Moving origin or anchor point

Support Basics & Interface
1

Greetings,

I would like to know how to move an objects pivot point(or anchor point as I would call it). I would like to grab it an move it with the mouse. Is that possible? I also notice in the transform properties there is no field to reposition the objects pivot point. Is there an option to physically input numeric values to change the pivot point?

Thank you in advance for your advice.

2

SHIFT+S Cursor to selection, F9 Center Cursor. Set Pivot Point to 3D Cursor with Period.

3

I know about using the 3D cursor as a pivot point, but will that not change as the cursor changes? I would like a constant pivot point adjustment. Is there a way to grab an object’s pivot point an move it, and more importantly change its value numerically?

If you explained that I can grab the pivot point and move it, then it did not work well for me, because I am still having trouble.

I have gone through the start up manuals and I still have missed the boat apparently.

Thank you all again for the help in advance.

4

Perhaps it does not work with a new text object, because I got it to work with a cube, but still no luck with text.

This is REALLY bothering me something soooooo simple.

5

Sorry, I left something out. You can pivot around the object’s own centre, so if you move the centre you have permanently moved the pivot point.
You can’t drag the object’s centre, but as I mentioned you can move it to wherever you set the cursor. Sorry for the confusion and I hope this helps you.
It should, as far as I know work with anything that has a centre. I’m not at home just now so I can’t check it for you. I’ll look in again later.

6

Hi there, sorry for the delay.
I’m not having any trouble rotating text here, can you upload a .blend?

If you add an empty and position where you want the object’s pivot point, then with the empty selected SHIFT+S cursor -> selection, then F9 and enable Centre Cursor on the Mesh panel. Make sure the pivot point is set to individual centres(CTRL+period).

7

So, thank you again for your patience. I have found that centering the pivot point on the cursor works for mesh objects, but I am still having trouble with the text object. If I convert the text to a mesh it works!!! But then I loose my edibility…whenever I try to move the pivot point to the cursor it just shifts the text slightly to the middle, very odd.

Also, I am working on a Macintosh. Please see the screen shots below.

Pict 1 shows the square and text with un-touched pivot points

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%201.png

Pict 2 shows the square pivot point moving to the cursor

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%202.png

Pict 3 shows what happens when I try to move the text pivot to the 3D cursor

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%203.png

8

Thanks again for your patience. I am able to change the pivot point on meshes as expected, but not the text. When I convert the text to a mesh it works as expect, though I loose the edibility.

I am working on a Intel Mac system with leopard. I included some picts below:

Pict 1 shows a cube and text object, with the pivots un-altered.

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%201.png

Pict 2 shows the cube pivot point snapping to the 3D cursor.

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%202.png

Pict 3 shows the text object moving when I try to make the pivot point snap to the 3D cursor.

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%203.png

9

I may have replied already, but it does not seem to post. Sorry if there are multiple replies.

Thanks again for you patience. When I try to change the pivot of a mesh object it works with out fault, but the text object’s pivot will not move the correct way. If I convert the text to a mesh it works as expected, but I loose edibility.

I am working on an Intel Mac using leopard. Please see the pict below:

Pict 1 shows the cube and the text objects with un-altered pivots

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%201.png

Pict 2 shows the pivot point of the square snapping to the 3D cursor

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%202.png

Pict 3 shows what happens when I try with the text object(it move the text abit to the center)

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%203.png

10

I may have replied already, but it does not seem to post. Sorry if there are multiple replies.

Thanks again for you patience. When I try to change the pivot of a mesh object it works with out fault, but the text object’s pivot will not move the correct way. If I convert the text to a mesh it works as expected, but I loose edibility.

I am working on an Intel Mac using leopard. Please see the pict below:

Pict 1 shows the cube and the text objects with un-altered pivots

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%201.png

Pict 2 shows the pivot point of the square snapping to the 3D cursor

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%202.png

Pict 3 shows what happens when I try with the text object(it move the text abit to the center)

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%203.png

11

I may have replied already, but it does not seem to post. Sorry if there are multiple replies.

Thanks again for you patience. When I try to change the pivot of a mesh object it works with out fault, but the text object’s pivot will not move the correct way. If I convert the text to a mesh it works as expected, but I loose edibility.

I am working on an Intel Mac using leopard. Please see the pict below:

Pict 1 shows the cube and the text objects with un-altered pivots

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%201.png

Pict 2 shows the pivot point of the square snapping to the 3D cursor

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%202.png

Pict 3 shows what happens when I try with the text object(it move the text abit to the center)

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%203.png

12

I may have replied already, but it does not seem to post. Sorry if there are multiple replies.

Thanks again for you patience. When I try to change the pivot of a mesh object it works with out fault, but the text object’s pivot will not move the correct way. If I convert the text to a mesh it works as expected, but I loose edibility.

I am working on an Intel Mac using leopard. Please see the pict below:

Pict 1 shows the cube and the text objects with un-altered pivots

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%201.png

Pict 2 shows the pivot point of the square snapping to the 3D cursor

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%202.png

Pict 3 shows what happens when I try with the text object(it move the text abit to the center)

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%203.png

13

I may have replied already, but it does not seem to post. Sorry if there are multiple replies.

Thanks again for you patience. When I try to change the pivot of a mesh object it works with out fault, but the text object’s pivot will not move the correct way. If I convert the text to a mesh it works as expected, but I loose edibility.

I am working on an Intel Mac using leopard. Please see the pict below:

Pict 1 shows the cube and the text objects with un-altered pivots

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%201.png

Pict 2 shows the pivot point of the square snapping to the 3D cursor

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%202.png

Pict 3 shows what happens when I try with the text object(it move the text abit to the center)

http://www.bigpict.com/~misc/blender/pivot/Picture%203.png

14

Yeah, you’re right, moving the centre to the cursor won’t work for text objects - sorry if I misled you there, but it should still be possible to rotate text around the 3D cursor without moving the object’s centre.