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CHAPTER

Transforming

Objects, Pivoting,

Aligning, and Snapping

lthough a transformation sounds like something that would happen dur-
ing the climax of a superhero film, transformation is simply the process IN THIS CHAPTER
Aof “repositioning” or changing an object’s position, rotation, or scale. So
moving an object from here to there is a transformation. Superman would be Transforming objects
so envious.
Controlling transformations
Max includes several tools to help in the transformation of objects, including the with the Transform Gizmos,
Transform Gizmos, the Transform Type-In dialog box, and the Transform Managers. the Transform Type-Ins, and
the Transform Managers
This chapter covers each of these tools and several others that make transforma-
tions more automatic, such as the alignment, grid, and snap features. Working with pivot points
and axis constraints

Aligning objects with the
Translating, Rotating, align tools
and Scaling Objects Using grids and snapping
objects to common points
So you have an object created, and it’s just sitting there—sitting and waiting.
Waiting for what? Waiting to be transformed. To be moved a little to the left or
rotated around to show its good side or scaled down a little smaller. These
actions are called transformations because they transform the object to a different
state. Transformations are different from modifications. Modifications change the
object’s geometry, but transformations do not affect the object’s geometry at all.
The three different types of transformations are translation (which is a fancy
word for moving objects), rotation, and scaling.

Translating objects
The first transformation type is translation, or moving objects. This is identified
in the various transform interfaces as the object’s Position. You can move objects
along any of the three axes or within the three planes. You can move objects to
an absolute coordinate location or move them to a certain offset distance from
their current location.

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