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660 Chapter 8: Modifiers
unselected edge, the software first deselects any
selected edges.
An edge chamfer "chops off " the selected edges,
creating a new polygon connecting new points on
all visible edges leading to the original vertex. The
new edges are exactly <chamfer amount> distance
fromtheoriginaledgealongeachoftheseedges.
New chamfer faces are created with the material
ID of a neighboring face (picked at r andom) and
a smoothing g roup that is an intersection of all
neighboring smoothing groups.
For example, if you chamfer one edge of a box,
each corner ver tex is replaced by two vertices
moving along the visible edges that lead to the
corner. Outside faces are rearranged and split
to use these new vertices, and a new polygon is
created at the corner.
Alternatively, you can create open space around
the chamfered edges; for details, see Chamfer Edges
dialog (page 1–1070).
Chamfer S ettings—Opens the Chamfer Edges
dialog (page 1–1070),whichletsyouchamferedges
via interactive manipulation and toggle the Open
option.
If you click this button after performing a manual
chamfer, the same chamfer is per formed on the
current selection as a preview and the dialog opens
w ith Chamfer Amount set to the amount of the
last manual chamfer.
Target Weld—Allows you to select an edge and
weld it to a target edge. When positioned over an
edge, the cursor changes to a + cursor. Click and
move the mouse and a dashed line appears from
the vertex with an arrow cursor at the other end
of the line. Position the cursor over another edge
and w hen the + cursor appears again, click the
mouse. The first edge is moved to the p osition of
the second, and the two are welded.
You can weld only edges that have one polygon
attached; that is, edges on a border. Also, you
cannot per form a weld operation that results in
illegal geometry, such as an edge shared by more
than two polygons. For example, you cannot weld
opposite edges on the border of a box that has a
side removed.
Bridge—Connects border edges on an object w ith
a polygon “bridge.” Bridge connects only border
edges; that is, edges that have a polygon on only
one side. This tool is particularly useful when
creating edge loops or profi les.
TherearetwowaystouseBridgeinDirect
Manipulation mode (that is, without opening the
BridgeEdgessettingsdialog):
• Select two or more border edges on the object,
and then click Bridge. This immediately creates
the br idge between the p air of selected borders
using the current Bridge settings, and then
deactivates the Bridge button.
• If no qualifying selection exists (that is, two or
more selected border edges), clicking Bridge
activatesthebuttonandplacesyouinBridge
mode. First click a border edge and then move
the mouse; a rubber-band line connects the
mouse cursor to the clicked edge. C lick a
second edge on a different border to bridge the
two. This creat es the bridge immediately using
the cur rent Bridge sett ings; the Bridge button
remains active for connecting more edges.
To exit Bridge mode, right-click the active
viewport or click the Bridge button.
Note: Bridge a lways creates a str aight-line
connect ion between edges. To make the bridge
connection follow a contour , apply modeling
toolsasappropriateafter creating the bridge. For
example, bridge two edges, and then use Bend
(page 1–560).
B ridge S ettings—Opens the Bridge Edges
dialog (page 1–1068),whichletsyouadd