So I just got a new job and I have to learn maya, and Im having the most frustrating time learning to do the most elementary things, like target weld vertices. Can maya just not handle this?! do I actually have to weld two vertices,let maya compute the average postiton and then go in and manually move the vert to where I want it? From what I see yes. Man maya blows. I miss you max.
anyways Im gonna keep posting all the hate for maya that is swelling within my heart. If any pro maya want to defend their software of choice and want to perhaps qwell my growing hatred with some helpful hints, Im all ears. [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

Wings3D is incapable of welding vertices. At first it was tricky, but if you're great a geometry, there's quick way around it. Point being, target welding vertices isn't the most useful too. You can live without it. But, if it's too difficult for you to "manually" move a vertex, maybe you're in the wrong profession. I'm not completely defending Maya, because I don't use it atm.

It's great that Max is suitable for you. But I left the Max application because of it's tendency to randomly break vertices. I want my meshes to be solid.

Fuck it. Put it in Milkshape and weld the vertices. Then put it back in Maya.

So people will laugh at u. Fuck'm.

http://www.3dbuzz.com

Actually you can weld vertices in Maya.....if u look at those tutorials.

Maya has no target weld. I use two different merge verts settings in my shelf with different strengths. One that will merge verts based on their average distance from each other no matter their location and one that will only merge verts in very close proxmity. I've grown pretty fond of snaping verts using "V" and then merging. Using the repeat key "G" is also very nice when needing to merge more than once.

I have a love for both Max and Maya but I have to admit I love Maya's snap control over Max's. Give it some time and I think Maya will grow on you.

Go into vertex mode (F9), select one of the verts you want to weld, go to your move manipulator (W), hold down V (hotkey to toggle snaps), and move the vert over the one you want to weld it to. Select both verts (if you go to display - heads up display - polycount, you'll get the nice numbers on the upper left that will tell you how many verts/faces/edges you have selected; it's useful). Now hold control + alt + shift and go to Edit Polygons - Merge Vertices. Those two verts should become one, and you'll have a shelf icon for the merge verts command, so next time you want to merge verts, just click that button.

Thats sounds like a ton of steps, but once you get used to the flow, it's fast. Maya's strengths lie in what you can't really see at first: hotkeys and customizeable shelves. If you have any other questions, just post em in 2D/3D discussion, and I'm sure one of many maya users here will help you out.

Edit: oops, HellMark beat me to it. But look, we're here to help!

Oh how novel, another 'Maya blows' thread! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

People never quite get this, but Maya is exactly what you want it to be.

Target weld mel code:

/*

targetWeld
---------------
- emulates the behaviour of the 3dsMax tool - snap selected
vertex to location of a second vert, and weld/merge them.

Campbell Strong 9/02 4.0 > 02/03 4.5
campbellstrong@hotmail.com
-----------------------------------------

Usage:
---------
- invoke the tool with "targetWeld" proc (stick it in a shelf
button, hotkey, MMenu).

- follow help line prompts:
- select a single vertex initially,
- followed by the second vertex which will be
snapped and merged/welded to.
- or simply shift select to weld last weld to
new target.

- the tool will error if you select a multiplicity of points at
any selection stage:
-->tool is geared for quickly snaping one vert to one, unbroken
by pressing enter, you dont get the 'multiple pnts all snapping to
one' functionality. just shift-select your 'multiple pnts' one by one
into one, then take them to their destinatn (its quick). if you've got
a whole bunch (>~10), where selectn is drags, do distance merge (or
jig this script if you use that a lot, of just have large dist merge on
a MM).

- merge vertices does not work across independent meshes,
they should be combined.

- if you cant see pnts on your mesh at any pnt, like if you return to the
tool via 'last tool'/y or in toolBox rather than by a targetWeld call,
simply RMB->vrts them back to visibility.

- if your on running prior to 4.5, you'll need to comment out some of
the functionality that has been added, its just below, line 59.

