Snaps give you control when creating, moving, rotating and scaling objects, because they let you snap to specific portions of existing geometry during creation and transformation of objects or subobjects. The controls in this dialog set the strength and other characteristics of the snap tools.
You can specify the portion of the geometry where you’ll snap. For example, when Vertex is selected, creation and transforms snap to the vertices of existing geometry. You can select any combination to provide multiple snap points. If Vertex and Midpoint are selected, snaps occur both at vertices and at midpoints. The Grid Points snap type is on by default.
The status of the snap types is saved with the .max file, so if you want to set up a startup configuration of snap types, save them in your maxstart.max file.
Snap works at sub-object level in absolute mode. For example, you can snap a gizmo to the object on which you’re working, or snap it to other objects in the scene.
The list lets you change the category of snap types.
These are the standard grid snaps used for grids and mesh and shape objects. Other snap types, when active, take priority over Grid Points and Grid Lines snaps--if the mouse is equally near a grid point and some other snap type, it will choose the other snap type.
Grid Points: Snaps to the grid. This snap type is on by default.
Pivot: Snaps to pivot points of objects.
Perpendicular: Snaps to the perpendicular point on a spline, relative to the previous point.
Vertex: Snaps to vertices of mesh objects or objects convertible to editable meshes.
Edge: Snaps anywhere along edges (visible or invisible).
Face: Snaps anywhere on the surface of a face. Backfaces are culled, so they have no effect.
Grid Lines: Snaps to the grid lines.
Bounding Box: Snaps to one of the eight corners of the bounding box of an object.
Tangent: Snaps to a tangent point on a spline, relative to the previous point.
Midpoint: Snaps to middle of edges.
Endpoint: Snaps to the end points of edges on meshes or splines.
Center Face: Snaps to the center of triangular faces.
These options snap to objects or sub-objects in a NURBS model.
These snap options are aids to creating and transforming objects. They are not constraints. 3D Studio MAX does not maintain the relationship between the NURBS object and the other object after you create or transform the other object.
CV: Snaps to a CV sub-object in a NURBS curve or NURBS surface.
Curve Center: Snaps to the center of a NURBS curve.
The center of a NURBS curve is calculated parametrically, and might not be the same as the curve's apparent visual center.
Curve Tangent: Snaps to a point tangent to a NURBS curve.
This snap operates only while you are creating a new object that requires two or more clicks to create.
Curve End: Snaps to the end of a NURBS curve.
Surf Normal: Snaps to a point normal to a NURBS surface.
This snap operates only while you are creating a new object.
Point: Snaps to a point sub-object in a NURBS model.
Curve Normal: Snaps to a point normal to a NURBS curve.
This snap operates only while you are creating a new object that requires two or more clicks to create.
Curve Edge: Snaps to the edge of a NURBS curve (the current object moves or is created to lie along the curve).
Surf Center: Snaps to the center of a NURBS surface.
The center of a NURBS curve is calculated parametrically, and might not be the same as the curve's apparent visual center.
Surf Edge: Snaps to the edge of a NURBS surface.
This label changes to display the temporary snap type used by the Override system. See Snap Override for more information.
Clears all of the snaps.
You’ll see the snap guidelines appear on existing geometry, and you’ll snap to the displayed, square snap points.