Adding Selection Handles

Overview

Selection handles are used to make it easier to distinguish between and pick parts of your model when animating.

How to Use

1

Create an object.

2

Select the object or DAG node you want to add a selection handle to.

3

Select Edit > New selection handle.

If you are having difficulty seeing the selection handle you created, you can move it away from the object or node using Xform > Local > Move selection handle or Xform > Local > Set pivot and opening its options.

A pale orange cross and the node name are displayed at the object's or node's rotate pivot (the cross looks like the one in the icon). If the selection handle is inactive, the cross and node name become red.

Example

Using a cylinder as an example, you can place selection handles on the component nodes and use them to easily activate the components or the cylinder as a whole. To add a selection handle:

1

Select the component in the ASBD window.

2

Select Edit > New selection handle. A new handle is displayed at the rotate pivot.

Continue to add new handles as you need them. In the following examples, two more selection handles are added to the cylinder.

Because the Xform tools are sensitive to the selection handle pick mode, you can very easily transform just the component, like capB or the whole cylinder.

The following shows all three handles.

For more information on selection handles, see Move selection handle in the Basic Tools book.