Apply vertex local pivot to object

[DrStein99]

Is there a way to set the pivot for the object, based from that center vertex?  I can position the pivot to that vertex with the snap function, however - it does not copy it's rotational axis.

The end thing I'm trying to do, is attach other objects based off that center vertex with it's rotation set, so I can move the objects along that coordinate system.  I tried switching the coordinates, between "local, world, parent, pick", etc... but that doesn't seem to change the rotation gizmo, altering the angle of the x,y,z axis.

If this question is reduntant, please excuse me I am learning and got confused and overwhelmed by searching for this myself.

[leeminardi]

It is not clear to me what you are trying to do. What do you mean by "center vertex"?  You can control the location and orientation of an object's pivot point by going to the Hierarchy tab and click Affect Pivot only. You can use Align to match the position and/or orientation of the pivot with another object.  If you want to control the movement of one object with respect to the orientation and location of the pivot point of another object you can link the two objects and then restrict the degrees of freedom via the Link Info tab.   An example would help to clarify what you are trying to do.

~Lee

[DrStein99]

I will create images to better describe my situation.

As you can see from the above picture, I toggle the "LOCAL" coordinate system while editing a vertex, and you can see the gizmo does not aim perpendicular up/down to the natural floor bottom or ceiling top.  This is perfect!  Except I am in edit-poly mode and that gizmo I can only access in this mode.  Next,   I will detach 4 faces from this, and make a new object, in the picture below.

As you can see - entering face / element edit mode and selecting faces with the MOVE button toggled, I the gizmo is aligned with the coordinates of the selected face.  Once I exit edit mode and return to object - the natural pivot for this object returns to a perpendicular (to the world) and I am unable to move this object, as it iwas originally aligned to the sphere (see picture below).

The pivot move and rotate gizmo of the newly created object inherit from the original object as seen in the world view.  I can no longer navigate that new object without entering edit-poly mode.  I want to manipulate the new object(s) in and out of the center to the sphere, precisely - without guess-work.  

[leeminardi]

I was able to recreate images similar to your example. I think I understand the problem to be that when you have the new object selected and are at the face editing level, the coordinate system you are seeing is the avaerage of the face normals.  Once you leave the subobject editing mode, you can no longer access that coordinate system.

If your goal is to be able to move the new cluster of faces (Object001) along a vector passing through the center of the sphere here is an approach. Create and position a dummy object at the center of the sphere (which has been converted to an editable mesh). Reposition the pivot of Object001 to a central vertex of the faces. Position a dummy object at the pivot of Object001 then use the Lookat Constraint (Animation, Constraints,...) to orient this dummy so that its X axis points towards dummy1 (the center of the sphere).  Now link Object001 to dummy2.  You can now slide dummy2 along its local x axis and object001 will move in and out radially from the sphere.  Use 3D Object Snap Vertex if you want to place Object001 exactly back on the sphere.

I hope this helps.

~Lee 

[DrStein99]

Thanks for the reply.  I was able to solve my problem, eventually by countless trial-and-error methods - to manually copy the y & z rotation of that verticie x,y,z  into a dummy point object, and then set the pivot point to my other objects to align with the dummy pointer.