modeling like in maya/max instead of using layers?

[bagou01]

hi,i was wondering,is there a way in lightwave modeler to work like in all the other 3d softwares?i mean,not working with layers, because when i create for instance,2 spheres,almost in each other,i can't find a way to select one and not the other,like in max i only have to click on it,here i can't find an "object" mode,i can only find edge,point,and polygons. and as i'm really having a hard time getting used to layers,and once i work with lots of objects in a scene,finding back that for THAT object,it's layer 38,etc..and having one layer for one object works with a few objects,but it is really a pain in the ... when you have looots of objects
so is there a way so simply model not using layers?

[StereoMike]

using selection sets or parts or wireframe color. Everything that helps you selecting your objects with the polygon info panel (w). Or if your geometry is connected, remember the "select connected" hotkey.

mike

[ndrangesh]

bagou01
G'Day mate

welcome to the lightwave world
here when u select an object in LightWave you dont select it as a whole
u select it as points or polygons
if u have 2 different in the same layer and would like to move it
select one of its polygon and press SHIFT+square bracets to enlarge selection or contract selection

and always work with layers in lightwave it is the best move
hope u know how to use layers in lightwave

[LAV]

welcome aboard!
I remember when I went from 3DStudio to Lightwave (holy day!): my great frustration in selecting 'parts' or 'surfaces'... Just till one LW friend of mine said to me: just press 'w'->surfaces>name of surface>+... and ALT+] to select connected poligons or points.
Happy to be here!

[bagou01]

i don't understand the W stuff, i press w,and the polygon statistics of stuffs appears.
and for the
ALT+],
i'm on a mac and don't have the square braquet :'(
am i doomed?

[Lightwolf]

i don't understand the W stuff, i press w,and the polygon statistics of stuffs appears.

Press the +/- next to the stats to select/unselect the types of polygons.
Further down you can also select by surfaces or parts (polygon groups).

Cheers,
Mike

[3DGFXStudios]

Just select one or more points polys or edges and press }

[4dartist]

Ya, in max and maya you work normally in what would be like 'LAYOUT' where you can select objects as a whole and move them.. And in maya and max you have to click a button or hotkey to get to the 'subsurface' of an object. meaning you can manipulate the polys/edges/verts. Just think of modeler as your subsurface editor. (but more!)

48 layers is quite a bit of layers, we build lots of aerospace objects, rockets/satellites etc, and i rarely go above 15-20 layers for a complex object. Basically i use about 3 or 4 layers to build a certain part with a couple for building the parts and a couple for use as background layers (the reference black wireframe mode). The rest are to store parts that need to be animated separately.

The above tips are pretty good and i use them tons!
-to select everything connected to a selected poly/edge/vert hit "]"
-to select polys by surface name (metal, glass, blue cheese) hit "w"
(also a good way to find trouble some 1pt polys or 2pt polys or 5pt polys.)
-to grow or shrink your selection "shift ]" or "shift ["

I hope you get the hang of it, because i have spent 3 years using maya and 1 using max and had to switch to LW for a job, and i absolutely love the modeler in LW.

GL

[Andyjaggy]

I've always loved the layer system. Just use the select connected command to select an object (as stated above)

Also try using the layers panel, then you have access to more then 10 layers at a time.

[VTA]

i don't understand the W stuff, i press w,and the polygon statistics of stuffs appears.
and for the
ALT+],
i'm on a mac and don't have the square braquet :'(
am i doomed?

In polygon mode, when you hit W, you'll see a line (scroll down if you have to) that says Surf: Click on that and you can select an item by it's surface.

On the Mac when you have a poly selected, it's Shift+] to select connected polygons.

-Vincent

[THREEL]

Don't forget to give your object, or part of your object a surface. q is the hotkey on a PC. Don't know if it's the same on a Mac. You can have many different surfaces applied to the same object in :lwicon:. You can select just the polygons that belong to that surface by hitting the w in polygon mode. Going doing to surf, click on that, then click on a surface you want selected, then click on +. Then you can grow your selection, or hi-light the rest by the ways mentioned in previous posts.

As far as layers are concerned, you can model an object in the layer that's hi-lighted. Then, you can switch to another layer to model a second object. Once you have the 2 objects started, you have one layer button hi-lighted at the top and the second hi-lighted at the bottom. The first layer is now your foreground layer, while the second layer is now your background layer. In my modeler set-up, The polygon lines in the BG layer are black. You can swap the two layers by having a hotkey for it. My hotkey for swapping layers is the apostrphe key. I think this is the default key, on the PC version, anyway. Now, you won't be able to see the object in the BG layer, if the objects are exactly the same.

tHREEL

[druitre]

When I'm modeling the stats panel ('w'), the layers panel ('F7'), the numerical input panel ('n') and the vertexmaps panel ('F8') are always open. I resize my modeler screen so I have space next to it to place al of those panels and see my workspace at the same time. (this is stored in the config so modeler always starts up like this). For me this speeds up workflow tremendously.

That, and being insanely talented.

[Lightwolf]

On the Mac when you have a poly selected, it's Shift+] to select connected polygons.
Some Mac keyboards don't show the [] at all. (Mine doesn't, the white type but with a German layout, no {} either. Hell to code on. Heck, it doesn't even have a \ for terminal commands).
</rant off>

Cheers,
Mike

[LAV]

hi,i was wondering,...

We can say the Lighwave community is a good reason to be in the layer side of modelling, can't we!? :D

[Surrealist.]

To move an object with others in the same layer you don't have to select it. Use the Snap Drag tool and open up the numeric requester. Set it to "connected points" and you can move it around by grabbing a point. This will be familiar to your way of working. The tool is found in Modify/Translate/More

I added this tool to my layout as a button in a custom tab I have set up of most often used tools.

One thing to do is to learn how to customize your Modeler layout. This will help you put many tools where you need them fast especially the selection tools.

I don't use the default bottom button layout as it is useless to my way of working.

New in LW9 is the Select Surface option. I have all of my common selection buttons along the bottom of my screen.

Take a look at Edit Menu Layout in the manual.

Theory behind my bottom buttons.

1) I like to be able to see which action center I am in at a glance. Putting the buttons there shows this.

2) I like to have access to CC and regular Subpatches with a button and I like to see which mode I am in at a glance because I build a subpatch model in CC until I am done making it all quads.

3) I like using the mouse to select loop and all of the other functions I put along the bottom so they are there regardless of what Tab I am in.

[bagou01]

yeah the lightwave community is soo wonderful,thank you all folks.