The 3dMax sub-spline editing plug-in SubSpline is an advanced sub-object selector and material ID editor for spline shapes in 3dMax.
Easily display on-screen vertex numbers and material IDs for all selected shapes with a simple toggle button.
Select spline sub-objects with the Arrow tool to complement and expand 3dsMax's standard tools: Shrink/Grow Select, Offset Select, Point Select, Random Select, and more!
Accurately manage and control the material ID assignment of splines and their segments: quick buttons, predefined patterns, offset IDs, randomization IDs, etc. This is very helpful for controlling materials in spline modeling, hair plugins or procedural modeling plugins like RailClone (iToo Software).
SubSpline will drastically speed up your workflow and save you a lot of time!
It is the ideal tool for CG artists and professionals who typically work with vector curves in 3dsMax, for example for architectural visualization (Arch-Viz), engineering, industrial design, 3D logo design and spline modeling.
【version requirements】
3dMax 2012 and above
【The main function】
Displays the spline material ID and vertex number on the screen.
Switch spline sub-object versions (vertices, segments, splines) directly from the script's UI.
Convert sub-object selection to other type (similar to Editable Poly) by holding CTRL+button
Advanced Sub-Object Selection Tool (Editable Spline):
– Shrink/enlarge selection
– Offset selection along spline
-random selection
– point selection
– select by angle
– Select by Material ID: Single ID or Range/Similar ID/Random ID
In-depth editing of material IDs (editable splines):
– Quick ID setting: 24 numbered button panel/spinner control
– Apply predefined or custom ID patterns (sequences) to sub-object selections or entire splines
– Copy/paste material IDs between splines
– Offset material ID along the spline
– Reverse Material ID
– Randomize material IDs (use existing/set ranges)
Other tools:
– Invert splines/s, preserve material IDs
– Flatten selected shapes or specific vertices
– Select shapes with the same Material ID.
Customize the "undo last action" command.
Revert to original material ID.
There are no plugin dependencies. Simple drag and drop installation.
【installation method】
1. Unzip the contents of the .zip file, then drag the ".mzp" file into a viewport in 3dMax. The plugin will be installed automatically.
2. To add the plugin to the toolbar, go to Menu > Customize > Customize UI...
3. Go to the "Toolbars" tab and select the category "Spline Dynamics".
4. As you can see from the list below ("SubSpline"), just drag it to the toolbar and you're done!
【Instructions】
SubSpline is an advanced sub-object selector and material ID editor for spline shapes in Autodesk 3dsMax.
With this plugin, you can edit shapes faster, using its smart and efficient tools for selecting vertices, segments, and spline sub-objects.
SubSpline is also the perfect tool for managing material IDs in splines due to its extensive set of functions.
Some tools in the SubSpline plugin only work at the sub-object level (like the tools in the "Select Sub-Objects" section), while others work at the base or sub-object level. See image above.
The SubSpline sub-spline editing plugin works in parallel with the 3dsMax Editable Spline tool. Using the Vertex/Segment/Spline buttons on the Main Panel, it is possible to switch between different sub-object levels directly from the script's UI.
Vertex/Segment/Spline (icon button):
These 3 check buttons are clones of the check buttons in the Editable Spline parameter and have the same function: enable or disable the corresponding sub-object level editing.
When activated, all controls in the Select Sub-Object section are enabled and ready for operation.
The current sub-object selection can be converted to another type by holding down the CTRL+button (just like it is done in 3dsMax Editable Poly).
Select an editable spline shape and start using the SubSpline tool. This plugin is very intuitive and easy to learn. Can really speed up your workflow and cut spline editing time in half.
SubSpline is also a great tool for quickly and efficiently managing spline material IDs.
main panel
The main panel (at the top) contains general commands and is always visible. Other sections (rollouts) have specific tools that can be scrolled up or down to navigate them.
Show Vertex Numbers (check button)
Shows/hides the vertex numbers for the currently selected shape in the active viewport. The small color picker (light blue square) in the upper right corner lets you change the font color of the numbers.
Expose Material ID (check button)
Shows/hides the Material ID for each segment in each spline of the selected shape. It shows the ID number next to each segment. The little color picker (green square) on the right keeps you from changing the font color.
Undo the last action (green arrow icon)
to return to the state before the last action performed with this plugin. (This is a custom undo implementation, independent of 3dsMax's undo command)
Restore Original ID
will revert all changes made with this plugin to the material ID of the selected shape.
