Procedures

To weld mesh vertices:

You can use either of two methods to combine several vertices into one, also known as welding. If the vertices are very close together, use the Weld function. You can also use Weld to combine a number of vertices to the average position of all of them.

Alternatively, to combine two vertices that are far apart, resulting in a single vertex that's in the same position as one of them, use Target Weld.

1. To use Weld:
   1. On the Selection rollout, turn on Ignore Backfacing, if necessary. This ensures that you're welding only vertices you can see.
   2. Select the vertices to weld.
   3. If the vertices are very close together, go to the Edit Geometry rollout Weld group and click Selected. If that doesn't work (you get a No vertices within weld threshold. message), proceed to the next step.
   4. Increase the numeric value to the right of the Selected button.

      This is the threshold value; the minimum distance that vertices can be apart from each other to be welded.

   5. Click Selected again.

      At this point, one of three things happens: None, some, or all of the vertices are welded. If the latter, you're done. If either of the others occurs, proceed to the next step.

   6. Continue increasing the threshold value and clicking Selected until all of the vertices are welded.
2. To use Target Weld:
   1. On the Selection rollout, turn on Ignore Backfacing, if necessary. This ensures that you're welding only vertices you can see.
   2. Find two vertices you want to weld, and determine the ultimate location of the resulting vertex. You can weld any two vertices, but for best results the two should be contiguous; that is, they should be connected by a single edge.

      For this example, we'll call the vertices A and B, and the resulting vertex will be at vertex B's location.

   3. Click the Target button.

      The button stays highlighted, to indicate that you're now in Target Weld mode.

   4. Drag vertex A to Vertex B.

      While you're dragging, the mouse cursor image is a four-headed, +-shaped arrow. When over an eligible target vertex, the cursor changes to a crosshairs.

      TipIf you have trouble dragging in the proper direction, open the Axis Constraints toolbar and click the XY button.
   5. Release the mouse button.

      The pair is welded. The resulting vertex remains at vertex B's position, and you exit Target Weld mode.

      TipIf you have trouble combining the two vertices, try increasing the Pixels value with the spinner to the right of the Target button.

      You remain in Target Weld mode, and can continue to weld pairs of vertices.

   6. Exit Target mode by right-clicking in the active viewport or clicking the Target button again.

To select vertices by color:

1. On the Surface Properties rollout, click the Existing Color swatch, and specify the color of vertex you want in the Color Selector.
2. Specify ranges in the RGB Range spinners. This lets you select vertices that are close to the specified color, but don't match exactly.
3. Click the Select button.

   All vertices matching the color, or within the RGB range, are selected.

   You can add to the selection by holding Ctrl as you click the Select button, and you can subtract from the selection by holding the Alt key.

   TipYou can select all vertices of the same color by first selecting the vertex you want matched, dragging a copy of the Edit Color swatch to the Existing Color swatch, and then clicking the Select button. (If you want an exact match, be sure to set the RGB Range spinners to 0 first.)

Interface

Edit Geometry rollout

See Edit Geometry Rollout (Mesh) for detailed descriptions of these controls.

Surface Properties rollout

These controls let you set the weight and color for vertices.

Weight

Displays and lets you change vertex weights for NURMS operations (see MeshSmooth Modifier).