Click on the menu items to bring you to the corresponding help entry.
New
|
Creates
a blank workspace. If the workspace is not empty then the user will
be prompted to save changes or continue without saving.
|
Open...
|
Open
an existing MS3D format file.
|
Save
|
Save
the current workspace as an MS3D format file.
|
Save
As...
|
Allows
the user to specify a new filename under which to save the workspace
contents.
|
Merge...
|
Merges
two MS3D documents together, the current workspace and another
workspace selected from file.
|
Import
|
Reveals
a sub-menu that contains a range of popular 3D file formats as
well as custom file formats, present from the use of importer
plug-ins. This is the same as opening a standard file except the
user has to specify the file format to import from.
|
Export
|
Reveals
a sub-menu containing a range of popular 3D file formats as well
as custom file formats, present from the use of exported plug-ins.
This is the same as saving a standard file except the user has
to specify the file format to export to.
|
Preferences
|
Shows
the Preferences
window. Allows setting of user definable application attributes
and/or behavior.
|
Exit
|
Exits
MilkShape 3D. The user will be prompted to save any unsaved changes.
|
Undo
|
Reverts
the scene back to the state it was in before the last action was
performed.
|
Redo
|
Reverts
the scene back to the state it was in before the Undo action was
performed.
|
Duplicate
Selection
|
Creates
a duplicate of all selected objects at the same location and selects
the new duplicate.
|
Delete
Selection
|
Deletes
only those objects which are currently selected.
|
Delete
All
|
Deletes
all objects in the workspace wither selected or not.
|
Select
All
|
Selects
all objects in the workspace.
|
Select
None
|
Turns
off the selection of all objects in the workspace.
|
Select
Invert
|
All
objects that were selected are unselected and all unselected are
selected.
|
Hide
Selection
|
The
selected object is hidden. This action can also be performed on
groups from the Group Tab in
the Tool Box.
|
Unhide
All
|
All
objects in the scene are shown. Useful when several objects are
hidden and the user wants to show them again.
|
Snap
Together
|
Snaps
all the selected vertices together. The position the vertices
will lie at after snapping is the middle point between all selected
vertices.
|
Snap
To Grid
|
Moves
all selected vertices to be in line with the smallest grid x,
y and z position (to see the smallest grid positions, zoom right
in).
|
Weld
Together
|
Creates
one vertex at a point were several one lay. Only selected vertices
are welded together. This is the correct action to use when joining
seams (two faces or more).
|
Unweld |
After
selecting one (or more) vertices and choosing this option a vertex
will be split into multiple vertices. The number of vertices it
splits into depends on the number of faces it is bound to. So for
example a vertex with three faces attatched will be split into 3
vertices. Whereas welding vertices smooths several polygons, unwelding
un-smooths them. |
Unweld
Radial |
This
option will perform the same action as Unweld but it will also move
the unwelded vertices away from each other in a circular pattern.
The vertices will receed from the origin at which they were unwelded
by half the distance from the origin to the nearest edge. |
Divide
Edge
|
Upon
performing this action with only two vertices selected, the faces
that both vertices have in common (faces both vertices are joined
to) are divided into two faces. The procedure will only work with
two vertices selected. Vertices with no faces in common will cancel
the effect of the action.
|
Flatten
|
Brings
up a sub-menu allowing the user to align all selected vertices
to the same point on either the x, y or z plane. This is
similar to Snap Together but it works on only one axis instead
of all three.
|
Mirror
Front <--> Back
|
Mirrors
the object currently selected along the z axis.
|
Mirror
Left <--> Right
|
Mirrors
the object currently selected along the x axis.
|
Mirror
Top <--> Bottom
|
Mirrors
the object currently selected along the y axis.
|
Spherify... |
Every
selected vertex is moved around the boundaries of an imaginary sphere.
A separate edit box allows the user to change the degree to which
this occurs. Using this on a biped model for example, has the effect
of fattening it. |
Edit...
|
Allows
the exact placement of one selected vertex with floating point
accuracy in the x, y and z planes.
|
Reverse
Vertex Order
|
Changes
the order of the vertex winding. This will turn a face inside
or outside depending on its current vertex order. Anti-Clockwise
vertex winding creates an outwards facing face. You can find an
example of this operation in action by going here.
|
Subdivide
3
|
Divides
all selected faces by three, creating three faces where one used
to be.
|
Subdivide
4
|
Divides
all selected faces by four, creating four faces where one used
to be.
|
Turn
Edge
|
This
operation requires only two faces to be selected. The line that
separates the triangles through the middle is changed to the opposing
two vertices. An example of this operation can be found here.
|
Face
To Front
|
Used
on selected faces to change all vertex orders to Anti-Clockwise,
outward facing vertex winding.
|
Smooth
All
|
Used
to smooth all faces after construction of parts of a model.
|
Operate
On Selected Joints Only
|
|
Set
Keyframe
|
This
will store the set up of the skeleton to the keyframe that is
in the keyframe number box. See Keyframer.
|
Delete
Keyframe
|
Removes
the stored skeleton set up from the keyframe indicated in the
keyframe number box. This will set the skeleton set up for the
frame to the neutral position.
|
Copy
Keyframe
|
This
will copy the skeleton set up from the desired frame as indicated
in the keyframe number box. In order for the copy action to perform
correctly the user must first select the skeleton in the keyframe
to be copied from. The Animation Tutorial will explain these concepts
further.
|
Paste
Keyframe
|
This
will paste the copied skeleton set up to the current keyframe
indicated in the keyframe number box. After the keyframe has been
pasted remember to set the keyframe straight after if you mean
to preserve the skeleton set up.
|
Remove
All Keyframes
|
This
will remove all stored skeleton set ups at all keyframes in the
animation timeline. The animation is essentially deleted.
|
Viewports
|
This
menu option brings up a sub-menu that allows you to pick an alternative
viewport layout. The four pane, three 2D views and one perspective
view is the default.
|
Control
Panel
|
This
option refers to the Toolbox and allows the user to set wither
it appears on the left or right of the main window. The default
is on the right.
|
Texture
Coordinate Editor
|
This
is the indispensable editor for adjusting where textures appear
on the model. The use of this editor is explained in the Applying a Texture Example.
|
Show
Message Window
|
This
option shows a script output window that holds the results of
compiling various types of model for specific games. Its use is
explained in the Compiling Game Models Tutorial.
|
Show Viewport Caption
|
This
is an extremely handy option to have enabled. It shows details
about the viewport it appears above. See Windows and Panels: Viewport
Caption.
|
Show
Keyframer
|
The
Keyframer is the Animation Box along the bottom of the main window.
It is used to keyframe positions of bones and joints in a skeleton
for animation. The Keyframer is discussed in greater detail in
the Animation Tutorial.
|