CageEdit

Toolbar	Menu
Cage Deformation Tools Transform SubD Sidebar	Transform Cage Editing > Cage Edit

Toolbar

Transform

Cage Editing >

Cage Edit

The CageEdit command deforms objects smoothly using two-, and three-dimensional cage objects.

Note

Cage editing allows smooth deformation of surfaces with dense cage control points.
Polysurfaces are not broken apart at the seams by CageEdit deformation.
CageEdit allows both overall deformation and partial deformation of an object.
The control object can be made with the Cage command or can be an existing surface or curve.
To use the captive object as its own control, select an edge of same object or a face of a polysurface.
History is built in regardless of the History setting.
Typing a number at the "Cage parameters" prompt sets the same point count for all directions of a rectangle or box cage. The degree options adjust automatically.
Supports editing block instances. Block instances always transform rigidly on cage editing, regardless of the Rigid setting.

Steps

Select the captive objects (objects to edit).
Select or create a control object, which defines the region to edit.
Edit the cage points of the control objects.

Click a cage control polygon to select the two adjacent cage points. Double-click to select a row of cage points.

Options for cage control object
BoundingBox	Uses the object bounding box to determine the box location. See the BoundingBox command for detailed option descriptions. The control object created may be 1D (line), 2D (plane), or 3D (cage) based on the bounding box of the input object. The Cage Points option specifies the number of cage control points and degree of the cage in each direction as appropriate for the cage object. PointCount (XYZ) Specifies the number of cage control points in each direction of the line, rectangle, or box. Degree (XYZ) Specifies the degree in each direction of the line, rectangle, or box.
Line	Draw a line to be used as the control object. Degree The degree of the line. PointCount The number of cage control points.
Rectangle	Draw a rectangle to be used as a control object. See the Rectangle command for detailed option descriptions. Degree (XYZ) Sets the degree of the surface in the u and v directions. PointCount (XYZ) The number of cage control points in the u and v directions.
Box	Draw a box to be used as a control object. See the BoundingBox command for detailed option descriptions. Specifies the number of cage control points and degree of the cage in each direction as appropriate for the cage object. PointCount (XYZ) Specifies the number of cage control points in each direction of the line, rectangle, or box. Typing a number at the "Cage parameters" prompt sets the same point count for all directions. The degree options adjust automatically. Degree (XYZ) Specifies the degree in each direction of the line, rectangle, or box.
ObjectPlane (2D object only)	Aligns a rectangular cage to the 2D object in 3D space.
Deformation	Accurate Makes the deformation slower to update and may result in denser surfaces when deformed objects are refit. Fast Creates surfaces that have fewer control points and are therefore less accurate.
PreserveStructure	Specifies whether the control‑point structure of a curve or surface will be maintained after the deformation. The PreserveStructure option does not apply to polysurfaces, and will not be displayed if polysurfaces are selected for editing. Yes Preserves the control‑point structure of the surface. Deformation may be less accurate if there are too few control points in on the object. No Refits the objects as needed with more cage control points to allow accurate deformation. PreserveStructure=Yes (left); PreserveStructure=No (right).
Rigid	Manipulates positions of captive objects without distorting their shapes. The Rigid setting is object-based. A single control object can control some captive objects rigid, and some not rigid. To change rigidness of captive objects, recapture them with the same control object. Objects in a group are transformed as a unit.
Region to edit	Global Deforms objects throughout 3‑D space. The influence of the control object on the captives is not limited to the region inside cage objects or adjacent to control curves or surfaces. Objects that are only partly contained in cage objects are still deformed throughout. The influence of control objects is greatly magnified the farther captives are outside them. Local Specifies a Falloff distance from the control object to surrounding space. Captives or parts of captive objects that fall outside the falloff distance are not deformed. Falloff distance Controls where the cage edit is applied and controls the size of the region between the region with full effect and the region with no effect. Three regions control editing: The region where the cage edit has full effect (the same behavior as when no falloff option is specified). This region is the volume inside a cage box, the area in the cage rectangle, or the segment along the cage line. The region where the cage edit has no effect. Nothing is moved in this region. The region between the region of no effect and the region of full effect.
Other	Define a sphere, cylinder, or box that limits the influence of the control object over the captives in space. Specify a Falloff distance.

Options for cage control object

BoundingBox

Uses the object bounding box to determine the box location.

See the BoundingBox command for detailed option descriptions.

The control object created may be 1D (line), 2D (plane), or 3D (cage) based on the bounding box of the input object.

The Cage Points option specifies the number of cage control points and degree of the cage in each direction as appropriate for the cage object.

PointCount (XYZ)

Specifies the number of cage control points in each direction of the line, rectangle, or box.

Degree (XYZ)

Specifies the degree in each direction of the line, rectangle, or box.

Line

Draw a line to be used as the control object.

Degree

The degree of the line.

PointCount

The number of cage control points.

Rectangle

Draw a rectangle to be used as a control object.

See the Rectangle command for detailed option descriptions.

Degree (XYZ)

Sets the degree of the surface in the u and v directions.

PointCount (XYZ)

The number of cage control points in the u and v directions.

