Flatten

[FMSonic]

I'm having trouble getting the right results using the flatten command, and its mostly because of the instructions in the manual. It says "To correctly orient the pivot, click on the Red handle at the end of the Green Axis (to orient the pivot around the X axis) and drag in the direction of the arrow in the image below until the Properties panel shows -90° rotation in the X axis."

 

But the properties panel doesn't tell me anything!

[T-Dogg]

I threw together this really quick and sloppy video to show you how to use the flatten command. I hope it helps.

 

FLATTEN

[heyvern]

Hmm...

 

It says in the manual to look at the properties when changing pivot rotation?

 

Hmm... as far as I know pivot rotation doesn't show anywhere in the properties... unless this is a new feature added in the latest which I haven't seen yet (I am still using v12 and v13). I just sort of do it by eye.

 

from the left view I hit the "S" key to change the pivot rotation (using scale I don't accidentally rotate the mesh when dragging the pivot) I can see the pivot handles and grab the red one and drag it back. It doesn't have to be "exact".

 

As far as I know you won't see any feed back on the rotation in the PWS but you will see that that "red handle" should point backwards. What is really happening is that the Y axis is now pointing straight back. You rotate the X axis pivot handle but this actually is done so that the Y points back. Y is "up down" and X is "left right" so by rotating the X pivot the Y goes front to back.

 

Don't know if this is in the manual but I also make a group FIRST for flattening so I only have to do that pivot rotation once. Changing the pivot of the group will stay with the group. If the flatten isn't correct I can easily select it again and change the pivot translation or rotation.

 

Remember that if you do any other transformations like scaling on that group it won't do what you expect because you changed the pivot, Y is back to front, and Z is up and down and if you moved the pivot point back to adjust the flattening this will effect transformations as well.

 

You also don't have to use -90 degrees for the pivot rotation. Sometimes depending on the model changing the orientation of that pivot slightly up or down will help. Basically that axis pivot rotation "points" to the direction of the flattening.

 

I had a face that was turned slightly up so when I flattened I rotated that pivot a little lower. I was getting some odd "squishing" when flattening with the pivot exactly at -90. Afterwards I rotated the whole face and scaled it to 0 on the z axis (front to back).

 

It seems tricky the first few times. As you get use to it it becomes really really easy and second nature.

 

-vern