Attach
Curves
Select two curves and select the Attach Curves Menu
item. Maya will do its best to attach the two curves while preserve each
curve�s uniqueness. Maya performs this command better when the Keep Original
toggle is �on�.
Open/Close
Curves
This menu item should be used on any curve that you
wish to treat as closed, whether the curve already �looks� closed or not. Closed
curves are essential for creating many kinds of surfaces. In the Open/Close
Curve Options, there are three choices to help Maya decided on the curves final
shape:
Ignore:� ����������� Maya will round the curve
Preserve:����������� Maya will keep the current curve
exactly as it is and draw a new segment to close it.
Blend:�������������� Maya will round the curve but
gives you more control over the degree that the curve will be rounded.
Extend
There are two menu items under Extend. Use Extend
Curve for all purposes other than the Extending a Curve On a Surface. There are
several Options available for both and it is best to experiment to see which
Options give you the effect you are looking for.
The largest difference the Options provide is the
Extend Method, by distance or by point. Here you can simply make the curve
longer or you can extend the curve to a particular point.
Reverse
Curve Direction
Select the curve, then select this menu item. The
curves start and end points will be switched. This is useful to use with the
Extrude Command or the Add Points Tool.
Smooth
Curve
This command works very similar to the Polygon
Smooth Command. The Smooth Options allows you to adjust how round you want to
make the curve. At high smoothness values this command can also be used to
straighten curves.
Add
Points Tool
If you pressed Enter too early or wish to build upon
an old curve use this tool. The cursor will change to cross hairs and you can
continue to add points to the end of the curve. To add points to the beginning
of the curve use the Reverse Curve Direction command first.
Curve
Editing Tool
This tool presents a special manipulator on the
selected curve. The handles on the manipulator do the following:
�
Parameter
Handle (the diamond normal to the curve): allows you to move the manipulator in
the U-direction along the curve
�
Position
Handle (a box at manipulator vertex) lets you move a chosen point on the curve
and the curve�s CVs will update automatically
�
Tangent
(the other box on the line) and Tangent Scale Handle (the diamond at the end of
the line) allow you to scale and position the curves tangent.
�
Axis
Lines (the dotted cross hair axes through the manipulator vertex) allows you to
snap the tangent handle to the X, Y, or Z axis.
When you have completed using the tool press Enter
to accept the edits.
SURFACES
Note: Surfaces created from
curves can be modified by editing the curve that the surface was based on. To
remove this dependence select the surface and Delete its History.
Revolve
Commonly used with NURBS curves, it allows you to
create a new object based upon the revolution of an already existing object
around one of the axis.� The Revolve
Options allow you to choose the:
�
Axis
of revolution (the Axis Preset)
�
The
surface degree, Linear for straight lines between CV�s, Cubic for NURBS
�
The
Start and End Sweep angles, if you wish to revolve for less than the standard
360 degrees. Note: Do not revolve for more than 360 degrees, errors will
occur.
�
Number
of Segments that the new object will have.
�
Whether
you want to revolve the entire curve or part of the curve
�
The
new object�s creation type: NURBS , Polygons (or Sub Div � not recommended)
Loft
Creates a surface in-between 2 or more curves. The
curves essentially act as an outside frame and Maya �skins� a surface around
them. Select the curves that you wish to create the surface from then select
the Loft menu item.
Under Loft Options you have the option to:
�
Close
the curve if you wish to make a closed surface.
�
Change
the degree of the curve Linear for sharp straight surfaces, and cubic for
smooth one
�
Choose
Either the surface to be either made of NURBS or Polygons.
Extrude
Extrude creates a surface out of two curves. The
first curve defines the cross-sectional shape of the new surface. The second
curve defines the path that the cross-sectional shape will be moved along to
create the new surface. Select the cross-section curve first. Then select the
path curve. Finish by selecting the Extrude menu item.
Note: Extrude works best with smooth curves. Small sharp
curves can cause unexpected results. To deal with this increase the number of
CV�s around the sharp areas. This will help Maya in its computations.
In the Extrude Options there are 3 styles.
�
Flat
creates sharper angles in the extrusion, as the orientation of the
cross-section curve is kept constant as it is extruded
�
Tube
provides a more smooth surface, as the cross-section is kept tangent to the
path as it is extruded.
�
Distance
requires no path curve. With this option the cross-section is extruded for a
specified distance along a straight line.
Edit
Surfaces
Project
Curve On Surface
This option places a curve onto a NURBS surface as
if the curve was suddenly bound to the NURBS surface. To project a curve onto a
surface, first position the curve in front of the surface. Then with the curve
still selected, select the surface you want to project on. Finally select the
Project Curve On Surface menu item.
