Duplicating objects| Creating a project|

The Channel Box

The Channel Box is an editing panel that provides you access to an object's transformation information

and much more. It provides information on three distinct areas for any type of object: The transform

node, shape node, and input node.

Nodes are where information about object types are kept track of within Maya. Nodes are comprised of

attributes. Attributes refer to information related to what the node is designed to accomplish. In this

case, information about the primitive cylinder's Y axis rotation is referred to as the Rotate Y attribute.

You will learn more about nodes later in this tutorial.

When you moved and rotated the cylinder primitive using the Move Tool, you were doing this by your

own visual judgement. This will usually be sufficient for many of your creative applications.

If you need to control the attribute of an object with more accuracy you can do this by entering the

precise values into the appropriate attribute field of the Channel Box.

To move and rotate the base using the Channel Box

1. With the base cylinder selected, view the Transformation attributes in the Channel Box.

Specifically, view the values for Translate Y, and Rotate Y.

2. In the Channel Box, adjust the attribute values so they match the above image by clicking in the

field and entering the correct numerical values.

This accurately positions the base in your Maya scene.

Maya named the cylinder primitive when it was first created. Rename the cylinder to something

more meaningful to your project.

To rename the cylinder primitive using the Channel Box

1. In the Channel Box, click in the field with the name pCylinder1.

2. Rename the primitive object by typing the new name: templeBase and then pressing Enter.

Duplicating objects

Duplicating an existing object is a useful way to make an exact copy of it without having to start over.

When you duplicate an item the copy takes on the characteristics of the original. Using the Duplicate

Tool you can additionally apply transformations to the copy (move, rotate, scale).

Return to a four view layout to view what you've accomplished to this point.

To change the panel layout to a four view layout

· From the Toolbox, click the Four View layout shortcut.

The workspace changes to a four view layout. It is easier to view the work from this four view

layout.

The base for the temple is constructed of two levels and appears stepped. You duplicate and

scale the templeBase object using the duplicate tool.

To duplicate the temple base

1. Display all four views by positioning the mouse cursor in the view and tapping the spacebar. Then

click in the perspective view to display the base in this view.

2. With templeBase selected, choose Edit > Duplicate > from the main menu.

The Duplicate Options window appears.

3. In the Duplicate Options window, select Edit > Reset settings and then set the following options:

o Translate: 0 1.0 0

o Rotate: 0 0 0

o Scale: 0.9 1.0 0.9

o Geometry Type: Copy

o Group under: Parent

4. In the Duplicate Options window, click Duplicate.

Maya creates a duplicate of the templeBase object that is scaled to 0.9 of the original in the X, Z

axes, and is one unit above templeBase. As a result of the scale operation, the base for the

temple now appears stepped.

Maya keeps track of the name of the duplicated object based on the name of original and

renames the duplicated object templeBase1.

Creating a project

A project is a file directory that stores and organizes all of the files (scenes, images, materials, textures,

etc.) related to a particular scene. In Maya, you create and work with a variety of file types and formats.

The project directory allows you to keep these different file types in their unique subdirectory locations

within the project directory.

To create a project

1. From the main menu, select File > Project > New.

The New Project window opens.

2. Enter the name MayaBasics for the new project in the Name text box, and then click Use

Defaults.

Clicking Use Defaults will assign a default directory and name to the various subdirectories

associated with the project.

3. Click Accept to create the new project with subdirectories.

When you next save your work for this lesson it will automatically default to the MayaBasics

project directory.