How to extend a basic shape from one end???

[Brian Jones]

never done Max but I think I’ve seen that… there may be better suggestions but the Correction deformer allows you to deal with a parametric object like it was editable. You select the correction deformer not the object and work in poly/edge/point mode. It will complete break things like the Fillet in a parametric cube though, so for that you would leave Fillet at 0 and use a Bevel deformer with the Correction…

[Mostyn Rowley]

Ah right, I see what you mean – seems to work similarly to the ‘edit poly’ modifier within Max – thanks for that, will be a useful tool! I’m sure there must be a solution to my current problem though, as with the correction deformer you can’t define a specific distance to extrude a face from its current position? Cinema’s ‘axis centre’ has the right idea as it enables an exact axis shift to any surface but, again, this can only effect collapsed/editable polygon shapes & won’t work on basic cubes…..

[Brian Jones]

you can select a poly (for example) with the correction deformer and then use the Coordinate Manager to move it to a value you choose

[Mostyn Rowley]

Right, I’ve played around with those a bit & that does work… now I have another follow up question if you don’t mind… I can change those co-ord parameters to world/absolute/obj etc. If I did this in 3DS Max then – selecting the obj parameter, for example, would reset all the co-ords to zero & I could then type in an amount, or use the arrows to incrementally move the object from its own aligned axis. In C4D all of those options still affect the object in the same way & using the arrows to change an amount has no result – only inputting a figure & hitting ‘enter’ – is this the way it should be?

Hope that makes sense!

[Brian Jones]

with the Coordinate Manager yes, I think so. I think the intent is that you enter values and see the result all at once (or perhaps back with ancient equipment it saved a lot of slow updates… I don’t know the real reason). And you can always use Quantization, move the poly (back to the cube face example) with an arrow and once it moves hold shift. Default (unless you are already familiar) at 10 but adjustable to any value you want.