@database Bridge.guide
@$VER: Bridge.guide 5.0 (19.07.97)
@(C) 1997 Nova Design, Inc.
@author Thomas Krehbiel
@font Helvetica.font 13
@wordwrap


@remark --------------------------------
@node Main "Bridge"
Tool Name: Bridge
Author:    Adspec Programming
Last Revision: March 13, 1995;
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PURPOSE: To manually create new polys on points of existing polys.
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RESTRICTIONS:

None.
Will not recognize points of some special objects.

NOTE: when using bridge, you should NOT have objects selected.
If you do, it will not interfere with the operation of the
bridge tool, but screen updates are not clear.
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USE:

This tool can be used with either a LEFT MOUSE BUTTON
which uses the stored defaults or with the RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON
to change the defaults before use.

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TO CHANGE DEFAULTS:

1: Click the RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON on the tool's gadget.
2: Edit the options as desired:

   There is only one option, the points per poly value.

   The value you enter here is the number of points you must
   select before a new poly is created.

   NOTE: if you use a value of -1 here, the tool will allow you
   to create polys of varying numbers of points. To use it in
   this manner, select the points, then MOVE THE POINTER to a
   position on screen with NO POINTS and DOUBLE CLICK to create
   the poly.

If you select the ACCEPT gadget, the new defaults will be saved
for future use.

If you select the CANCEL gadget, the window closes with
no changes saved.

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FOR USE WITH STORED DEFAULTS:

(You must have some existing polygons in the drawing)

Click the LEFT MOUSE BUTTON on the tool.

You will be prompted to choose a point, or press the escape key, or
use the set command to quit.

If you have the points per poly value set to 3, choose ANY 3 points
from the existing polys. As you select them, you will see a small
box around the selected point. When you select the 3rd point, the new
polygon (in this case, a triangle) will be created and the points are
unselected. You may continue selecting points, creating new polys, or
you may use the escape key or the set command to exit the tool.

If you use a value of -1 here, the tool will allow you
to create polys of varying numbers of points. To use it in
this manner, select the points, then MOVE THE POINTER to a
position on screen with NO POINTS and DOUBLE CLICK to create
the poly.

The points in the new poly will be created in the order that you have
chosen them.

QUALIFIER: Unselecting points.

If you have chosen a point accidentally, you may "unchose" it by
holding down the SHIFT key and selecting it.

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NOTES:

You can use the bridge tool to manually "face" a poly, just like the
face tools option if desired. To do this, it is usually convenient to
select only the poly you are going to face. This causes the poly to
show its segments in alternating red/white segments, allowing you to
more easily see the segment endpoints.

You can also use the bridge tool to manually create a "bridge" between
two existing objects. For instance, if you had a sphere and moved the
top half away from the bottom half, you could then use the bridge tool
to manually create a "tube" between the two halfs. In general, it is
easier to see where the new polys should go if you hide all polys
except those you intend to use with the bridge tool. When working in
this manner, it is generally best not to have any polys selected before
you run the bridge tool.

Note that you cannot use the chaview tool while
the bridge tool is running, but you can still use the number pad keys
to rotate your view while running the bridge tool.
When using the number pad, center gadget, cursor keys, etc to
change the view while the bridge tool is running with selected points,
the synchronization of the selected points white boxes is delayed, so
may not paint properly on the points. If they get out of sync, just
tap one of the number pad keys (the 8 key is convenient) to cause
the program to update the display and realign them.

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@endnode