Hand Mode command (Edit menu)

Use this command to select Hand Mode, indicated by the pointing hand cursor.  A check mark appears next to the menu item when the cursor is displayed.  Click again on this command (or the toolbar button) to return to Normal Mode.

In Hand Mode you can select vertices, edges and faces with the left mouse button and move them individually with the mouse and scroll wheel.  For example, if you turn on Edge Handles and select the handle on the roof ridge of the house you can increase the pitch of the roof by moving the mouse upwards.  The vertices at each end of the ridge move in sympathy with the handle.  Similarly, if a face (or group of faces) is selected, the associated vertices all move as one.  If the whole object is selected the whole object is moved with respect to the XYZ axes.

From the user’s perspective the mouse moves the selection east-west or north-south, while the scroll wheel moves the selection perpendicular to the screen.  These directions do not change as the object is rotated.  As the mouse is moved, the selected object does not stay precisely under the cursor, but its movements are easily controlled.  Incremental movements parallel the X, Y or Z directions, the one most closely approximating the instantaneous mouse movements.  It is easy to move objects parallel to the axes.

In Hand Mode the coordinates of moved objects do not remain as integers unless Snap Mode is also used.

Hand Mode is a somewhat crude means of deforming objects.  For precise movements the arrow keys are better, particularly if Snap Mode is also used.

Shortcuts

Select Toolbar:                

Keys:                        Ctrl+Alt+H

Copyright © Ligno3D Systems, 2006