Max -Pivots-Help!

[Murdoc]

Ok, trying to do something in max here and will attempt at explaining it as best I can.

I have one large mesh I am splitting up into several(into the hundreds) of objects; at the same time I have a duplicate of this mesh that is slightly differet that I need to split up exactly the same way.

When they are split, their pivots for each object are the same, at the original large meshes coordinates.

What I need now is to move each pivot of each object to the center of it, but at the same time have the pivot of the duplicate mesh at the same coordinates of it's original one.

The only way I know how is moving hte pivot to the center of each object individually then aligning the duplicate peices center to the original peice... however with hundreds of objects this isn't flying so well as it's a headache....

Anyway to do this faster?

[Tumerboy]

Oh you need to. . . wait, . . . huh?

[Eric Chadwick]

Scripting. You would have to learn maxscript, but you would end up saving time in the future.

[Archanex]

I think if it was me, I'd make a whole bunch of layers, and then assign each object to a layer. Then create one extra layer for the original pivot and align a point helper to the pivot of the original. Hide all the layers, Then start at the top and one by one unhide the layer, and center the pivot point to each object. and then hide the layer again. When you've made it to the end of the layers. go back to the extra layer with the pivot point. and make as many copies as you need. Then select one helper at a time and add each one to a layer (add selection to layer in the layers menu). and finally link each helper to the object

it's pretty annoying but probably quicker (at least short term) than learning scripting would be. Of course if you'll need to do this thing more than once it would probably be worth putting the time in to learn scripting.

additionally, you might find this script useful, though I have not used it myself

http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/m-group

[Murdoc]

Thanks guys, yeah since I'll being doing this more then once, I'll look into the scripting route, or as I call it right now, magic. :)

[Mark Dygert]

Sounds like a good time for working pivot to me. If you're using Max2k8 or higher look it up, it might be just what you're looking for.