middle mouse channel slider

Select any object or node and left-click on one of its attributes in the channel box, located on the right side of the screen. The attribute name should be highlighted, and should look like this:


the channel rotate x is "selected" by left-clicking on it in the channel box.

Once the channel is selected, move your cursor into the workspace. Hold down the middle mouse button and drag the mouse left and right to slide the channel value up or down. This works for just about any float or integer-based attribute, such as light intensity, deformer envelope, etc.

Try it out!

Frame All and Frame Selection

While in the workspace, press the F key to make the camera frame the current selection. Press the A key to frame all (everything in the scene).

The speed of the camera's transition can be adjusted in Window> Settings/Preferences> Preferences. Select "Cameras" in the categories menu on the left, and look under "Animate Camera Transitions" to adjust this feature and other related options.

translate a node on a 2d plane

Maya allows users to easily select and translate (move) objects in the perspective view. Once the object is selected and the transform tool is activated (w), objects can be moved in all three dimensions at once, or on a single axis, depending on whether or not the user left-clicks and drags on the center yellow box (full 3d) or on one of the rbg axis arrows (individual axis).

Maya's standard transform handle; the yellow
box in the center is the free transform manipulator.

Did you know that there is also a way to freely translate an object, but restrict the movement to a specific 2d plane? Let's say, for example, that you wanted to be able to freely move an object on both the X and Z axis, but not the Y. By holding the control key (ctrl) and left-clicking on the axis arrow you want to exclude, the yellow center box of the move tool becomes a plane that describes the other two axis. Now, by left clicking on the center box and dragging the object, you can move freely horizontally, without affecting the vertical position. Try it!

1. Create or select an object
2. Press the W key to activate the move tool
3. CTRL + left click on the colored axis arrow you want to exclude
4. Left-click in the yellow center box and drag the object around, noticing that the exluded axis is not being influenced.
5. To return the manipulator to normal, simply CTRL+ left click on the yellow center plane. It should return to its original box shape.
   

the yellow transform box icon has changed
into a plane, allowing free movement on a
2d plane. CTRL + left-clicking on the icon will
return it the normal free transform cube.

Enjoy!

Welcome

This blog will become an archive of simple tips and tricks related to Autdesk Maya, one of the premier modeling, animation and rendering packages available. Got a great tip that you'd like to see here? Let us know and we'll post it!