Tools to Use: Manipulating Objects

on this page: starting out | simple transforms | snapping and alignment

Starting Out

Check view
Before manipulating a model, check the view that you are in. Construction views constrain movement and edits to a single plane.

Select all or part of an object
Click an object to select it or use Select Parent/Select Child buttons on menu bar.


Parents and children are parts of group hierarchies. You can also use the Outline Editor to select within a group hierarchy.
Group Objects
Shift-click to select multiple objects. Choose Edit > Group to group objects. Use Edit > Add to Group to add a new object to an existing group.

Simple Transforms

Resize an object
Interactively resize by dragging white cubes for a uniform scale. Shift-drag to stretch in a single direction. Ctrl-drag to uniformly scale about the opposite corner. Ctrl-Shift to stretch about opposite corner.
Specify X,Y, Z coordinates--use the Precision Placement panel. Choose Layout > Precision Placement.

Move an object
Interactively move by selecting and dragging transform box face.
Nudge--use arrow keys or choose Layout > Nudge > Left a Little, Right a Little, etc.
Specify X,Y, Z coordinates--use the Precision Placement panel. Choose Layout > Precision Placement.

Rotate an object
Interactively rotate by selecting object and dragging green knobs.
Specify X,Y, Z coordinates--use Precision Placement panel. Choose Layout > Precision Placement.

Snapping and Alignment

Snap two objects together
Use Layout > Activate Snap Target or press its button from the Layout palette:

Drag target to object. Select object to move, press Ctrl-m to move selection to target, or choose Layout > Move Selection to Snap Target.
Also use Ctrl-click middle to activate the Source snap target.
Layout > Activate Scale Snapping --scale desired features on a selected object (for example, a cylinder's height) to the same measurement as that of an object on which the Snap Target is placed.
that of another object's edge; place the Snap Target on the non-selected object's edge. to match size of target object. Good for making even walls or boxes.
Layout > Edit Snapping Options--set tolerances for how close to the snap target the manipulator must be before snapping occurs. For example, adjust the rotation tolerance to a larger number to make snapping occur when the rotation is further from a 90 degree rotation increment.

Align to Grid
Use Grid or Angle .

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