Lately, when I try to enable axis modification, either using the L keystroke or clicking the UI button, the object jumps to a new position when I change the axis. I can’t figure out why this is happening. It’s happening with objects that are in a heirarchy, or at the top level in the object manager. I’ve thus far been accustomed to seeing a little grey cube at the center of the axis if I hold the L key down, and it’s gone when I release the L key. That little cube is there all the time now. When I hit L and change the axis, then depress L, the object and axis snap back to the spot they had previously been at. When I move an object, a little yellow point stays in that original location.
Also, when I click off an object, it still stays highlighted in the object manager. I feel like these issues are all related. I’ve been digging around the interface to see if I changed a setting inadvertently. Any help is greatly appreciated!
It obviously takes place for you, even in a fresh new scenes, and when you write lately, I assume even after restart the application. (Which means it is not based on snapping.)
You could open the Preferences and in the left lower corner of the Preferences window, you will find an option: Open Preferences Folder…
While in this folder, look for a file called “CINEMA 4D.prf” and delete it, restart Cinema 4D.
Hi Dr. Sassi, thanks for your reply. I deleted the preferences file, and the issue is still there. I suspect it’s a setting. I’ve attached what the yellow dot looks like when I move around an object. This yellow dot stays put and then the object would snap back to it. Does this look familiar? If not, I will contact support per your suggestion.
Update: I think the problem is “retain changes” setting…but I can’t figure out how to change it back.
Per the help files, this describes my problem exactly:
Retain Changes
If this option is enabled, the modeling axis will temporarily retain its position after being moved or rotated. For example, suppose Axis is set to Object (in this mode, the modeling axis will be positioned at the object’s origin). You select some polygons and move them to a new position by dragging an axis arrowhead. The modeling axis will move along with the polygons while you are dragging the polygons to their new position. If Retain Changes is enabled, the modeling axis will stay where it is when you release the mouse button. If the option is disabled, the modeling axis will immediately jump back to the object’s origin as soon as you release the mouse button.
Mike, Retain Changes is to my knowledge not connected to the L or Axis-Tool. It is part of the Move , Rotation or Scale Tool.
Select one of these options and in the Attribute Manager you will see the check box in the tab “Modeling Axis”.
Do the following, select all the parts in the Object Manager and copy it, open a new scene (same project settings) and paste everything into it. Try again. Save the old scene just in case, and the new one, if it works now fine with a new name.
I haven’t seen a yellow dot in this connection before., and I have a hard to time to recognize what you are doing inside of that scene, since it is a very limited view.
Thanks for the advice, Dr. Sassi. I copied the object to a new scene, and it still has this problem. I created a new cube in this new scene, and its axis acted normally when moved or rotated. Also, I’m having trouble figuring out how to access the settings for the move/rotate/scale tools.
Thanks a lot, Mike, for the scene file. This explains it.
Ah! You never mentioned that an Animation is part of the object. This wouldn’t be the case for a fresh scene, moving the modifying the axis.
Never ever change the axis when the animation is already given.
What is your target with the L key, I have to ask? You better use a Parent Null and animate with this mini rig, if my assumption is correct that you like to create a rotational animation.
To answer the other question, the “Retain Changes, is only available in Point, Edge or Polygon Mode, not in Object/Model mode. If that was the problem, as in grayed out.
I knew the answer must be a blinding glimpse of the obvious. Thanks Dr. Sassi! Actually, it’s not supposed to animate at all. So I will delete all of those keyframes. I’m still very much a novice. Thank you for all of your gracious support.
Yes, typically a scene file is more often than not the key to find the problem. I often suggest to reduce the problem as much as possible, which in my world have solved pretty much all problems.
The application has a four digit number of options, functions and more, combine only two fo them and it results in a million possibilities. Combine some more, and it is nearly endless. So, given that, no one knows everything and in most areas we are novices after all: which is fun, as we can explore and find really new combinations. I hope you enjoy that.