Box

Draw a box to be used as a control object.

See the BoundingBox command for detailed option descriptions.

Specifies the number of cage control points and degree of the cage in each direction as appropriate for the cage object.

PointCount (XYZ)

Specifies the number of cage control points in each direction of the line, rectangle, or box.

Typing a number at the "Cage parameters" prompt sets the same point count for all directions. The degree options adjust automatically.

Degree (XYZ)

Specifies the degree in each direction of the line, rectangle, or box.

ObjectPlane

(2D object only)

Aligns a rectangular cage to the 2D object in 3D space.

Deformation

Accurate

Makes the deformation slower to update and may result in denser surfaces when deformed objects are refit.

Fast

Creates surfaces that have fewer control points and are therefore less accurate.

PreserveStructure

Specifies whether the control‑point structure of a curve or surface will be maintained after the deformation.

The PreserveStructure option does not apply to polysurfaces, and will not be displayed if polysurfaces are selected for editing.

Yes

Preserves the control‑point structure of the surface. Deformation may be less accurate if there are too few control points in on the object.

No

Refits the objects as needed with more cage control points to allow accurate deformation.

PreserveStructure=Yes (left); PreserveStructure=No (right).

Rigid

Manipulates positions of captive objects without distorting their shapes.

The Rigid setting is object-based. A single control object can control some captive objects rigid, and some not rigid.
To change rigidness of captive objects, recapture them with the same control object.
Objects in a group are transformed as a unit.

Region to edit

Global

Deforms objects throughout 3‑D space. The influence of the control object on the captives is not limited to the region inside cage objects or adjacent to control curves or surfaces. Objects that are only partly contained in cage objects are still deformed throughout. The influence of control objects is greatly magnified the farther captives are outside them.

Local

Specifies a Falloff distance from the control object to surrounding space. Captives or parts of captive objects that fall outside the falloff distance are not deformed.

Falloff distance

Controls where the cage edit is applied and controls the size of the region between the region with full effect and the region with no effect.

Three regions control editing:

The region where the cage edit has full effect (the same behavior as when no falloff option is specified). This region is the volume inside a cage box, the area in the cage rectangle, or the segment along the cage line.
The region where the cage edit has no effect. Nothing is moved in this region.
The region between the region of no effect and the region of full effect.

Other

Define a sphere, cylinder, or box that limits the influence of the control object over the captives in space.

Specify a Falloff distance.

Cage

Toolbar	Menu
Cage Deformation Tools Transform	Transform Cage Editing > Create Cage

Toolbar

Cage
Deformation Tools
Transform

Transform

Cage Editing >

Create Cage

The Cage command creates a box-shaped cage object to be used with the CageEdit command to deform other objects.

Note

Cages with a small number of cage control points can modify more complex objects. This ensures that transitions are smoother than could be achieved using standard control point editing.
After creating the cage object, use the CageEdit command to capture objects with the cage. Use the cage's control points to deform the captive objects.

Steps

Select objects, and press Enter.
See the Box command for option descriptions.
Draw the cage box.

Command-line options
BoundingBox	See the BoundingBox command for detailed option descriptions.
Diagonal	Draws the base rectangle from two diagonal corners. No option for side length is offered. The object created may be 1D (line), 2D (plane), or 3D (cage) based on the bounding box of the input object. Diagonal steps Pick two opposite corners. Cube option Pick a height that also defines the cube's orientation.
3Point / Vertical / Center	See the Rectangle command for more information.
Coordinate system	CPlane World 3Point
Cage points	Specify the number of cage control points and degree of the cage in each direction as appropriate for the cage object. PointCount (XYZ) Specifies the number of cage control points in each direction. Typing a number at the "Cage parameters" prompt sets the same point count for all directions. The degree options adjust automatically. Degree (XYZ) Specifies the degree in each direction.

ReleaseFromCage

Toolbar	Menu
Cage	Not on menus.

The ReleaseFromCage command removes selected objects from the influence of a control object set up by the CageEdit command.

Steps

Select objects.

Note

The Explode command will change a control object into normal geometry.
The SelCaptives command selects all of the objects that could be released.

ExtractOriginalCaptives

Toolbar	Menu
New in V8 Cage	Transform Cage Editing > Extract Original Captives

Toolbar

New in V8

Cage

Transform

Cage Editing >

Extract Original Captives

The ExtractOriginalCaptives command restores the original, undeformed, captive object(s) at its original location. The deformed captive object(s) is not affected.

The original box is restored from the curve cage control object.

Steps

Select a cage control object.

CageEdit

Note

Steps

PointCount (XYZ)

Degree (XYZ)

Degree

PointCount

Degree (XYZ)

PointCount (XYZ)

PointCount (XYZ)

Degree (XYZ)

Accurate

Fast

Yes

No

Global

Local

Falloff distance

Cage

Note

Steps

Diagonal steps

Cube option

CPlane

World

3Point

PointCount (XYZ)

Degree (XYZ)

ReleaseFromCage

Steps

Note

See also

SelControls

SelCaptives

ExtractOriginalCaptives

Steps

See also

Cage

CageEdit