About transform handles and the pivot

Transform objects using the transform handles. To display them, select the object, then press H.

If the Handles are off screen, press Ctrl-F to fit the object and Handles to the screen.

Transformations occur relative to the pivot point of the selection. In other words, the pivot of an object is where any Translate, Scale or Rotation applied to that object will start from. By default, the pivot is at the spatial center of the object, which is also where the Transform Handle is shown. Moving the pivot is useful for rotating objects on an arbitrary axis (such as doors) or scaling from an edge.

To move the pivot point for transformations:

1. Select the object whose pivot you wish to move.
2. Press the H key to see the transform handle.
3. Press the Insert key to show the Pivot handle and Pivot point.
   

   The Pivot handle will replace the Transform Handle in the scene.

4. Click and drag the arrows to move the pivot point, or click and drag the square to move along the current plane. Click and drag the arcs to rotate the local axes.
5. To drop the Pivot to the bottom of the bounding box of the object, press G.
6. To snap the Pivot to other objects, press S. See Snap objects.
7. At any time, press Ctrl-Insert to return the Pivot to the originally imported object pivot.
8. Press Insert again to end the Pivot movement, and to return to the Transform Handle.