Translate coordinates confusion

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# 1 01-09-2011 , 02:14 AM

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Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 3

Hey there,

New to Maya. Just had a question about the translate X Y Z coordinates in the "Transform Attributes" panel for any object. I'm just a bit confused how the coordinates are calculated. When I create a polygonal plane (we'll call it "Plane A"), and set the Translate coords to 0,0,0, it puts Plane A at the 0,0,0 world coordinates. I then create another poly plane ("Plane B"), parent it to the Plane A, and then move Plane B around with the Move tool along the X axis, BOTH the X and Y coords change! It looks like the plane is moving on an angle! Can someone explain to me why this is / how coords work when parenting to another object?

Thanks!

I'm using Maya 2011 for Mac.

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# 2 01-09-2011 , 06:51 AM

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Join Date: Jan 2004

Location: Michigan, USA

Posts: 2,998

I would have to see a video to see what you are doing because what you are describing is not the way it should work.

If you parent one object to another then the childs coordinates become relative to the parent.

What it sounds like to me is that you have rotated the parent object lets say around z. Now if you move the child object along its GLOBAL x axis it will be changing position in both x and y relative to the parents local axis. If you move B along its LOCAL or OBJECT x axis its coordinates will only change in x.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 01-09-2011 at 07:09 AM.

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