align pivot with reference point and world plane

[Anonymous]

hi guys, pardon for this obvious question, been using max for years but I still dunno this basic function, i wanna know few thing:

1. is it possible to align pivot based on 3 point references? (1 point to asign pivot location, 1 point for x and the other one for Z direction) it takes so much time if i have to rotate the pivot one by one and enter the rotation degree

2. is there a function to rotate and change world grid "plane"? for instance, some buildings I am working recently are kinda "not straight to x-y-z axis" and i think it would be awesome if 3dsmax has "multi world plane" that we can access and switch to

thank youuuu 🙂

[leeminardi]

In other CAD systems (e.g., AutoCAD, Inventor), there is a command for defining a coordinate systems with three points.  The first point is the origin, the second is on the new x axis, and the third lies on the XY plane but not on the x axis.  I do not know a methd for doing this in 3ds Max.  However, using bones you can align one of the pivot axes with a direction defined by two points.  I think a Max script may be need to do a full three point alignment.

Try the following.  Add a bone from point 1 (the desired origin of the object's pivot) to point 2 ( a point that will be in the new direction of the x axis for the object's pivot). Set 3D object snap to vertex and pivot to help with this process.    Select the object and in the Hierarchy tab click Affect Pivot Only then click Align to Object and then click the bone.  The x-axis of the object's pivot will now be coincident to the direction of the bone.

[Anonymous]

thanks for that mate, it does work but since I am doing architectural model in 3dsmax, I need to do a lot of precised rotation in my model. doing that one by one to 30 or 40 objects would be a waste of time. I found it annoying not having 3 point pivot alignment in native 3dsmax tool, there is a script for that called "Funkytool", u can only do it in subobject mode though.

may I know why 3dsmax has no intention on putting this basic function, I know perhaps that kind of precision is not needed for character modelling, but archviz is one of the main 3dsmax user, having to add this simple function I believe would be easy, there must be a reason behind that?

thanks

[CAMedeck · Accepted solution]

For your second question, the answer is yes.  Create a Helper object called Grid.  Align the Grid object with whatever rotation and position coordinates you need, then right click with it selected and choose Activate Grid fromthe Quad Menu.  Any new objects you create will align with this grid until you select it, RC, and choose Activate Homegrid or just delete the grid object.

Your first question, well, I'm not entirely sure what you mean.  But with Affect Pivot on, you can use the Align Tool (ALT-A) to align the pivot to another object.  But instead of completely aligning it, you can choose which coordinates to align, and in what axes.  So if you have an object with the correct rotation of the pivot in x and z, you can choose to align the new pivot in just those axes of rotation.

[Anonymous]

ah yes, I never noticed a helper object called Grid . stupid me, sorry for that silly question :)))

what I meant is that aligning a pivot based on 3 reference point. it is a common tool in AutoCAD or Revit or Rhino.(1 point for pivot location, another point for x pivot direction and the last point for the z pivot direction). in Autocad I can use snap to a vertex of an object when aligning a pivot.  using align tool in 3dsmax sure can achieve the same result, but alot slower.

as far as I know, 3dsmax has never intended on adding that feature since day 1.

thank you 🙂