Adding Dimension Information for Components

[Anonymous]

Understood that Maya is not a CAD software, but with the spread of 3D printing, working with precise dimensions of a model has become a serious necessity that has been already addressed in many modeling and even sculpting software. 

The only time we can adjust/set our model dimension in Maya is when we first create it with a primitive, but then moving/rotating/scaling a vert, edge or face become a somewhat dimension blind process.

Yes we can see at the bottom left of the screen in a small font the values of the manipulated component, but there is no option to precisely set/enter the required fixed value, i.e. move selected edge 10mm X direction.

Well, this is a simple addition to Maya that I really hope it will see the light soon.

All the best.

"In Autodesk We Trust"

[elliotgascoigne]

You actually can enter values for translation etc. If you select the virtex/edge/face then in the channel box you can go under the CV's tab (for vertex) and you can enter precise values in there. also if you use the extrude tool you can set precise measurements in the local perpetrates

I agree that its no where near as efficient as CAD but you can still achieve precise measurements.

As you know there are 30000 different ways to do 1 thing in Maya. Its just learning each way to find the best method for your project. I prefer a CAD to Maya workflow due to the precision of CAD.

I hope I have shed a little more light into the endless process of learning Maya!

All the best

[elliotgascoigne]

Perpetrates? I meant to write Parameters!

[mspeer]

Hi!

There are some ways to do this:

1. In the Tool Settings use step snap.

2. Input box:

http://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2017/ENU/?guid=GUID-EB585085-9C14-444F-8ACD-ECB087286FDF

...

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much for the info. I've been working with Maya for a while,
never noticed this option when working with vertex.

[Anonymous]

Thank you.

Yes those info are displayed only when you select the whole object but not when you select a face/edge or vertex.

The closest option that I was looking for is the one that elliotgascoigne mentioned, which only works if you select vertex. Select vertex>channel box>click on CVs to show values.

[mspeer]

Hi!

I'm not sure what you mean with "...those info are displayed only when you select the whole object...".

Every single one of the following tools ( i added 1) allows you to move (offset) a vertex (,face or edge) by a value 10 in x direction or to position at value 10 in x direction:

1. In the Tool Settings use step snap or activate "global" snapping:

http://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2017/ENU/?guid=GUID-9BCE8B23-6DA6-4C7F-B897-7E25D6E8A865

http://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2017/ENU/?guid=GUID-E6E866EE-EEE8-4974-A3E7-9AD6ADBB9BCD

2. Input box:

http://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2017/ENU/?guid=GUID-EB585085-9C14-444F-8ACD-ECB087286FDF

3. Edit Mesh -> Transform.

http://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2017/ENU/?guid=GUID-19EA6AD7-CC84-49DB-9E1A-47BA48E5DBFB