Connect tool issues

[FredericoCM]

Hello! I'm having a hard time trying to do some Connect operations in 3DS Max.

There are some scenarios the Connect tool in the Edit/Editable Poly is not capable of dealing with. So, I'd like to know if there are any quick solutions for the issues below:

1) How to connect vertexes across edges (without using the Bridge or the Cut tool)?

2) How to connect multiple vertexes at once, preserving a good topology (without getting lots of tris)?



I frequently have to do some workarounds, like Shift-extruding edges or deleting polygons + using Bridge (for #1). Or having to Connect each pair of vertexes manually, for #2. Sometimes I even go for the Cut tool, but this leads me to cut away each vertex at a time. And all these workarounds end up being very time-consuming, especially when I have to deal with these same issues dozens of times per model, which is what happens in ~90% of my projects.

3DS Max is such a powerful tool, and this is hard to believe its native Connect tool is not capable of connecting vertexes across some edges. Especially considering that this very same tool does exactly that when in the edge mode.

So, does anybody know how to quickly solve these problems? Maybe I'm missing some settings or some specif tools. If somebody knows of any scripts for them, please let me know 🙂

[oliver]

Yes, connecting across edges would be a nice to have feature but... you already know all the possible alternatives. In the first situation Cut is most likely faster than Connect (if it was possible) and in the second example it's most likely faster to  delete the polys, select those edges and Bridge than select every single vertex...

But the best method is avoiding such an edge-flow altogether!

[FredericoCM]

Thanks for your reply! Still, I'm not convinced there are no straightforward solutions for those situations.

During the blocking out phase, this is extremely hard to avoid those situations 😞 I hope there is a script somewhere, as those issues are really time-consuming.

[oliver]

You can try NOT to repair those issues and to apply the Retopology-modifier at the end - it will polish away every edge flow-error there is.

[FredericoCM]

My version doesn't come with the retopology modifier (at least, I couldn't find it). I'm running 3DS Max 2021. Or should I download this modifier elsewhere?

[oliver]

Look in your AutodeskDesktopApp - there you'll find the RetopologyTools for download.

[FredericoCM]

Thanks, I founded it! I'm installing it, and as soon as I have some time, I'll try this tool and come back to you 🙂

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Did you try Distance Connect in vertex mode? It`s limited but still can help in situation 1.

[FredericoCM]

The retopology modifier did fix the Connect issues, but it messed my mesh a bit, creating extra unnecessary edge loops. So, I don't think this modifier is worth it for those cases.

However, I really enjoyed how fast and clean it is, and I'll probably use it a lot shortly. That was not what I was looking for, but I'm glad you suggested that. Thank you!

[FredericoCM]

Yes, it did work for the first case! Thank you! I've never tried it before.

[FredericoCM · Accepted solution]

Thanks to all the support received from you guys and from other forums/ discussion channels, these are the best solutions I got:

1) Connect across edges:

Use the Distance Connect tool, under Modeling - Loops. However, the target vertexes need to lay between two edge loops. So, it won't work every time, but can still be very handy though.


2) Connect multiple edges at a time - 2 methods:

a. Install the UniConnector script and use its UniConnector tool. The only limitation is that you have to keep pressing the command until all the vertexes connect. But it works just fine though;

b. Install the MeshTools script and use its "Connect Selected Edges/Vertices/Polys" tool. The drawback is that it only works with Editable Poly objects, and not with the Edit Poly modifier. Also, depending on how curved the surface is (the closer to 180 degrees, the worst) the tool may not function correctly. So, the user would have to connect groups of vertexes at a time, rather than all of them together;

As a suggestion, maybe Autodesk could work on those gaps, as this is really time-consuming having to make such extensive research, in order to find tools that should be native, in my opinion. Also, all of those solutions are limited in some manner.

Thanks, guys for all the support, and if somebody else knows of a different solution for those issues, please let me know!