Is there polygon selection setting in 3DS MAX like Maya?

[battle1217]

Hi! I'm a newbie 3DS MAX user and proficient Maya user. 

Sooo there is a polygon selection setting in Maya. 

It can change how to select face -- either by selecting anywhere from the face (whole face option) or selecting only from the center of the face.

(You can see this setting from the attached file: maya_faceselection.jpg)

When I turn this setting on, it shows a dot at the center of the face. (attached file: maya.jpg)

With this selection mode, I am only able to select specific face when my mouse is near the dot of the face. (attached file: maya_centerselection.gif)

Is there the same option available in 3DS MAX?

If not, is there any way that I can mimic this setting?

Thank you in advance!

[RobH2]

 Obviously they are two different programs and you'll have to accept that things will work a little differently.

Not being a Maya user, what's the advantage of what you are trying to do? If the goal is to select a face, why is selecting it by clicking its center somehting advantageous? I'm not trying to be conforntational, I'm just trying to understand so I can try to help you. 

In Max, if you need to select a face, you just turn on 'Polygon' selection mode and, well, just select it. What am I not understanding?

[battle1217]

So, center selection mode is actually included in the face(polygon) selection mode in Maya. 

It's not a different selection mode. It's just how you would select the face (polygon). 

It's whether I would like to have click anywhere from the face to select the face or would like to have just click on the center to select the face. 

There are two advantages of having center as face selection mode compared to the whole face.

1. It's a lot easier to find zero area faces. For example, if there is a zero area face, it shows a dot on top of an edge, indicating that there is a zero area face. 

(I've attached zeroarrasurface.png to show this)

2. It's easier to select face available in the rear area through the wireframe mode.

So when I have the center as selecting option for the faces, I can easily select the dot of the rear face.

If I have the whole face as selecting option, I have to drag the faces and then deselect the unnecessary faces.

I feel that deselecting is a bit inefficient so.. yeah. 

You might say can't you just orbit your view? Then I would reply, I don't have to orbit my view if I have the center selection mode on. 

This may sound a bit complicated so I've attach a gif for this.

(having center as face selection is selectingrearface.gif 

having whole face as selection option is selectingwithwholeface.gif)

Hope this explains why I would like to have the center selection mode with the polygon(face) selection! 

[MartinBeh]

AFAIK there is no such thing in 3ds Max.

There is Mesh Cleaner to remove zero area faces, but that is not within Edit Poly.

[RobH2]

That's intresting and I can see it's a different way of doing selection. You don't have to rotate around if you are on the back side as you can enable double-sided for the model and work on any side. 

[battle1217]

I do know that there is mesh cleanup in 3DS MAX as well but I wanted to visually see the zero area faces when they are there. 

Anyways, thanks for the reply. 

[battle1217]

Where can I enable the double-sided?

Is it through the properties of each object? 

[RobH2]

Sorry, I should have used the real name, "Backface Cull" instead of double-sided. In the 'Command' panel go to the 'Display' tab and thn to the 'Display Properties' section. Untick 'Backface Cull' and you'll be able to see and select faces, from the inside or back side. If it's grayed out, select and object first and then make a selection. You can get to the same setting via each objects 'Object Properties.' 

[RobH2]

Did this happen to solve your issue/question?

[ads_czechoj]

In my video below, I show the workflow for selecting polygons on the back side of an object in 3ds Max without orbiting the view.

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