Vertex/Segment/Spline (icon button) These 3 check buttons are the check buttons in the 3dsMax editable spline parameters, which have the same function: enable or disable the corresponding sub-object level editing. When activated, all controls in the Select Sub-Object section are enabled and ready for operation. You can hold down the CTRL key and press one of these buttons to toggle between different sub-object selection types, just like in 3dsMax Editable Poly.
About sub-object selection and material IDs:
For vertex selection, a material ID is considered selected when the two vertices at the end of a line segment with that material ID are selected.
For spline selection, the plug-in normally considers those splines to be valid if they have a single material ID along the entire spline. However, it will accept input splines with mixed material IDs, depending on the operation.
Select sub-object part
The goal of the tools in this section is to simplify and automate complex sub-object selection tasks. The entire section is disabled by default. This section is enabled when you press one of the three sub-object level buttons (Vertex/Segment/Spline icons) in the Main section.
All tools in this area work on 3 sub-object levels, with slight variations depending on the situation.
Shrink/Grow (button)
Expands or shrinks the current selection along the spline. In the case of the spline
sub-object level, it will consider the spline's neighbors (for selection) whose indices are closest to the current min and max indices.
Left/Right Offset (< | > buttons)
moves the current selection by one position (vertex, segment, or spline). In the case of the spline
sub-object level, it will consider the spline's neighbors (for selection) whose indices are closest to the current min and max indices.
Invert (button): Inverts the current selection.
Select Random/Pick by Points/Select by Angle (grouping functions)
The tools in this area work in specific ways. If the Affect Whole
option is checked: If no sub-objects are selected, the function will be applied to all splines in the current shape. Otherwise, it will only apply to splines with one or more elements selected. If Checked affects selected elements: it will only apply to the currently selected element.
Choose Random (button + spinner)
to randomly select sub-objects (vertices, segments, or splines) based on the percentage set in the spinner.
Point selection (button + spinner)
selects one element (vertex/segment/spline) every n consecutive elements. The n value is set on the spinner.
By Angle (button + 2 spinners)
Select vertices by angle. You can set a minimum value. and max. accepted angle. (only available at Vertex sub-object level)
Select by ID (Region)
Below are the different tools for selecting sub-object elements based on material ID.
Select ID Range (button + 2 spinners)
With this tool you can select elements with a specific material ID or whose IDs are within the range specified by the minimum value. and max. value (rotator). The small "L" button on the right locks both spinners to the same value to set a single ID value rather than a range.
Select Similar (button)
to select elements with the same material ID as the currently selected element.
For the spline sub-object level, it will only add splines with a single material ID along the entire spline to the selection. Splines with mixed IDs are ignored.
Select Random ID (button)
selects one of the existing material IDs in the current shape, then selects all elements (vertices, segments, or splines) with that ID.
Set ID section
Here you simply set the material ID for the currently selected shape or sub-object selection.
There is a spinner to set any value, and 24 number buttons for faster setting.
The order part of the ID
The tools in this section can change the order of existing material IDs or change them according to some rules. They apply to the selected shape or sub-object selection level.
Copy/Paste ID (icon button)
Copies and pastes a sequence of material IDs between splines.
It works both within splines of the same object and between different shapes, either sub-object selected or at the base object level.
When you copy an ID sequence, it is added to the list of ID patterns in the Set Pattern tool. So you can also use the sequence as a repeatable pattern.
Offset ID (< | > button)
Shifts the material ID of the current shape or sub-object selection by one position along the spline.
Reverse IDs (button)
Reverses the order of material IDs in a selected shape or sub-object selection.
Set Pattern (drop-down list)
Assigns a predefined sequence of material IDs (pattern) to the selected shape or sub-object selection and repeats the pattern along the spline.
First select the pattern you want and press the small OK button.
Randomize Material IDs (Zone)
With these tools you can shuffle existing material IDs (Use Existing option) or set a range of IDs to randomly distribute along the currently selected shape or sub-object selection (Set Range option). When the last option is checked, there will be 2 spinners for setting the minimum value. and max. The ID value becomes enabled.
tool
Invert Splines (button)
Inverts the vertex numbering of all splines in the selected shape or sub-object selection.
Flatten (X/Y/Z Option + Button)
Flattens the vertices in a selected shape or sub-object selection along a given axis.
Select Shapes with Same ID (button)
This function will find and select all shapes in the scene that have one or more of the same material IDs as the currently selected shape.
If you check the option "Same ID Sequence" then it will look for those shapes that have exactly the same material ID and are distributed in the same way.