OK, local, global, gimbal- let me see if I can explain this so it makes sence...
-Local, rotates your object bases on the pivot point location, and you can physicaly see the rotation from the maipulator icon in the view. This rotation is what your rotation x,y,z attribute are based on no-matter wht type of rotation tool you use (global or gimbal) This also describes the axis direction for the translate tool when you translate w/ object checked in the tool options. When you use component mode to adjust the rotation axis your actualy offsetting the rotation values in the directions you rotate it. Meaning your local rotation axis in object mode will match your adjustment from component but the translate by object will remain pointing in the same the same x, y, z object space it was before offsetting the local rotation.
-Global, this mode rotates the object by the world coordinate system, if you look at the rotation manipulator when you rotate an object using global, the rings don't move, your object does but the rings don't- what it is doing is rotaing the whole object if your local rotation has already been adjusted what you will see is the rotation values changing based on the local rotation of the object (meaning more than one channel can update depending ion the local rotation, same go's when your in local mode if you rotate some in x then y from the origin only those values will change one at a time, but now when you grab the z rotate al the values change..-hope thats understandable) This tool option gives you a way to rotate the whole object independent of the local rotation -Note: your translate by object will adjust with the local rotation..
-Gimbal, the gimbal option is cool because it allows you to rotate only one rotation channel at a time, it will lock the other rotation direction from moveing unlike when rotating an object with local or global (if your object is at the origin, the local and global will rotate by single channel untill two axises have been rotated ofset from the world coordinates, but after that gimbal is the only way when using a tool to rotate- you can do it in the channel box just as easy by changing the value for one channel.) This tool also updates the local coordinates in the channel box, everything is based on the local basicaly or is a way to adjust the local in a different, sometimes easier method. These tools in conjuction with the local and object options of the translate tool work great together in complimenting how you can manipulate objects.. You can even take advantage of them for animation manipulation and keying...
-Hope this clears the fog as to the options... Don't know why yours aren't working right, but you might try (if you saved them- putting your previouse user prefs back-and if they work to at least how it was before they freaked out, then try deleting them one at a time till the errors start happin -then smack maya around for a minute and put that one back in and kill the rest...)
Other than good luck..
sid
sid69graphic@yahoo.com
"-if it wasn't for '"Y, we wouldn't be..."