PolyMeshTools:LiftFromVertex

MaxScript Release 0.2 Source for max 4 (02/25/2001)

SHORT DESCRIPTION

LiftFromVertex is a 3ds max 4 scripted tool that resembles the Lift From Vertex command of Nichimen's Mirai.
It extrudes a polygon with a single vertex locked down and rotates the polygon around that vertex.


This screenshot shows an extruded Star shape whose capping has been Vertex-Extruded 4 times using a Lift Angle of 20 degrees.

INSTALLATION

LiftFromVertex is a Macroscript containing a scripted mouse tool.
Download the distribution file from the main PolyMeshTools page.
Unzip the .MS file to your \STDPLUGS\STDSCRIPTS directory
Unzip the .BMP icon files to your \UI\ICONS directory.
Start max 4,
Go to Customize>Customize User Interface, find Category "PolyMeshTools" and drag to a toolbar or assign to a Keyboard Shortcuts.

NOTE: The tool will NOT work from a QuadMenu and will freeze max if attempted to start from a QuadMenu!

RELEASE HISTORY

0.2 - Redraws have been speed up by disabling screen updates between draws. Simple but effective.
0.0.1 - First release.

USAGE

The script will work only when a single PolyObject with no modifiers is selected and the Sub-Object mode is set to Vertex.
Select a SINGLE vertex on the object.
When you click on the icon, the max prompt will tell you to click in the viewport to start the operation.
After you click, the vertex selection in the mesh will be acquired. If there are more than one vertex selected, the tool will exit.
If you have selected a single vertex, the prompt will tell you to move the mouse left/right in order to select the face to lift. A vertex in PolyMesh can have ONE or MORE faces. Moving the mouse left and right of the first point you clicked at in the viewport will loop through all faces and will select them in the viewport.
Click again to split the mesh and start lifting. The angle will be based on the left/right motion of the mouse relatively to the point you just clicked.
The rotation axis direction will be defined by the vector connecting the midpoints of the two edges of the lifted face that use the selected vertex.
The values displayed in the XYZ fields of the Max prompt will show the angle in absolute and relative coordinates. The Y and Z will be off by 180 degrees from each-other - the one will show the actual angle, the other will show the same angle offset by 180 degrees.
Once you have the desired lifting, click again to finish.
You can undo the complete operation, but cannot currently cancel it without leaving a changed mesh. After a cancel, just use the Undo button (will try to fix this later).

KNOWN LIMITATIONS AND ADDITIONAL NOTES

You cannot currently use LiftFromVertex with anything else than a PolyObject with no modifiers. I will try to make it work with the BaseObject when MeshSmooth etc. are on top, but for now it requires a collapsed PolyMesh.
OTHER THAN LiftFromEdge, Extruding non-convex polygons (like the capping of an extruded star shape) will yield correct results!