Proposal for SNAP feature

General Forums Blender and CG Discussions
1

On a previous topic (how many architects here?) came out a considerable number of Blender users who would greatly appreciate a few CAD-like features in Blender, mainly easier SNAP options and precise measures.

I know little about coding, but I know that Blender cannot have on-the-fly snaps because cannot manage events during a command (correct me if I’m wrong!).

So I’ll make a proposal that could operate with Blender’s current structure.

Let’s consider vertex snapping, ie I want to move an object making one of its vertex snapped to a vertex of another object.
By now we can do it so:

  • Select object
  • Select vertex
  • Make Cursor on vertex
  • Make new center on Cursor
  • Select referring object
  • Select referring vertex
  • Make Cursor on vertex
  • Select original object
  • Make Selection on Cursor

A script could do it requiring only these steps:

STEPS:

  1. hit a snap command
  2. select referring object
  3. select referring vertex
  4. select object
  5. select vertex

Is it possible?
Has anyone a better idea?

2

ditto

3

SNAP is the one feature that I am DYING for!!! Its such a huge omission from Blender’s powerful toolset. If I only got one more modeling tool in the next year I think that it would have to be snaps. FYI there was quite a nice functioning vertex snap in Tuhopuu some time ago. You pressed a key and it entered snap mode which allowed you to snap any vert to another. Not the most comprehensive of tools but it was a DARN good start. Oh how I miss it!! SNAPS, yes PLLLLEEEEEEEAAASE!

TorQ

4

Snap tools are in the plan for the later phase of the Transform makeover. First phase is to redo/enhance current functionality and then develop a better transformation constraining system.

Martin
PS: I was the one responsible for the snap thingy in tuhopuu. Code was very dirty though so it was droped.

5

Just for the curious inclined (moi:). Is the general, initial stage of transform refactoring on for 2.35?

6

Nope. 2.35 is scheduled for very soon, we’ve in feature freeze for a week now. Moreover, the first phase is nowhere near done.
You can follow the transform refactoring progress in the dev wiki: http://wiki.blender.org/bin/view.pl/Blenderdev/TransformRefactoring

Martin

7

I’m glad to hear that SNAP is on the “to do” list of the transform refactoring.
So probably we won’t see any other snap implementation since refactoring will be done?

8

Not from my part, but who’s to say nobody else will try their hands at it…

Martin

9

The transform-widget feature is great! Thanks coders. I used to love a feature like this in 3ds Max. I’m looking forward to the future transform updates in Blender.

Does anyone know if Blender will get any new mesh topology structure feature updates for extruding and scaling so that the mesh surface will behave more predictably as far is scaling after extruding regional multiple selected faces? I would inquire about more like flipping faces, etc. but I like to keep things basic.

Blend on!