Having trouble with the scale tool

# 1 27-06-2012 , 08:25 PM

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Ok first things first.... Hello all.

I'm new to Maya, i'm using Maya 2013 x64, I'm currently working through one of the youtube tutorial video's

Modeling tutorial in Maya - a polygon rim - Part 05: adding detail 03 - YouTube

i'm stuck at about 4:34. the bit where the guy scales the spoke back across the 'x scale'

on his video it scales back across his original spoke from the left hand side of the new spoke, when i do it it scales from the centre making it almost impossible to line up correctly again.
has anyone else done this tutorial? if so how did you overcome the problem?

any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Hondr

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# 2 27-06-2012 , 08:58 PM

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Welcome hondr, make sure that your Scale Axis is set to Object, the problem may also be in your pivot position, it need to be set in the center of a rim.

C

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# 3 28-06-2012 , 05:53 AM

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Ok i'll have a look later and see if i can work out where the pivot point is set.

thankyou user added image

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# 4 28-06-2012 , 08:10 AM

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Nailed it creck, symmetry is your friend. Whenever you model anything try to set your image planes up at the 0,0,0 so its centrally pivoted. I notice in his tut that the rim is slightly spun clockwise in the image plane. I would have rotated that so the Y axis would have split the twin spokes and the centre of the rim would have been at the origin. Welcome aboard Hondr...hope you have fun man. Dont forget there are some nice free tutorials in here and some excellent pay for tuts as well, its a good site for help too.

cheers bullet

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"A Darkness at Sethanon", a book I aspire to model some of the charcters and scenes

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# 5 28-06-2012 , 06:45 PM

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I have had a look at where the pivot point isset like you both said, from what i can see.... my pivot point is in the middle of the screen... and in the grid... so i think its set to 0,0,0

user added image

is there any way i can check the exact position??

i have selected the 'object' option in the scale settings like he did... but still it does the same user added image

what else could i be doing wrong?

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# 6 28-06-2012 , 07:43 PM

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As I know there is no way to check current position of your pivot, however you can set it to 0,0,0 by adding this code "xform -ws -a -rp 0 0 0" (without quotes)to MEL console on the bottom left corner.

May the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow.

Last edited by Creck; 28-06-2012 at 07:45 PM.

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# 7 28-06-2012 , 07:58 PM

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ok done that, pressed enter, went to try and scale again and it does the same thing user added image

it scales it the opposite way like it's supposed to but doesn't rotate back over the original spoke...

Start to scale
user added image

Middle of scale
user added image

End of scale
user added image

once its done it's basically mirrored as required but it's not in the correct place and then if i try to rotate to -40 as shown in the video it's way off...

is there some sort of master reset button in maya to reset every tool?

Last edited by Hondr; 30-06-2012 at 11:25 AM.

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# 8 28-06-2012 , 10:30 PM

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Try freezing transformation then do it...........dave

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# 9 28-06-2012 , 10:43 PM

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dave, if he freezes transformations, its Object pivot will be the same as World, won't it?

May the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow.

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# 10 29-06-2012 , 07:53 AM

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I just tried it and couldnt get it to do it either? hmmmm for me I would just duplicate, -1 in z or x depending which way you made it and then rotate. I am curious though. To put any tool back to origin just go to the tool icon top right with the tool selected for use and click "reset tool", this will snap it back to default.

cheers bullet

bullet1968

"A Darkness at Sethanon", a book I aspire to model some of the charcters and scenes

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# 11 29-06-2012 , 10:10 AM

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I tried it few times too bullet, but couldn't get it to works that way as tutorial shows. Anyway Hondr, try to do it as bullet wrote above, as sometimes you need to create your own techniques to solve the problems. In passing, if you want to reset all your maya settings, then I guess it's needed to delete "prefs" folder.On Mac it should be located in ~/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/2013-x64/

May the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow.

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# 12 30-06-2012 , 07:31 PM

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well, that was a mission... i did what you both suggested... and worked out a way around the problem... it's taken me a few hours (I am still new to this) BUT

user added image

Massive Thanks to you both for your help.

Hondr

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# 13 30-06-2012 , 08:17 PM

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This would have been a lot easier if the image was set up in the middle (turned anti clock wize a little) so it would have been just a case of mirroeing or scale...........dave

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# 14 05-07-2012 , 05:38 PM

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Finally got there.... This is my first ever maya rendering user added image

Many thanks again for all the help user added image

Hondr

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# 15 05-07-2012 , 10:43 PM

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LOL dave thats what I said too, it is a lot easier when you set the images up properly. Not a bad render mate, well done, you got there!

cheers bullet

bullet1968

"A Darkness at Sethanon", a book I aspire to model some of the charcters and scenes

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