Max/GMax - "Named Selection Sets"

[n4gix]

Note to Staff: Since this may be of use for both Aircraft and Scenery modelers, I've put it here in the common area for both. If this is inconvenient, feel free to move it somewhere more appropriate.

Today I finally got around to learning about the "Named Selection Set" feature of Max/GMax...

OMG! I sure wish I'd taken the time to learn this years ago, since it very neatly solves any number of management issues in one fell swoop...

Briefly, the concept of a "Named Selection Set" is that we can organize our project's objects quickly and efficiently by giving objects that have things in common -such as a shared Material for example- a unique name. Selecting any such "collection of objects" then is as simple as using the drop-down list on the upper toolbar to display a list of all "Named Selection Sets" and then clicking on whichever one we desire.

Voila! All objects in that named set are instantly selected, and if they happen to be "Hidden" or "Frozen" we are asked if we wish to have them "Unhidden" or "Unfrozen." If we say "no," the objects are still selected but won't be seen in the viewport.

"Named Selection Sets" may also be used to organize vertex, edge, face, or polygon "sets" within a single object, but cannot be mixed. In other words, a set may include vertices or edges or faces or polygons.

What are some "practical examples" of using this feature? Here's a quick list of some of what seem most obvious:

1. Many modelers use the "node system" to organize their project's objects, such as "exterior" and "interior" nodes, with all objects linked to their respective nodes. While this is convenient, there remains the problem of quickly choosing which of the two node's objects to hide or freeze. By selecting all objects in each node, and giving them a "Name" we can now instantly select either node's "Named Selection Set" and hide/unhide, freeze/unfreeze at will...

2. Using Hiroshi's Maxscript we can now select a single object, and quickly select all other objects in a scene that are assigned the same Material. Now while this is very nice and useful, I really don't want to do this over and over again! Now, once we've made our selection with Hiroshi's script, we can give that collection of objects a name!

3. Many times I subselect groups of polygons for UVW Mapping. While I could give each such group of polygons a unique MaterialID number, this isn't always the best way to organize such groups. Now, instead I can give each such group of polygons a unique "Named Selection Set" name, and quickly use the pick list to re-select any such group instantly.

Using the Edit/Edit Named Selections menu, we can quickly and easily Rename, Combine, Delete, Subtract (A-B), Subtract (B-A) or create an Intersection of multiple Named Selection Sets.

By the way, any object can be a "member" of multiple "Named Selection Sets," which can be a very handy thing to keep in mind!

I encourage everyone to explore the potential applications of this powerful tool! I know I will be!

 

[Horst18519]

This definitely sounds interesting, Bill. Still I think it's almost twice as many words than would've been necessary.

Just a stupid question before I look into this: What is this "Hiroshi's Maxscript" you mention?

 

[biggard]

I think this might be it:

http://forum.projectopensky.com/index.php?showtopic=36090

 

[lionheart]

Thanks Bill for this great tutorial and gift of knowledge in this 'often times difficult' field of work. This will be great.

I have a modeller that makes things for me. He creates in Lightwave, which can export nicely to 3DS format. However, he works in Layers, which I thought you only had in Photoshop. Well, I have learned how awesome this can be, but knew nothing about naming groups that you speak of. This is brilliant.

Thanks for the detailed information on it.


Bill

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Fr. Bill:

Many thanks for the extra innovation and the additional detailed wording... it's very helpful to us beginners !

GaryGB

 

[vincentf563]

just to support the idea

in the milton shupe tutes he goes over that idea pretty well. he advises that this can be used in exactly the same way to map uvws for export to quake III. and so on into "lith."

does anyone know if this can have an effect on ani's. im really frustrated about this weird thing i have with a trailing edge flap not working on the left side and doing exactly as ordered for the right. works dandy in fs9 but no cfs 2. in cfs 2 only the right works right. in my final model i had to unfriendly name both sides for continuity. using the _key suffix gives me only one sides ani (just to clarify.) im using mdlc to convert. two stages i use one version for the convert from fs 2004 to 2002. then the other version mdlc to go from 2002 to cfs 2. somewhere the left side gets lost and i wonder if it might be the selection sets thing. i mapped with the flap tops conjoined to the top wing and such. sorry if im not supposed to piggyback off this thread. let me know if i offend.

 

[n4gix]

While there's certainly "no offense," posting a "new question" in an existing thread is not really a very "good idea." First it tends to dillute the topic, but secondarily it stands a good chance of being overlooked, and hence unanswered.

 

[suburpy]

Great stuff - thanks Bill

 

[dva51]

Hallo to everyboby, simmers and developers
... and sorry if I append here the message

I'm getting approach GMax with bit difficulties but, as I want to go on learning, I would like to find some kind TEACHERS that can help me to understand.
A would have "million questions"... but i just put only the first on the table, hoping to find an answer:
After building two box solids I applied two different textures, as indicated in the enclosed printscreen, and saved the file
Then I exported the model, but when I load for check with ModelConverterX (see printscreen) there are textures only in the first solid and nothing in the second.
Is there somebody that can indicate me where is the mistake?
many thanks in advance to the gentlemen who will answer me

bye
Aldo

 

[n4gix]

Hallo to everyboby, simmers and developers
... and sorry if I append here the message

Please do not "append" new questions to an existing topic.

Please create your own new topic. Thank you.

 

[Devinci]

I use mostly layers for quickly selecting different groups of objects. I added the layer toolbar on the bottom and I can quickly hide, freeze, select layers. However, I tried using the selection sets few times but I didn't think of using it for materials. Now I can add all the chrome metals into one selection set for example.

 

[Here for the Beer]

I'm using these in a limited way, to select variations on an aircraft for compilation. I have developed an AI Van's RV-8 and am releasing variants of the propeller (2 and 3 blades) and of the undercarriage, since the RV-8A tri-gear is the same in all other respects to the taildragger version. These are all in one Gmax scene. These permutations of gear and prop lead to 8 variations, add a different nose intake/cowling design and I end up with 16! Managing these for compilation is a breeze using selection sets, unselect everything, choose a selection set, export selected - unselect everything, choose a selection set, export selected - unselect everything, choose a selection set, export selected - etc! The closing iterations of a model are often a pain to administer, so this'll be one of Fr Bill's "management issues" mentioned in post #1. Now I just need to see whether I can script the process using the selection sets...!

I use a single Gmax scene because changes to common components when starting on variations means propagating those changes across to the other scenes, which is unnecessary drudgery.

 

[stewart286]

hi bill,
just to ask you have you come across gmax changing the textures.After 3 hours work I did the glass textures to finish the project oooh no gmax changed some of models textures..all worked fine until I applied the glass.All textures are unique to each part,all mapped uw.3 parts changed on there own to the glass textures.I could just create the glass on its own bgl but that has a tendancy to flicker the texture.i'm stumped.I have come across this before but I cannot remember what it was.I have tried merging, new part,re-texturing but nothing works.If I remember I think last time you said it could be the gmax texture memory.
stewart haworth

 

[hairyspin]

Stewart, please start a new thread with your question. This thread is about named selection sets.