The Edit Menu

The Edit menu contains undo and redo functions and instructions. It is split into six areas: undo/redo, keys, remove nodes, collection, duplication, alliance, and parenting.

Undo and redo perform as they would in any other program. You can undo as a lot of times as you have set in your Maya preferences. To set the number of undo levels choose Window _ Settings/ Preferences _ Preferences and go away to the Undo type. A big Queue Size will slow Maya’s performance, so I wouldn’t put it to infinite. I like to set mine to Finite 200.

The Keys sub-group allows you to perform a variety of edit functions on animation keys. Many of the options in the Keys sub-group work the equal as their geometry-based corresponding. You can remove a key or copy a key from one position in the timeline, go to a dissimilar frame and paste the key into the fresh time. Scale Keys allows you to alter the period for a range of keys. You can use the Scale Keys options to as well alter the start and end times of your animation. Bake Simulation is used to exchange the chosen reproduction into keyframes. Once the reproduction is baked into keyframes you can edit the curves as you would any other animation. This is very helpful if you desire to use dynamics in a game because the majority engines will just recognize keyframe animation so you will have to convert the simulation previous to it can be used.

Fast choose Sets are a handy way to simply pick objects and/or components (vertices, edges, and faces, etc.) that you choose frequently. Follow the steps below to generate a fast decide on Set.

1 choose the objects or components you wish to have in your Fast

Selection Set.

2 Decide Generate _ Sets _ Fast Choose Set.

3 Type a name for your Fast Choose Set. This name will be saved as element of your scene file.

When you want to pick this Quick Select Set, go to Edit _ Quick Select Sets and decide the name of the desired set.

The Paint Selection tool lets you pick an object’s components by painting them.

This makes component selection very intuitive.

1 Create a fresh scene by going to File _ New Scene.

2 Create a Polygon Plane. Create _ Polygon Primitives _ Plane _ .

Set the Width and Height to 20 and the width and height subdivisions to 40.

3 Click Create.

4 With the plane still chosen, right mouse click on the plane to transport up the Marking Menu and choose Vertex.

5 Choose Edit _ Paint Selection Tool _ .

6 When the options come up for the Paint Selection Tool, set the Radius (U) to .5 and leave all else at the default.

7 Paint your initials on the object to decide on the components.

The Paint Selection tool makes picking a complex layout of components very simple. Once you are happy with the paint selection you have made, you can insert it to a Quick Select Set.