Tools and actions

Maya makes a distinction between tools and actions.

• Tools work continuously: any clicks or drags you make while the tool is active apply the tool.

  For example, the selection arrow is a tool. Any clicks or drags in the view window while the selection arrow is active performs a selection.

• Actions are immediate, “one shot” operations applied to the selection. Most items in the menus are actions.

Tools appear in the Tool Box. Almost all menu items are actions, however there are some tools in the menus. You can tell which menu items are tool by the following:

• The menu item has the word Tool in it.
• When you select the tool it shows up in the Tool Box.
• Instructions appear on the help line when the tool is active.

For example, many items under the Edit Curves, Surfaces, and Edit NURBS menus can be converted from actions to tools (or vice versa).

You can distinguish tools from actions by the names of menu items. Tools have Tool in the menu entry title. Actions do not. For example, the Curve Editing Tool is a tool, but the Attach Curves menu item is an action.

If you change an action to a tool, Maya adds Tool to its name in the main menu and option window. If you change the tool back to an action, Tool is removed from the name. Regardless of whether a feature is a tool or action, the order in which you select objects or components stays the same.

Option windows for tools and actions include an Edit option menu at the top of the window that allows you to pick between tool and action modes. Currently, only actions can be switched to tool mode. Therefore, for tools (for example, Birail Surface Tool), the Edit option menu is disabled.

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