Create fields and connect objects to them

When you create a field, you typically also connect it to the objects you want the field to influence. You can alternatively connect objects to the field’s influence after creation (see Dynamic relationship editor). As long as a connected object lies within the influence of the field, it will be affected by the field. You can add a field to selected CVs, edit points, vertices, or lattice points of an object in the scene (not a referenced scene).

Although each field has a different effect, the technique for creating all fields is similar. For information on the effect of each field and how to adjust those effects, see Edit field attributes.

You can create an volume field along a curve by creating a volume axis curve. See Work with volume axis curves.

The following applies to all fields:

• You can select more than one field at once.
• Selection order is not important.
• All selected objects are affected by all selected fields.

To create a stand-alone field and connect objects to the field

1. Select the objects you want the field to affect.

   You can select geometry, particles, nParticles, rigid bodies, or soft bodies.

   Tip

   By default, Maya converts a NURBS or polygonal surface to an active rigid body when you connect it to a field’s influence. The option that controls this feature is Auto Create Rigid Body, located in the Dynamics section of the Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences window.

2. From the Dynamics or nDynamics menu set, select Fields > fieldname.

   The field is created at the origin and everything you’ve selected is connected to it. You can move the field icon away from the origin to change the range and direction of influence. To change the field settings, see Edit field attributes.

3. Click the play button to see the field affect the connected objects.

To add a field to an object and connect objects to the field

1. From the Dynamics or nDynamics menu set, select Fields > fieldname to create the field. If it’s already created, select the field.
2. Shift-select the object (or objects) to which you want to add the field.
3. Select Fields > Use Selected as Source of Field to add the field to the object.

   By default, most fields are added to all CVs or vertices of the object. The field emanates from each point with equal strength. See the field’s Apply Per Vertex attribute description for more details.

4. In the Outliner, select the objects you want the field to influence and -select (Windows and Linux) or -select (Mac OS X) the field itself.

   The field is indented under the owning object.

5. Select Fields > Affect Selected Object(s).
6. Click the play button to see the field influence the connected objects.
   TipIf you create a field before selecting the objects to be influenced, no objects will be connected to the field. To connect the objects to the field, use the Dynamic Relationships Editor (see Dynamic relationship editor).

   The Dynamic Relationships Editor is also useful if you’ve added multiple fields to an object and want to connect (or disconnect) objects to a selected field or fields.

   To connect to all fields owned by an object, you can simply select the objects to be influenced, move the pointer over the owning object, then right-click and select Connect Field from the pop-up menu.

To create a volume field

1. Select the objects you want the field to affect.

   You can select particles, nParticles, rigid bodies, or soft bodies.

2. From the Dynamics or nDynamics menu set, select Fields fieldname > .
3. In the field’s options window, from the Volume Shape drop-down list, select a shape (other than None).

   None means the field affects all the particles to which is connected.

4. Set the volume field attributes as desired. See Edit field attributes.
5. Click Create.

   The implicit shape of the volume field is displayed on the screen. You can move, rotate, scale, or shear the field.

   Note

   You can’t deform the volume or use an arbitrary volume.

You can create an volume field along a curve by creating a volume axis curve. See Work with volume axis curves.

To add a field to selected points and connect objects to the field

1. From the Dynamics or nDynamics menu set, select Fields > fieldname to create the field. If it’s already created, select the field.
2. Shift-select the desired points on the object.

   For example, select several CVs of the object. See Basics for details on selecting components.

3. Select Fields > Use Selected as Source of Field.

   This adds the field to the selected points of the object. It also creates a set of the points named fieldnameSet. You can edit set membership to change the field points. See Basics.

4. In the Outliner, select the objects you want the field to influence and -select (Windows and Linux) or -select (Mac OS X) the field.

   The field is indented under the owning object.

5. Select Fields > Affect Selected Object(s).
6. Click the play button to see the field influence the connected objects.

To delete a field

1. Select the field in the Outliner or workspace.

   In the Outliner, an object field is indented under the owning object.

2. Press the (Windows and Linux) or Delete (Mac OS X) key.

To add additional fields to an object

1. From the Dynamics or nDynamics menu set, select Fields > fieldname to create the field. If it’s already created, select the field.
2. In the Outliner, -select (Windows and Linux) or -select (Mac OS X) the object to which you want to add the field.
3. Select Fields > Use Selected as Source of Field.