how to align view to some face of an object

[chow choppe]

hi all

 

i want to know is there any way in max by which i can align my view to some face of an object. for eg if I am working on a box and if its sides are parallel to x , y and z axis then if i go to front viewport i am working eaxctly parallel to its front face. but if the box is rotated at some angle in top vieport then in front view we will not see the true elevation of its front face but it will be seen at an angle. can i align my viewport in a way so that i can see the true elevation of that face so that i can work on it as i wud do if the object was not rotated

 

Thanks

[DavidR]

The only way I know is to create a grid (turn autogrid on) on the face you want, then switch the view to grid (there are grid top, grid bttm, etc) by right-clicking viewport corner.

[AFK_Matrix]

Yes there is a very handy tool I use all the time mate. Go to the create tab on the right, then to the Helpers button and then click on the Grids button.

 

Now I use this mostly in User view to work on Front, Left right elevations etc. But I sometimes rotate the grid so I can draw on say a roof to add Velux windows etc.

 

Hope that is what you needed.

[chow choppe]

not that is not what i exactly wanted

i want that the view gets aligned to the grid helper object i make

so that i cud view true elevations of a box even if its at an angle

[alrawli]

If what your describing is correct then grid is definately the tool your looking for. Its as easy as the other folk have suggested.

[Peter M. Gruhn]

Create a camera. Set it to "Orthographic Projection". Use the Tools: Align Camera to align the camera to a selected face (select camera, pick tool, select face). I note that this preserves camera "up" (roll) so that if your face is rotated more arbitrarily its edges will not align to the view (view x != face x). But if your model is, per your description, only rotated flat on the ground (about the world z axis) then this approach should work fine.

 

Ah, just playing around with it now - the camera view doesn't quite work with the zoom/pan tools "normally". Probably easiest to just hit "u" for user view. In which case you don't need the camera as orthographic.

 

There is a button on (my) the toolbar for this. Picture of a movie camera. Part of the "Align" dropdown buttonbar.

 

If you use this, let us know if you run into any issues that my five minutes of poking at it did not reveal.

[Tommy Burns]

The grid tool as explained by DavidR is exactly what you need I don't think you are using it right though. When you right click in your viewport for a view make sure you pick the GRID view and not the normal View. Try it again:)

[chow choppe]

I am exactly using the grid tool as u guys are mentioning

but when i select grid view if the box is not rotated then i get the exact front view of grid object

but if i rotate the object at an angle i dont get the view as required. i see the grid object at an angle if change to view to grid >>front

 

See attached images explaiining both the situations

 

1

 

 

2

 

 

am i doing anything wrong? also i noticed that zoom pan button gets locked in grid view . only zoom thru mouse scroll works

 

now suggest what to do

[Tommy Burns]

Ok sorry we where both missing a few very important instructions

When you set the grid you then have to turn it on see no.1 in image

This is done by selecting the grid and right clicking then you select activate grid.

Then to use this grid see no.2 in image change this to local (not grid as in first image mistake!!!)

Now if you goto grid front it will be a grid view but it might actually be the back,left,right view. Here you have to rotate your grid like mine noticing the position of x,y,z.(Image 2) Now when you hit front it will be the front.

Hope this helps I should have been more clear cos I had the same problem myself

[Tommy Burns]

Sorry forgot to attched this one this is the correct settings.

Well it is Monday!!!

[FlyinHawaiian]

Also, if you're going to be moving that piece of geometry around that you want the consistent ortho view of, you might want to link the grid object to the geometry that you're interested in following.

[chow choppe]

Sorry forgot to attched this one this is the correct settings.

Well it is Monday!!!

 

BULLS EYE

thanks a ton

[AFK_Matrix]

I got a bit confused by Tommy's explanation. Don't know if this is a help or not but all I did was create a grid, make it active and then under views select Grid (Display Planes) This seems to orient you to wherever your grid plane is.