You will notice if you transform the original curve,
the curve of the surface will also change. To disconnect this relationship
delete the history of the surface. Or if you want to keep your history but do
not want to see the original curve, you can always turn off the visibility of
the original curve.
The Project Curve On Surface Options allow you to
project to the surface normals or project the curve along the axis of the
active view. For example, if the Front view is active, the curve will be
projected along the Z-axis.
Intersecting
Surfaces
Creates a trim curve where the two surfaces
intersect. Using the Intersecting Surfaces Options, the trim curve can be made
on one or both surfaces, or the curve can stand alone if 3D World is checked.
Trim
Tool
The Trim Tool requires that a curve be on the
surface that is to be trimmed. That curve can be produced by, projecting a
curve, creating a curve from intersecting surfaces or by making the surface
live and drawing the curve on it directly. Once the curve has been created,
deselect everything and then select the Trim Tool.
Click on the Trim Tool menu item. The cursor will
change to a red and white arrow. Select the surface you wish to trim. It will
now appear to be a white wireframe grid. Click on the part of the surface you
wish to keep. This part will turn a more solid white. Then hit Enter.
In the Trim Tool Options you can change the tool�s
function so that the part selected will be Discarded. The Shrink Surface option
cause the surface to shrink to occupy only the area that has been kept, and
therefore changes the geometry of the surface. Untrimming a surface will not
undo this, but Undo will.
Note: The Trim Tool does not connect surfaces, even if Intersecting Surfaces was used to make the trim curve.
Attach
Surfaces
Select the two surfaces you wish to attach and then
select the menu item. The Attach Surfaces Options allows you to choose Connect,
where Maya will preserve the shape of the two surfaces the best it can, or
Blend where an �average� of the two surfaces is created. The Blend Option can
also be adjusted as to how much of an average is taken.
Open/Close
Surfaces
This command works like Open/Close Curves. The
Open/Close Surface Options allow you to close the curve in the U, V, or in both
directions. The Shape options are the same as those seen above in Edit Curves�Open/Close Curves.
Insert
Isoparms
This is used in similar fashion to the Subdivide
Tool for Polygons, in that you can create additional isoparms within a surface
to allow you to manipulate the surface with more control or detail and in some
cases this can help in texturing the surface.
Begin by selecting the surface. Then switch to Component Select mode and turn on select isoparms. Click on an existing isoparm on the surface and drag a duplicate of it to the location you would like the new isoparm to be. Select the Insert Isoparms menu item and the duplicate has now become an isoparm of surface.
In the Insert Isoparm Options you can also insert an
isoparm directly between two existing isoparms in either the U or V directions.
In the Options you can also specify the number of isoparms you would like to
add and Maya will space them out evenly.
Note: This will not change the geometry of the surface.
Extend
Surfaces
Just as you can extend a surface, you can extend a
surface in a similar way. In the Extend Surface Options you can set the type of
extension, the distance, which end will be extended (or both), and because
surfaces are �2D� you can also set the direction: U, V, or both.
Reverse
Surface Direction
����������� This command makes the start of a
surface the end and the end of that surface the start.
Surface
Fillet
This is a good way to blend the edges of two NURBS
surfaces. Select both of the NURBS surfaces and then select the Surface Fillet
menu choice that best fits your needs:
Circular Fillet
Is best used when the surfaces are intersecting and
especially when at least one of the surfaces makes a round cross-section with
the other surface, for example a cone through a plane. In the Circular Fillet
Options, the radius of the fillet can be modified within certain limitations.
If the created fillet does not appear on the side of
the intersection that you expected, check the normals of the two surfaces. The
fillet will form in the area where both surfaces� normals are positive.
Freeform Fillet
A freeform fillet can be created between the
isoparms or two curves on two different and separated surfaces. In this case
using the appropriate component select mode, select the two isoparms/curves and
then select Surface Fillet� Freeform Fillet.
In the Freeform Fillet Options you can set the
curvature of the fillet using the Depth value.
����������� Fillet Blend Tool
This fillet is used to blend to surfaces (usually
NURBS objects) together. To start, deselect everything. Then select Surface
Fillet�Fillet Blend Tool. Now in
component select mode, select an isoparm of one of the objects and press Enter.
Then select an isoparm of the other object and press Enter. The blend fillet
will be created.
Note: All Surface Fillet commands create a new surface
which is the blending shape and will be modified accordingly as the filleted
surfaces are modified provided the History of the filleted surfaces is
maintained.
Sculpt
Surfaces Tool
This tool and its options work exactly the same as
the Sculpt Polygons Tool, as far as we are concerned, with the exception that
it is used for NURBS. Like the Sculpt Polygon Tool a large number of points
(CVs) are needed for good results. For more information please see Edit
Polygons�Sculpt Polygons Tool.