Insert Edge Loop on Alias SubD doesnt work as expected

[Anonymous]

The Alias help is not very intuitive. Sometimes you only can insert an edge loop in one direction, but not in the other. Sometimes you cannot pick the edge loop, only one single edge. No explanations about how this tool works in some particular cases. Could somebody show me how manage this tool?

Thanks in advance

[stephan.pfoertner · Accepted solution]

I think you are right, the help could need more detail regarding the behavior of this tool. 

The 'Insert Edge' tool works on quads only. And when you are inserting a chain of edges, your chain cannot cross star points. That means each CV in the selected chain needs to have 4 adjacent edges (or 3 in case the CV lies on the boundary). If one of the above conditions isn't met, the tool refuses to insert edges, or doesn't let you drag the edge onto the corresponding side. There are good reasons for the named restrictions - however, it turns out to be unintuitive in many cases. In the 'perpendicular' mode, the tool doesn't have the star point restriction, but only the quad restriction. So it might sometimes be better to switch to the perpendicular mode. 

After all, you will sometimes need to use the 'cut' tool. 

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much for your reply.

May be, there are some documentation about how this tool (insert edge) works in other subD software (Maya?) that could explain me in depth how is the theory. Could you advice me?