topic Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision in Maya Modeling Forum

Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Aug 2018 17:03:43 GMT

Hi,

Does anyone know if its possible in Maya to smooth a mesh using Hard edges to control the subdivision (see attached 3DS Max image).

The only option I can find in Maya is to use the Maya Catmull-Clark option and use ‘Propogate Hard Edges’ and ‘Preserve Hard Edges’ but it doesn’t work the same way as 3DS Max does.

The only workaround I’ve been able to find in Maya is to extract the faces (keeping them part of the original mesh) and it then smooths both surfaces separately just like 3DS Max.

Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

mspeer — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 04:48:06 GMT

Set Subdivision Method/Type to

- Maya Cutmall Clark, and check

- Preserve -> Hard Edges

Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 06:58:06 GMT

Hi,

Thanks for your rely - see image below, this is the result I get when I use the 'Maya Catmull-Clark' smooth option and 'Preserve Hard Edges' option. (compare this to 3DS Max screenshot - very different result). I'm hoping there's something simple I'm missing here.

Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

mspeer — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 08:58:37 GMT

Hi!

No, you are not missing anything.

The only way to achieve something similar is by using Creases.

https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2018/ENU/?guid=GUID-DEB060F9-A4B1-4F73-8B4D-B18A13D0E54B

Your workaround with Extract is OK, but i would prefer Detach as it's faster and then of course use Merge later to combine the vertices again.

Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

malcolm_341 — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 21:19:19 GMT

Adding to mspeer's suggestion, this is how you can get the exact sharp edges you want and not have to go through a lot of menus each time to make this a viable workflow. There are three scripts below with descriptions of what they do for each script.

//Set mesh options to receive creasing correctly string $selection[] = `ls -sl -fl`; //Get object name toggleSelMode; toggleSelMode; selectMode -object; string $objName[] = `ls -sl`; //Get shape name select ($objName[0] + ".f[0]"); string $getShapeName[] = `ls -o -sl`; //Turn off Use Global OpenSubdiv setAttr ($getShapeName[0] + ".useGlobalSmoothDrawType") 0; //Turn on propogate edge hardness setAttr ($getShapeName[0] + ".propagateEdgeHardness") 1; //Turn on Maya Catmull-Clar setAttr ($getShapeName[0] + ".smoothDrawType") 0; select $objName; //Turn on crease for selected edges and harden normals SoftPolyEdgeElements 0; polyCrease -value 10 //Turn off crease for selected edges SoftPolyEdgeElements 1; polyCrease -value 0;

Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

cmoady — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 06:33:17 GMT

Increase the preview divisions

Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

gaboherrera3d — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 14:55:26 GMT

@malcolm_341 Thank you very much, these scripts are very usefull

Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

malcolm_341 — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 21:39:02 GMT

Sweet glad you found these useful.

Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

valeriolucentini98 — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 16:09:46 GMT

Hey, i am a noob, can someone quickly explain to me how to use these scripts? Thanks!

Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

malcolm_341 — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 19:34:27 GMT

@valeriolucentini98 Create three new empty Mel buttons on your custom shelf. If you're not sure how to do that just google it. From there copy the text I posted from each section, the "//" denotes where each script starts and there are three total. Paste each script into one of the Mel buttons you created by right clicking the button choosing edit and then pasting the text into the command section. Close the window and when you click the shelf button it will run that command/script. Select the your mesh and click one of the three buttons to toggle the different modes described above.

Re: Ability to smooth a mesh in Maya using Hard edges to control the subdivision

valeriolucentini98 — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 20:20:58 GMT

Hey thanks for the reply! It worked perfectly 😄