Reshaping NURBS surfaces

Tool

Tool set

Shortcut

Reshape

Basic

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The Reshape tool allows you to use free-form movement to move, rotate, and scale vertices to reshape NURBS surfaces; see Transforming objects with the 3D dragger. This tool can potentially create surfaces which cannot be further manipulated.

The 3D dragger is also available with the Selection tool's Transform mode, but it repositions the entire object, rather than reshaping it.

Mode

Description

Move NURBS Surface Vertex

Changes the position of the selected vertex or vertices only

Move NURBS Surface U Vertices

Changes the position of all vertices in a row in the U direction

Move NURBS Surface V Vertices

Changes the position of all vertices in a row in the V direction

Translate and Rotate

Uses the Translate and Rotate 3D dragger to manipulate vertices to reshape and rotate the selected object; see Translating and rotating objects with the 3D dragger

Scale

Uses the Scale 3D dragger to change the scale of part of the selected object; see Scaling objects with the 3D dragger

Re-position

Repositions the 3D dragger without affecting the selected object; see Repositioning the 3D dragger.

Because free-form movements are performed relative to the 3D dragger's center, some operations can only be completed if the 3D dragger is repositioned away from a selected vertex.

Align to Object

Keeps the Z axis of the 3D dragger aligned to the NURBS surface's normal at the selected vertex

Align to Working Plane

Keeps the 3D dragger aligned to the working plane; see Concept: Working planes

Functionality similar to the Reshape tool is available from the Object Info palette Shape tab; see Editing vertex-based objects.

Several other tools and commands, including the Deform tool, the Shell Solid tool, and the Split tool, and the Compose and Decompose commands, can also be used to modify NURBS surfaces. However, unlike reshaping with the 3D dragger, using many of these other tools and commands turns a NURBS surface into a different type of object.

NURBS surfaces

Reshaping objects

Direct modeling with the Push/Pull tool

 

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