Command entry: Create panel
(Helpers)
Manipulators
Object Type rollout
Plane Angle button
Command entry:Create menu
Helpers
Manipulators
Plane Angle
The Plane Angle manipulator looks like a lever or joystick. By wiring its Angle value to a parameter of another object, you
can create a custom control, with visual feedback, within a scene.
Procedures
To create a plane angle manipulator:
- On the Create panel, activate (Helpers) and choose Manipulators from the drop-down list.
- Click to turn on Plane Angle.
- Drag in a viewport, and then release the mouse.
The plane angle manipulator is always created vertically, along the Y axis of the viewport in which you drag.
To change the angle of a plane angle manipulator:
- Turn on (Select And Manipulate).
TipIf you are still in the Create panel, turn on
(Select Object) before using the manipulator. Otherwise, it is too easy to create a new one.
- In a viewport, move the mouse over the manipulator.
The manipulator turns red when the mouse is over it and it is available to be manipulated. Also, a tooltip appears, showing
the name of the manipulator and its current value.
- Drag the handle of the plane angle manipulator.
The Angle value changes as you drag the manipulator. This value can range between –100000.0 and 100000.0.
To select a plane angle manipulator:
- Turn on (Select Object).
You can also use (Select And Move), (Select And Rotate), and the scale options on a plane angle manipulator.
- Turn off (Select And Manipulate).
If you don't turn off Select And Manipulate, you adjust the manipulator's Angle value without affecting its properties.
- Adjust the properties of the selected manipulator.
To connect a plane angle manipulator so it controls another object:
- Select the plane angle manipulator.
Note (Select And Manipulate) must be
off before you can select the manipulator.
- Choose Animation Wire Parameters Wire Parameters.
You can also right-click the manipulator and choose Wire Parameters from the Transform (lower-right) quadrant of the quad
menu.
A pop-up menu appears over the manipulator.
- In the pop-up menu, choose Object (Plane Angle Manipulator) Angle.
- Click the object you want to manipulate.
A pop-up menu appears over the object.
- In the pop-up menu, choose Object, then the name of the parameter you want to manipulate.
3ds Max opens the Parameter Wiring dialog.
- On the Parameter Wiring dialog, click the “control direction” arrow between the two upper lists that goes from the manipulator
to the object (or both directions), and then click Connect.
- Close the Parameter Wiring dialog.
Now when you turn on (Select And Manipulate) and use the manipulator, the object updates under the manipulator's control.
Interface
- Angle
-
The angle of the manipulator, from 0.0 to 360.0 (both values are perpendicular in the Y axis of the viewport where you created
the manipulator, unless you have rotated the manipulator object). Default=0.0.
- Distance
-
The length of the manipulator, in 3ds Max units. Default=the distance of mouse drag when the manipulator was created.
- Size
-
The size of the manipulator's handle, in 3ds Max units. Default=1.0.