Aligning while scaling?

[speedsix]

Can you scale something and have the edge snap to something?

I'm strecthing a nurbs cube and want the end to align to other geometry. The scale pivot is positioned so the cube is stretched from one end only and snap to curve is turned on but it doesn't snap, only when I move the whole cube it snaps?

Thanks

[joojaa]

Place the base and pivot to the place where you want the other edge to be then rotate accordingly with 3 point snap. Now measure the distance (measure tool)and scale accordingly (distace/height=new scale)

[speedsix]

Thanks, Im not sure I understand though.

Say you had a small cube sitting on top of a large cube, say you wanted to strecth one side of the small cube out to line up with the edge of the large cube, how exactly would you do this?

Thanks again

Dom

[ollieflip]

if you have not frozen any of your objects you can type in exact sizes in the "scale channel boxes", but if you did freeze them, then try this.

I took two boxes, 1 nurb 1 poly. I scaled them, and froze both so that they read as scale x1, y1, z1, but where different sizes. Poly box measured 10.349442 units wide and nurd box measured at 3.36705. Divide it and copy that number to the nurb box Scale xyz channel. Be conscious of the fact, this will be out by 0.000001 (give or take a zero) Nothing beats creating exactly the same size boxes from scratch, but this is close enough to see any edge splits when rendered.

[speedsix]

Thanks, is measuring the only way to achieve this, I dont understand why Maya cant snap to objects while scaling??

Here is a pic of what I'm trying to do http://www.domholmes.f2s.com/pic.JPGhttp://www.domholmes.f2s.com/pic.JPG

The small cube (which is actually a group of trimmed surfaces) needs to remain locked in place (indicated by the small circle) The other side of the cube (indicated by the red edge) needs to be stretched out to line up with the edge of the large cube underneath.

Thanks

Dom

[joojaa]

theres nothing that says thhis calculation cant be done by an expression!

[speedsix]

Sorry I dont understand, whats an expression?

[speedsix]

Anyone?

Im at a bit of a loss with this model, all I want to do is scale something so one edge lines up with another. Snap works with the move tool but not with the scale tool??

Thanks

[mikedin]

No 3d graphics applications do what you ask as a standard feature unless there for engineering/architecutre etc.

I use AutoCAD's while working in Maya or MAX all the time for this very reason.

Measure your distances in your 3D app and then input these numbers into AutoCAD or simply. Build the geometry you speak of quickly in AutoCAD and find out what scale factor is required to make the smaller obj. match the bigger.

If you don't have AutoCAD use something else or simply a good old fashioned chinese calculator. JJ - a calculator,

TIP: most apps (Maya included) can be used as a calculator in the command line field. What you ask is distance1/distance2 = scalefactor or the inverse of this.

[ollieflip]

Here i cut n pasted this from ath maya help on Expressions.

{Expressions are instructions you type to control attributes over time. An attribute is a characteristic of an object, for instance, X scale, Y translate, visibility, and so on.

Though you can create an expression to animate attributes for any purpose, they're ideal for attributes that change incrementally, randomly, or rhythmically over time.}

I would imagine a mel button would suit this kind of opperation a bit better than an expression.

Do what i said in my first reply, it's very very manual but it works.

[speedsix]

Thanks guys..

Ollie I'm not sure I understand the method you described

In reply to:I took two boxes, 1 nurb 1 poly. I scaled them, and froze both so that they read as scale x1, y1, z1, but where different sizes. Poly box measured 10.349442 units wide and nurd box measured at 3.36705. Divide it and copy that number to the nurb box Scale xyz channel. Be conscious of the fact, this will be out by 0.000001 (give or take a zero) Nothing beats creating exactly the same size boxes from scratch, but this is close enough to see any edge splits when rendered.

I also tried using the measure tool to get the required size but when I scaled it, it was still wrong, didnt line up atall (maybe because the surfaces have been trimmed?)

What I had to do in the end was scale it so it lined up as close as possible by eye then snap the end CV's.

Thanks

[ollieflip]

did you makje sure you froze the oblect you wnat to scale??

[joojaa]

I just made a script to do a 2 locator driven rectangle... upping it as soon as i can... Juts upgrading it to refres 0.02 seconds faster by converting the rather obsolete expression into a node.

Anyone interested in a cube version?

[joojaa]

// JOOcontrolledCube v0.2
//
// Janne Ojala 2003 done during the lunchbrake.
//
// creates a cube that is controlled by two locators
// uses a plus minus avarege node to calculate the size
// the other locator controlls alignment of the cube.
// originaly for demostrative purposes but it is usefull
// so i added it to my toolkit too...
//
// Tested but as allways you are on your own,
// souldnt carry any side effects tough.
//
// usage and install:
// copy to any script directory in a file called
// JOOcontrolledCube.mel then execute using
// JOOcontrolledCube(). You can then proceed by
// dragging this to the shelf if you wish.
//
// history:
//
// v0.2 optimized to use DG nodes only.

global proc JOOcontrolledCube()
{
string $cubed[],$cube;
string $locator1[],$locator2[],$group,$minus;
$locator1=spaceLocator -p 0 0 0 -n "cornerControlledCube1";
$cubed=nurbsCube -p 0.5 0.5 0.5 -ax 1 0 0 -w 1 -lr 1 -hr 1 -d 3 -u 1 -v 1 -ch 1;
$cubed=parent $cubed[0] $locator1[0];
$group=group -em -p $locator1[0] -n "corner2";
$locator2=spaceLocator -p 0 0 0;
move -a 1 1 1 $locator2[0];
pointConstraint $locator2[0] ($locator1[0]+"|"+$group);
$minus=createNode plusMinusAverage;
$minus=rename $minus "sizeVector";
setAttr ($minus+".operation") 2;
connectAttr -force ($locator1[0]+"|"+$group+".translate") ($minus+".input3D[0]");
connectAttr -force ($locator1[0]+"|"+$cubed[0]+".translate") ($minus+".input3D[1]");
connectAttr -force ($minus+".output3D") ($locator1[0]+"|"+$cubed[0]+".scale");
}