Numerical Editor
Modify >
Numerical Editor...
Description:
The Numerical Editor (Modify > Numerical Editor...)
window allows you to read exact values of different paramters as well as
modify the selection by inputting numerical values. The Numerical Editor
works in either world coordinates (based around the work grid origin)
or local coordinates (based around the manipulator), depending on which
option is selected.
Position:
In world coordinates, entering new X, Y, or Z values
in the position fields will cause the manipulator to be moved to those
coordinates, taking the selected geometry with it. In local coordinates,
these values determine the relative amount the manipulator (and
selection) should be moved in each direction. For example, entering a
value of 1 in the X field while in local coordinates will cause the
selection to move along the manipulator's X direction 1 unit each time
you press Enter.
Rotation:
In local coordinates, entering a value in degrees in
the X, Y, or Z field will cause the selection to be rotated around the
manipulator's X, Y, or Z axis. In world coordinates, rotation still
happens around the manipulator, but instead the world's X, Y, and Z axes
are used.
Scale:
As with rotation, scaling in either mode still
occurs around the manipulator. In world coordinates the world axes are
used to determine the direction of the scale, while in local coordinates
the manipulator's axes are used.
Distance:
The distance field allows you to edit the distance
between the selected components. The distance is determined as the
length of a line drawn between all of the selected components, in the
order they were selected. In vertex selection mode, this is simply from
one vertex to the next. In edge selection mode, the distance is
the closest distance between the two edges if they were infinite
lines. in face mode, the distance is measured as that of a line
starting at the center dot of the first selected face, projected along
the face's normal vector until it intersects the plane of the second
face. If two faces are parallel, it will give the distance between
the planes of the two faces. When the distance is changed, the
first selected component remains in its original position, and other
components are updated so that the length of the line drawn between them
is equal to the new distance. The operation is most straightforward
when only two components are selected.
Angle:
The Angle field shows the angle between the
currently selected components where appropriate. For faces, this is the
angle formed where the planes of two selected faces would
intersect. For edges, this is the angle formed by the vectors
represented by the two selected edges (if the edges share a vertex, this
vertex will be the pivot of the angle). For vertices, this is the
angle formed by a path drawn from the first vertex selected to the
second to the third. The angle cannot be edited from within the
Numerical Editor.
Notes:
-You can choose between the metric and English systems of measurment in
the General Options (Options > General Options...)
dialog.