Maya 2014 show manipulator tool missing

[aaronfross]

Hi,

What's up with the Show Manipulator Tool in Maya 2014? On my system, the tool is not showing up in the toolbar. There's just a blank spot where the icon used to be. The tool is still accessible via the General Shelf.

Thanks,

Aaron

[peppe3d]

I'm having the same problem. Does anybody know a fix for this? I loved having the show manipulator tool and the universal manipulator
always available from there

[tony.su]

We moved "show manipulator tool" from Tool Box to General shelf. If you select "create default preferences" when you lunch Maya2014 first time, it will shows in General shelf.

But the menu haven't changed (Modify - Transformation Tools - show manipulator tool). And the hotkey "T" haven't changed too.

By the way, we moved "Soft Modification Tool" from Tool Box to Deformation shelf.

[aaronfross]

Hi,

This is a poor design decision. Please move the Show Manipulator Tool back where it belongs, in the Toolbox. This is an essential tool that was placed onto the Toolbox for a reason. Many features all over Maya make use of the Show Manipulator tool. It should not be buried on a shelf, it should be readily accesible. Additionally, please understand that many users, such as myself, don't even use the shelf. I hide it to mitigate clutter onscreen.

At the very least, don't leave a blank hole in the interface where the tool used to be. That's just sloppy and lazy, and everyone involved should be embarrassed.

Thank you

Aaron

[tony.su]

o, i don't use shelf too. Why I didn't find this tool missing in tool box, becouse I have never clicked this tool in tool box.

I use "QWERT" hotkey to select,move,rotate,scale and show manipulator tool. You can try it.

I understand this change confuse some customer. So I loged your suggestion in our system as a wishlist.

[Anonymous]

Hi 

I had the same issue today and fixed it today 

Click Windows > UI Elements > Show All UI Elements 

Kind Regards 

Aamira

[Anonymous]

Hi 

I had the same issue today and fixed it today on my iMac if you are using Windows it should work the same

Click Windows > UI Elements > Show All UI Elements 

Kind Regards 

Aamira

[aaronfross]

No. I am sorry but you are wrong. The Show Manipulator Tool was removed from the Tool Box, which is normally on the left side of the Maya main window.

Show all UI elements does not bring the Show Manipulator Tool back.

I do not know how this got flagged as a solution, but it is in error.

[Anonymous]

Oh okay, but have you tried click Modify> Transformation Tools and drag it? Or tried to reinstall?

[sean.heasley]

Hi all!

While I can not test on Maya 2014 I can confirm that the show manipulator tool is on the left in the toolbox on Maya 2015 and up.

If you do not see it for some reason, like @Anonymous going to Modify->Transformation Tools->Show Manipulator Tool will show the tool again like normal.

If for some reason this still doesn't work, you can try deleting your settings/preferences but this will completely wipe Maya to default so be sure to back up your prefs folder first!

Please let me know if this helps or if you need any more information/assistance!

If one or more of these posts helped answer your question, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

Kudos are greatly appreciated. Everyone likes a thumbs up!

[aaronfross]

Respectfully, there is no Show Manipulator Tool in the Tool Box anymore and it has been gone for years.

I have a fresh installation of Maya 2018 with default preferences.

There is no Show Manipulator Tool in the Tool Box.

I do not know what makes anyone think that it's there, because it is NOT.

Aaron

[aaronfross]

Now I see what is going on.

This issue is due to a fundamental misunderstanding in how Maya functions.

In the upper section of the Tool Box, below the Scale tool, is the so-called "Non-sacred Tool", aka "Last Tool Used". This icon displays the last tool that the user selected.

When you select the Show Manipulator Tool from the menus, the "Non-sacred Tool" displays the icon for the Show Manipulator Tool.

But this is only temporary until the user selects a different tool, such as the Type Manipulator. Then the "Non-sacred Tool" displays the Type Manipulator.

This is very basic fundamental operation of the software, and it is supremely embarrassing if Autodesk staff moderators do not understand how it works.

[aaronfross]

"Technical Support Specialist" is a euphemism for "human barrier between users and anyone who may actually know something about the software"

[sean.heasley]

Hi @aaronfross

You're right and that's my mistake. While I had thought we could get the tool to stay there I realized it was the Last Tool Used like you said.

Therefore accessing it via Modify->Transformation Tools-> Show Manipulator like @Anonymous said is the current intended use.

Again, my apologies it was a mistake but I'm always happy to learn new things especially from users active on our boards.

[aaronfross]

Sean, sorry for venting, that was less than professional of me. I got frustrated after my time was wasted by users and staff alike.

The core issue here is almost certainly that Autodesk, as is customary with tech and transnational corporations, places little value on tech support and documentation, and that is where budgets are slashed first. Providing maximum value to shareholders is the primary goal, and customer support ranks shockingly low on the list of corporate priorities.

[sean.heasley]

Thanks and don't worry about it man it happens to the best of us myself included, and I understand how frustrating it can be when an issue like this occurs and it seems like you just can't get the solution that you're looking for.

That said we all try to be understanding of each other and especially in a community like this we only want to help each other with whatever challenges we may face or issues that may come up.

For now with this issue, we know the tool is still in Maya and we know its no longer in the Tool Box but while I can't say what is coming in future updates of Maya 2018, I can say that we take all suggestions, critiques and thoughts from our users seriously and keep them in mind when making changes for future versions of Maya.