8

624 Chapter 8: Modifiers
ontheobject’sgeometry.Whileatasub-object
level,ifyouturnonShowCageontheEditPoly
Mode rollout, you can see the final object as a
white mesh, the original sub-object selection as a
yellow mesh, and the original Edit Poly object as
an orange mesh.
Edit Poly M ode rollo ut
ThisrolloutprovidesaccesstoEditPoly’stwo
modes of operation: M odel, for modeling, and
Animate, for animation of modeling effects. For
example, you can animate the Taper and Twist
settings for polygons extruded along a spline.
During and between sessions, the software
remembers the current mode for each object
separately. The same mode remains active at all
sub-object levels.
Edit Poly Mode also gives you access to the
current operation’s Settings dialog, if any, and
lets you commit to or cancel out of modeling and
animation changes.
Model—Lets you model using the Edit Poly
functions. Operations in Model mode cannot be
animated.
Animate—Lets you animate using the Edit Poly
functions.
In addition to choosing Ani mate, you must turn
on
Auto Key (page 3–760) or use Set Key (page
3–761)
for animating sub-object transforms and
parameter changes. Alternatively, in Animate
mode you can apply a single command, such as
Extrude or Chamfer, to an animated sub-object
selection passed up the stack.
Tip: If you use Set Key to animate with Edit Poly , be
sure to turn on Key Filters > Modifiers.
Note: The Edit Poly modifier can store any number
of keyframes animating a single operation, such as
transforming polygons, on the same sub -object
selection. Use additional Edit Poly modifiers to:
• animate other parts of the object;
• animate repeated applications of the same
operationonthesamesub-objectselection;
• animate repeated applications of a different
operationonthesamesub-objectselection.
For example, say you want to animate a polygon
extruding from an object from frame 1 to 10, and
then moving back to the original position over
the next 10 fr a mes. You can accomplish this with
a single Edit Poly modifier using the Extrude
function, setting one keyframe at 10 and another
at 20. However, say you want to animate a polygon
extruding outward, and then animate movement
of one of the resultant side polygons. In that case,
you’d need two Edit Poly modifiers: one for the
extrusion, and another for the poly transform.
Tip: While modeling in Animate mode, you can
use
Commit to freeze t he animation at the current
frame.
[la bel]—Shows the cur rent command, if any.
Otherwise, it shows <No Current Operation>.
When you’re working in Model mode using direct
manipulation (that is, working in the view ports),
the label shows the current operation during drag
operations, and then returns to the unavailable
state.
When you’re working in Model mode using a
Settings dialog, or in Animate mode using direct
manipulation or a Settings dialog, the label
continually shows the c urrent operation.