Transform Setup

The Transform Setup property lets you define a preferred transformation for an object. When you select that object, its preferred transformation tool is automatically activated. Of course, you can still choose a different tool and change transformation options manually if you want to.

Transform setups are particularly useful when building animation rigs for characters. If you are using an object to control a character's head orientation, you can set its preferred transformation to rotation. If you are using another object to control the character's center of gravity (COG), you can set its preferred transformation to translation. When you select the head control, the Rotate tool is automatically activated, and then when you select the COG control, the Translate tool is automatically activated.

NoteTransform setups are ignored if you select multiple objects with different transform setup options.

To apply a Transform Setup

Select one or more objects.
Choose Get Property Transform Setup from any toolbar. The property is applied and its editor opens.
Set the preferred transformation tool. In addition to Scale, Rotate, or Translate, you can select either of the following:
- None uses whatever transformation tool is currently active.
- Last uses the last transformation tool that was active on the specific object.
Set the other options as desired:
- For a description of the Scale options, see Scaling Modes.
- For a description of the Rotate options, see Rotation Modes.
- For a description of the Translate options, see Translation Modes.
- The X, Y, and Z options let you restrict the manipulation to specific axes. See Specifying Axes.
- For a description of COG, see Setting the Center of Rotation and Setting the Center of Scaling.

To change a Transform Setup

Transform setups are stored as properties on specific objects. To change the preferred tool and options for an object, display the Transform Setup property editor by clicking the Transform Setup icon under the object in an explorer.

To ignore Transform Setups when selecting in 3D views in sticky mode

With Transform Setups, it can be difficult to select multiple objects interactively because the Select tool gets replaced by one of the transformation tools each time you add an object to the selection.

There is a preference that ignores the Transform Setup property when using the Select tool in sticky mode in the 3D views.

Choose Transform Transform Preferences.
On the Transform tab, turn Transform Setup - Enable for 3D Supra Selection Only on or off.
- When this option is on, the Transform Setup property is ignored when you use the Select tool in sticky mode in the 3D views. This allows you to easily select multiple objects without having the current tool change as you work.
  
  The Transform Setup property is still used when you select objects in any other way: using the Select tool in supra mode in the 3D views; using the explorer, schematic, or spreadsheet views; typing a name in the box on the Select panel; running a script command; and so on.
- When this option is off, the Transform Setup property is always used and the current tool automatically changes no matter how you select an object.

To ignore Transform Setups for all objects

While Transform Setups are useful for many tasks, like animating a rig, at other times you don't want the current tool to keep changing as you select objects. In these cases, you can ignore Transform Setups for all objects in your scene.

Turn Transform Enable Transformation Setups off. Turn it back on to resume using the preferred tool of each object.