292 Chapter 5: Creating Geometry
of another end point of the same spline is
automatically welded. This feature is available
at the object and all sub-object levels.
•
Threshold—Aproximitysettingthatcontrols
how close vertices ca n be to one another before
they are automatically welded. Default=6.0.
Insert—Inserts one or more vertices, creating
additional segments. Click anywhere in a segment
to insert a vertex and attach the vertex to the
mouse. Optionally move the mouse and then
click to place the new vertex. Continue moving
the mouse and clicking to add vertices. A single
click inserts a corner vertex, while a drag creates a
Bezier (smooth) vertex.
Right-click to complete the operation and release
the mouse. At this point, you’re still in Insert
mode, and can begin inserting vertices in a
different segment. O therwise, right-click again or
clickInserttoexitInsertmode.
Editable Spline ( Ver tex)
Select an ed itable spline > Modify panel > Expand the
editable spline in the stack display > Vertex sub-object
level
Selec t an ed itab le spline > Modify pane l > Selection
rollout > Vertex button
Selec t an editable spline > R ight-c lic k the s p line > Tools
1 (upper-left) quadrant of the quad menu > Sub-objects
>Vertex
While at the Editable Spline (Vertex) level, you can
select single and multiple vertices and move them
using standard methods. If the vertex is of the
Bezier or Bezier Corner t ype, you can also move
and rotate handles, thus affect ing the shapes of any
segments joined at the vertex. You can copy and
paste t he handles between vert ices using tangent
copy/paste. You can reset them or switch between
types using the quad menu. The tangent t ypes are
alwaysavailableonthequadmenuwhenavertex
is selected; your c ursor doesn’t have to be directly
over them in the viewpor t.
Procedures
To set a vertex type:
1.
Right-click any vertex in a selection.
2. Choose a type from the shortcut menu. Each
ver tex in a shape can be one of four ty pes:
• Sm o ot h : Nonadjustable vertices that create
smooth continuous curves. The curvature
at a smooth vertex is determined by the
spacing of adjacent vertices.
• Corner: Nonadjustable vertices that create
sharp corners.
• Bezier: Adjustable vertex with locked
continuous tangent handles that create a
smooth curve. The curvature at the vertex
is set by the direction and magnitude of the
tangent handles.
• B ezi er Cor ner: Adjustable vertex with
discontinuous tangent handles that create a
sharp corner. The curvature of the seg ment
as it leaves the corner is set by the direction
and magnitude of the tangent handles.
Smooth vertex (left) and Corner ver tex (right)
Bezier vertex (left) and B ezier Corner vertex (right)