Been enjoying my return to Maya.. however there have been small hurdles I have been going around, as I cant seem to work them out.. hoping you can help me.

Now running 2014.

1) I cant seem to select one component type and then right click object to change component type without losing my selection. Its probably messy work practice, but I like to select edges and then bring up verts on the model so that I can snap my edge selection to a particular verts co-ords.. but now cant do that.

I also cant wedge a face. I select face but can't then select the edge to 'hinge' it...

2) I'm having (sporadic) problems with my split poly tool. Upon completion the split shows up in my history but no change to model... I've attached an image where you can see where I want the edges but they just wont cut the face?? Tool still works elsewhere. Its all manifold geo, normal are right... Sometimes using the tool to cut the edge I'm running to first to creating a target vert gets me past this.. sometimes if I'm running to an existing vert running my tool to the vert along a different edge that makes up the face works... Sometimes (what I'm about to do in attached image) I've deleted the face I cant cut and appended to geo the several faces I wanted.. (but is a pain)

3) I have (only a half dozen times) found isolated verts that refuse to be moved in just one certain axis (x last time) the editor doesn't show them locked.... I have been getting around this by deleting the geo there and then remaking it (works, but again a pain)


If anyone has any insights into these I'd appreciate it.

wanted to add.. often assigning new mat fixes issues... tried that.