Insert an edge loop

The Insert Edge Loop Tool lets you select and then split the polygon faces across either a full or partial edge ring on a polygonal mesh.

The Insert Edge Loop Tool is useful when you want to add detail across a large area of a polygon mesh or when you want to insert edges along a user-defined path.

For a description of an edge ring, please refer to Select an edge ring.

When you insert an edge loop, you are splitting the polygon faces associated with the selected edge ring. The Insert Edge Loop Tool lets you insert one or more edge loops across a full, partial, or multidirectional edge ring.

Possible workflow scenarios are as follows:

• Insert an edge loop across a full edge ring on a polygon mesh.
• Insert a partial edge loop across a polygon mesh.
• Insert a multidirectional edge loop

To insert an edge loop across a full edge ring on a polygonal mesh

1. In the scene view, select the polygonal mesh.
2. From the Polygons menu set, select Edit Mesh > Insert Edge Loop Tool > .

   The Insert Edge Loop Tool settings editor appears.

3. Ensure that the default options are set as follows:
   • Maintain position: Relative distance from edge
   • Auto complete: On

   When Maintain position is set to Relative distance from edge, the preview locator is positioned based on a percentage distance along the edge (25%, 50% and so on) When Auto complete is turned on you can select a full edge ring and immediately split the corresponding faces.

4. Click the edge on the polygonal mesh where you want a set of new edges to be inserted across the mesh. Do not immediately release the mouse button.

   A green dotted edge loop preview locator line appears within the edge ring that is selected perpendicular to the edge you clicked. The edge loop preview locator indicates where the new edge loop will be inserted across the mesh once you release the mouse button.

   
5. Depending on the orientation of the selected edge ring on the mesh, drag your mouse in either a side to side, or back and forth motion to position the edge loop preview locator.
6. Release the mouse button when you have moved the edge loop locator to the desired location.

   The new edge loop is inserted on the polygon faces associated with the selected edge ring. The new edge loop remains selected so that you can perform additional operations on the edges.

7. When you have split the desired polygons, do one of the following to exit the tool:
   • Choose the Select Tool in the (Hotkey: q).
   • Choose another tool or feature that performs the next operation on the selected edge loop.

   For example, selecting the Move Tool to move the selected edge loop, selecting Edit Mesh > Extrude to extrude the selected edge loop, or converting the edge loop selection to faces.

To insert a partial edge loop across a polygonal mesh

1. In the scene view, select the polygonal mesh.
2. From the Polygons menu set, select Edit Mesh > Insert Edge Loop Tool > .

   The Insert Edge Loop Tool settings editor appears.

3. Set the following options:
   • Maintain position: Relative distance from edge
   • Auto Complete: Off
     Note

     When the Auto Complete option is turned off you can select a partial edge ring without the edge loop being automatically inserted after you release your mouse button.

4. Click an edge of the polygonal mesh to indicate the starting point of the partial edge ring where you want the new edge loop to be inserted across the mesh.

   The edge is selected and a green vertex appears on the edge you clicked to indicate the selection.

5. Click a second edge that you want to be the ending point of the partial edge ring. The second edge should be parallel to the first edge you selected.

   All of the edges between the first and second edges you clicked become selected and a dotted green edge loop preview locator appears across the selected edge ring. The preview locator indicates where the new edge loop will be inserted across the mesh.

   
6. If you want to cancel the selection of a particular edge, + on that edge and continue your selection. If you want to cancel the edge selection entirely, click anywhere in the scene view off of the mesh.
7. When you have completed your selection process, either press or and select Complete Tool from the marking menu that appears.

   An edge loop is inserted at the location that was indicated by the edge loop locator on the polygonal mesh. The new edge loop remains selected so that you can perform additional operations on it.

8. When you have completed the desired polygon splitting, you can do one of the following to exit the tool:
   • Choose the Select Tool in the Toolbox (Hotkey: q).
   • Choose another tool or feature that performs the next operation on the selected edge ring.

   For example, selecting the Move Tool to move the selected edge loop, selecting Edit Mesh > Extrude to extrude the selected edge loop, or converting the edge loop selection to faces.

To insert a multidirectional edge loop

1. In the scene view, select the polygonal mesh.
2. From the Polygons menu set, select Edit Mesh > Insert Edge Loop Tool > .

   The Insert Edge Loop Tool settings editor appears.

3. Set the following options:
   • Maintain position: Relative distance from edge
   • Auto Complete: Off
     Note

     When the Auto Complete option is off you can select a partial edge ring that is multidirectional without the edge loop being automatically inserted after you release your mouse button.

4. Click an edge of the polygonal mesh to indicate the starting point of the partial edge ring where you want the new edge loop to be inserted on the mesh.

   The edge is selected and a green vertex appears on the edge you clicked to indicate the selection.

5. Click a second edge that you want to be the ending point of the partial edge ring. The second edge must be parallel to the first edge you selected.

   All of the edges between the first and second edges you clicked become selected and a dotted green edge loop preview locator appears across the selected edge. The preview locator indicates where the new edge loop will be inserted across the mesh.

6. To continue the existing edge ring path in a different direction, click on an edge that is directly adjacent to the edge you last selected to indicate the change in direction for the selection.
7. Continue to select edges and/or change the direction in your edge ring path as described in steps 5 and 6 above.
   
   Note

   You can change the direction of your edge ring selection path several times, but the path should not be constructed so that it crosses an existing area of selection. When the selection path intersects itself the edge insertion mode of the tool cannot determine where to insert an edge loop. In these situations, you need to perform multiple edge split operations.

8. If you want to cancel the selection of a particular edge at any time during the selection process, + on the desired edge. If you want to cancel the edge selection entirely, click anywhere in the scene view off of the mesh.
9. When you have completed your selection process, either press or and select Complete Tool from the marking menu.

   An edge loop is inserted at the location that was indicated by the preview locator on the polygonal mesh. The new edge loop remains selected so that you can perform additional operations on it.

10. When you have completed your edge loop insertion, do one of the following to exit the tool:
    • Choose the Select Tool in the Toolbox (Hotkey: q).
    • Choose another tool or feature that performs the next operation on the selected edge ring.

    For example, selecting the Move Tool to move the selected edge loop, selecting Edit Mesh > Extrude to extrude the selected edge loop, or converting the edge loop selection to faces.

    Note

    If the Edge Ring selections do not select the edges as you expect you may wish to refer to Edge ring and edge loop selection tips for additional information.

    Note

    When the Auto Complete option is off, you can also insert a partial edge loop on faces that are not comprised exclusively of four-sided polygons by clicking two edges for any given face in sequence along the desired path. This specifies the direction of the selected ring path.