*/


global proc targetWeld()
{
if (!`scriptCtx -exists snapWeld`){
scriptCtx
-t "Weld Verts"
-tss 1
-fcs "vrtSnapAndWeld($Selection1)"
-esl 1
-snp " Select FIRST, singular, vtx to snap and weld to a second, of shift select for SECOND w last weld as first"
-ssp " Select SECOND, singular, vtx to snap and weld to"
-setDoneSelectionPrompt " **** ---> MORE THAN ONE PNT SELECTED FOR SNAP AND WELD, UNSELECT THESE AND TRY AGAIN <--- ****"
-sat 1
-ssc 2
-sac 1
-pv 1

-euc 0


// maya 4.5 specific additions, comment "//" out if your on 4.0 (just like this line).
-tct "edit"
-ts "$sel = `ls -sl -dag -typ mesh`; select -cl; for ($se in $sel) doMenuComponentSelection($se, \"pv\");"
// end 4.5 specific additions

snapWeld;
}

$sel = `ls -sl -dag -typ mesh`;
select -cl;
for ($se in $sel)
doMenuComponentSelection($se, "pv");
setToolTo snapWeld;

}


global proc vrtSnapAndWeld(string $sel[])
{
undo; string $fst[] = `ls -sl -fl -type float3`;
string $scnd[] = stringArrayRemove($fst, $sel);
if (size($fst) == 1){
float $p[] = `pointPosition -w $scnd`;
move -ws $p[0] $p[1] $p[2] $fst;
polyMergeVertex -d 0.0001 -ch 0 $fst $scnd;
} else {
warning " ** More than one pnt initially selected to snap and weld to, start selectn again (you may have coincident vrts) ** ";
select -cl;
setToolTo snapWeld;
}
}

hahahah. Thanks for the sympathy [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
It's just frustrating to be so fast at one program and know it like the back of your hand, then get put at square one again. Daz, thanks for the script. Im giving maya a chance.

I usually just move all the verts to the target verts using the V button to snap. After moving all the verts in place I select the whole model and click the merge verts with a tolerance of .0001 button on my shelf.

Really, moving verts takes the same amount of time as target welding (if you Hold V while the move tool is selected, you can middle-click on the target vert and it'll snap right to it. then selecting the model and clicking a button takes less than a second.

Keep in mind these are different programs with different tools. I was a MAX user too and hated Maya for a couple months, but had to learn it. Now I find MAX limiting and clunky. I'm sure if I were to start using it again for a few month I'd get the MAX workflow down and learn to love it.

There are plenty of things you can do in Maya that you either can't do or are a right pain in the ass to do in MAX and there are plenty of things you can do in MAX that you either can't do or are a right pain in the ass to do in Maya.

[ QUOTE ]
Wings3D is incapable of welding vertices.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not true, Wings3d is a volume based programm, so there are no (true) one sided surfaces, but it can weld vertexes, as long as the new shape forms a volume. For example the bridge tool welds vertexes, but there is also a feature in object mode that welds vertexes. But you are right, it is not necessary and also not the major way to model in Wings3d, so it is pretty complicated and also a bit hidden.

I said there are quick ways around it...bitch! Hehe. What I meant was Wings doesn't target weld like Max. But really you shouldn't hate a program because of one insignificant tool.

I feel your pain, i had to use maya at work for a few months and it was miserable, anytime i wanted to do anythin i had to search for some stupid script. be sure to get the auto back script.. its buggy as hell but i rember the first crash i had in maya "Hey Greg, wheres the autoback files save to in Maya?" "The what?" BOOM bad answer I'm not saying maya blows, but it definatly was not compatable with my particular workflow. and its tough being thrown into a crunch situation and having to find a new workflow at the same time. The snapping in max 7 has ben revamped its much better now also

Maya Rules

helpfull as always jack

As NoseRider said head over to www.3dbuzz.com and download the “video” tutorials. They will take you from an explanation of the UI all the way up to poly modeling.

Be sure to check out the Maya section of their message boards as well. A very good site for those that need a focused explanation on various applications

Yup, Glad to help 2k

Thanks for posting that script Daz, just noticed that. Maya's been missing that.

Sorry to be a newb, but could you give me some detailed instructions on how to use that target weld script. I've got a vague idea about how to use Mel Script, but my brief flailings with your script didn't seem to achieve very much.

As for Maya versus Max, there is a significan't difference, but once you get the interface properly explained, they work in pretty much the same way. I don't know what the hell 90 percent of the features of Maya do, but I can box model almost as well as I could in Max after a week or so of learning, so its not so bad. At least I won't get fired...

jackablade:

copy the script as a .mel and place in your my documents/maya/version no./scripts/

Type "targetWeld" in the script editor.

right click, select the word "targetWeld", hold down the middle mouse button and you'll see a + icon, now drag to the shelf to make a button.

Select your object, go into vertex mode ( F9 ), select a vert, hit the previously made button to activate script, then just select your next vert as target. Continue as necessary.

Whoa.... badass.

thanks daz!

Cheers mate.

Happy Birthday ghost_rider. Good luck at the new job.