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Aligning Objects
Bryce's alignment features let you position several object with respect to each other.
Alignment transformations are performed with respect to the Grid. Bryce maintains an internal grid that is comprised of 3D cube increments, 20.48 x 20.48 x 20.48 Bryce units in size.
The Grid is used for Snap To operations and acts as common reference for alignment operations. One grid unit is equal to unity size, and unity position is always snapped to a position on the grid.
Using the Grid
The Grid can be used as a guide to help you precisely position objects in your scene.
The example provided in the following procedure illustrates how the grid can be used to position a pyramid beside a cube.
To precisely position objects using the grid:
1 Make sure all the objects are unity size.
This returns the objects to a perfect multiple of Bryce's grid units.
2 Determine the objects' positions relative to the grid.
3 Use the nudge controls to move the object. Nudging moves objects in grid increments.
Using the Align Tool
The Align tool has ten states. As you move the pointer over the tool, the states become active.
As you move your cursor over the Align tool, a state becomes active.
To align objects along an axis:
1 Make sure the Edit palette is visible. If it's not, click the Edit button at the top of the Bryce window.
3 Move the cursor over the Align tool.
4 When the state you want to use is active, click the mouse button.
Anchor and Non-Anchor Based Aligning
Bryce provides two options for aligning multiple objects: anchor-based aligning and non-anchor-based aligning.
Anchor-based aligning considers the first selected object to be the anchor of the aligning operation. All other objects are aligned to this object.
With non-anchor-based aligning, objects are aligned to the bounding box of all the selected objects.
To choose an aligning option:
1 Make sure the Edit palette is visible. If it's not, click the Edit button at the top of the Bryce window.
2 Click the triangle icon next to the Align tool, and enable/disable Anchor-Based Aligning.
Snap To Options
The Snap To Options let you automatically align objects to the grid, an anchor object, World Center, or ground level.
To snap objects to the Grid:
1 Make sure the Edit palette is visible. If it's not, click the Edit button at the top of the Bryce window.
3 Click the triangle icon next to the Align tool and choose Snap to Grid.
Refer to "Using the Grid" for more on the grid.
An anchor object is the object in an alignment operation that does not move.
To snap objects to the center of the anchor object:
1 Make sure the Edit palette is visible. If it's not, click the Edit button at the top of the Bryce window.
2 Click the triangle icon next to the Align tool, and choose Anchor-Based Aligning.
3 Select the objects you want to align.
The first object you select is the anchor object.
4 Click the triangle icon next to the Align tool and choose Snap Together.
The X, Y, and Z centers of all selected objects are aligned the X, Y, and Z center of the anchor object.
To snap an object to World Center:
1 Make sure the Edit palette is visible. If it's not, click the Edit text button at the top of the Working window.
3 Click the triangle icon next to the Align tool and choose Snap to World Center.
The selected object moves to coordinates X=0, Y=0, Z=0, or World Center.
To drop or lift objects to ground level:
1 Make sure the Edit palette is visible. If it's not, click the Edit button at the top of the Bryce window.
3 Click the triangle icon next to the Align tool and choose Snap to Ground.
Landing Objects
The Snap to Land option lets you snap an object to any object directly below it, much like creating a gravity effect.
When you activate the Snap to Land option, Bryce snaps the selected object to the top of any object directly below its center "Y" control handle.
Using Snap to Land, a selected object snaps to the top of any object that's directly below its Y control handle.
The second object must be directly below the Y control handle, otherwise the object lands on the ground plane.
In this example, a corner of the selected object is over the "land" object, but since there are no objects directly under its Y control handle, the selected object lands on the ground.
Landing operations work best with objects that have not been rotated, and that have no sloped characteristics.
This option can create many interesting effects. For example, you can quickly create falling rock animations by placing rock objects throughout your scene with a terrain below them in one frame. Then, in a different frame, select all the rocks and choose the Snap to Land option. When you run the animation, all the rocks will appear to fall onto the terrain. Refer to "Animating" for more on animation.
To snap an object to the top surface of an object below it:
1 Make sure the Edit palette is visible. If it's not, click the Edit text button at the top of the Working window.
3 Click the triangle icon next to the Align tool and choose Snap to Land from the menu.
Click the Down arrow icon that appears next to the object's bounding box.
Aligning Numerically
The most precise method of aligning objects is by using the 3D Transformations dialog. The dialog uses Bryce units for positioning, so you can use these increments to align objects based on grid increments (20.48=one grid unit).
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