how to place objects on another's faces

[Anonymous]

Scatter is close, but I'd like to click on individual faces to place a 2nd object on those faces. I forgot how to do this - is it a script?
My memory is failing...

[Steve_Curley]

You want to "lock" the position of one object to a specific position on another object?

Dependant on the exact nature of the objects, either a "Select and Link" (for simple objects) or an Attachment Constraint for a "complex" object such as an AEC Door (where parts move and other parts don't).

(Possibly) useful thread on Attachment Constraints here.

[Emperor_TOe]

theres a tool called the normal align tool, hold down the align rollout and its the one that looks like a cube with a line on it going onto a sphere. Anyhoo once youve selected that click on the face you want to be touching your other object then click on the face of your second object that you want it on.

[Anonymous]

I wasn't clear in my original post. I'd like to place multiple instances of one object onto the faces of another object - like placing trees on a plane and clicking on random faces of the plane to place those trees. I'm certain there is either a script or plug-in or an existing feature in Max 7 to do this.

[Steve_Curley]

Glue?

[Emperor_TOe]

scatter can do that.

1. Select your plane object and add a poly or mesh select modifier
2. select the polys where you want your trees to go.
3. select your tree and then add your scatter compound.
4. make sure instance is selected and add the plane as the distribution object.
5. under distribution parameters check use selected faces
6. move the original plane out from under the distribution one and move it off to the side, then using the poly or mesh select you can change the selected faces.

[Anonymous]

This seems to do the trick http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/mouseplanter

[Anonymous]

And yet another ---> http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/gtools-jar-planter

btw - Mike, did you get the rotation script working?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the additional script for planting objects.

No, I haven't done anymore since yesterday - I've been modeling my scene a little more - which is going to generate another thread with a problem I need to investigate - I'll check my MAX 7 bible before I post anything.
I'll get to the rotation script maybe tonight.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

You can also look into objectPainter here...

http://www.neilblevins.com/soulburnscripts/soulburnscripts.htm

Which lets you place instances of one object onto the surface of another.

- Neil