Moving individual model parts

# 1 14-08-2003 , 01:24 PM

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Hi, iv'e imported a model giraffe but it comes in as one object, could someone please tell me the best way to select say - the foot and make it one moveable object that i can select easily the next time i want to move it?

Thanks for any help.

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# 2 14-08-2003 , 01:26 PM

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Select the faces and use duplicate face under the polygon tools menu.

With the correct options it will make a duplicate foot as its own object.

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# 3 14-08-2003 , 01:45 PM

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if it's all multiple objects that have been combined together, Edit Polygons > Seperate should make each piece a seperate object. If it's one, continuous mesh, then you'd need to do as icarus says... select the faces you want and duplicate them or extract them.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 4 14-08-2003 , 02:07 PM

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Sorry i'm v.new to maya 5 only started using yesterday can i post a picture to show you what i mean?

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# 5 14-08-2003 , 02:41 PM

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Yes you can, if you hit the Post Reply button at the bottom of the thread, theres a section where you can attach an image file to your post.

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# 6 14-08-2003 , 02:47 PM

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My giraffes foot

K, heres the picture (i hope), now i dont want to detach the foot from the rest of the body I just need the best way to select it and maybe name it as foot 1 or something then do the same with some of the other body part,s so eventually i can move them all individualy and easily without having to select the points on each part everytime i want to move it, hope i'm making sense... probably not

Sorry if youv'e already explained

Thanks again

Slow newbie

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# 7 14-08-2003 , 06:07 PM

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Now, are you wanting to animate the feet moving? Or literally seperate them from the legs to move without moving the legs and the rest of the body?

To seperate them from the leg, Icarus was correct before, select the faces and Duplicate Face or Extract to pop them off.

If you are wanting to move the feet and have the legs follow, and such, you'll have to rig the model for animation.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 8 14-08-2003 , 06:30 PM

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I just want the giraffe in different poses, i'll tackle animation next year :-)
I have to go now but i'll try that (and bug you some more) tommorow. Thanks for all the help its much appreciated, perhaps theres a maya 5 manual you could suggest I read?

Fantastic site by the way...

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# 9 14-08-2003 , 06:35 PM

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I think you should "rig" The giraffe....I dont know of any tuts off the top of my head, but I hear mikes rigging tut is good...(if you have some spare change)

It's Dr. Know, Not Darknow

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# 10 14-08-2003 , 06:38 PM

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Then its rigging you want. Adding in bones into the model, so when ou move the bones the model moves with them.

Check out the maya documentation and the tutorials that comes with for basic character rigging.