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 Relationships 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
- Select the objects you want the field
to affect.
You can select geometry,
particles, nParticles, rigid bodies, or soft bodies.
TipBy 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.
- 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.
- 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
- From the Dynamics or nDynamics menu
set, select Fields > fieldname to create
the field. If it’s already created, select the field.
- Shift-select the object (or objects)
to which you want to add the field.
- 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.
- 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.
- Select Fields > Affect Selected
Object(s).
- 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 Relationships 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
- Select the objects you want the field
to affect.
You can select particles,
nParticles, rigid bodies, or soft bodies.
- From the Dynamics or nDynamics menu
set, select Fields fieldname > .
- 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.
- Set the volume field attributes as desired.
See
Set Volume Control Attributes and Volume Speed Attributes.
- Click Create.
The implicit shape of
the volume field is displayed on the screen. You can move, rotate,
scale, or shear the field.
NoteYou 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
- From the Dynamics or nDynamics menu
set, select Fields > fieldname to create
the field. If it’s already created, select the field.
- Shift-select the desired points on the
object.
For example, select several
CVs of the object. See Basics for details on selecting components.
- 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.
- 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.
- Select Fields > Affect Selected
Object(s).
- Click the play button to see the field
influence the connected objects.
To
delete a field
- Select the field in the Outliner or
workspace.
In the Outliner,
an object field is indented under the owning object.
- Press the (Windows
and Linux) or Delete (Mac
OS X) key.
To add additional fields to an object
- From the Dynamics or nDynamics menu
set, select Fields > fieldname to
create the field. If it’s already created, select the field.
- In the Outliner, -select (Windows and
Linux) or -select (Mac OS
X) the object to which you want to add the field.
- Select
Fields > Use Selected as Source of Field.