9

XForm Modifier 959
XFor m M odif ier
Modify panel > Make a selection. > Modifier List >
Object-Space Modifiers > XForm
Make a selection. > Modifiers men u > Parametric
Deformers > XForm
Use the XForm (short for Transform) modifier to
apply transformations (Move, Rotate, Scale) to
objects. The XForm has two main functions:
• To animate transformations of a sub-object
selection. You can also animate the position of
the modifier’s center.
• To transform an object at any point in the stack.
Note: The Linked XFor m modifier (page 1–712)
is a variant of XForm. Linked XForm has no
gizmo or center of its own. Instead, a given
selection is "linked" to another object, which
supplies its gizmo and center. Using Linked
XForm, you can link a sub-object selection
directly to the coordinate system of another
object.
Using XForm
XForm prov ides a gizmo and center for any
geometry it receives from the stack whether it’s a
sub-object selection or the whole object. XForm
has no p arameters. When you move the XForm
modifier gizmo, the center moves with it, along
w ith the geometr y.
Yo u c a n r e p o s i t i o n t h e X F o r m c e n t e r s e p a r a t e l y
from the gizmo.
Of fs etti ng X Form Center
At the XForm Center sub-object selection level,
onlytheMovetransformisavailable. Thislets
you reposition the center. When you return to the
Gizmo level, you can rotate or scale the selection
around the offset center. The center position and
gizmo transformations are all animatable.
Scaling with X For m
When you scale an object with a toolbar Scale tool,
the sof tware applies the effect to the object after
all the modifiers i n the st ack. In some cases you
might want to squash or stretch an object b efore
applying geometric or edit modifiers. XForm
makesthispossible.
By applying XForm and scaling its gizmo, you can
place the scaling operation anywhere in the stack.
Using XForm with Volume S elect
Yo u c a n c o m b i n e t h e X F o r m a n d Vo lume S e l e c t
modifiers (page 1–952) to animate sub-object
selections. This combination makes it possible
to animate both the effect of a modifier on the
selection (Volume Select) and a transformation of
that selection (XForm).
Procedures
To use the X Form modif ier :
1.
Choosealocationinanobject’sstackandapply
the X Form modifier.
The Gizmo sub-object level is automatically
activated. All tr ansform buttons are available
on the toolbar.
2. Move to a nonzero frame and turn on
Auto Key to animate the next step.
3. Tr ansform the gizmo.
As you transform the gizmo , the selected
geometry is transformed with it.
To use XForm as a scaling modifier:
1.
Apply XForm to an object or a sub-object
selection.
2. Sca le the gizmo.
The rescaled geometr y becomes "part of the
stack" because the scale t ransform is c arried
with XForm, instead of being applied after the
modifiers.