Transform tools

The transform tools allow you to manipulate and manually adjust your objects by moving, scaling, and rotating.

To view tool options, ensure the Tool Options window is open by clicking Window > Tool Options in the CityEngine main menu.

Move

To move objects, click the Transform Move tool or press W. You can also click Edit > Move Tool in the main menu.

You can move selected objects and components along the axes (x, y, and z). These axes are defined by the current coordinate reference systems. Drag the handles for individual axes. Use the yellow handle to move the selection on the xz or object planes.

Meove tool with shape

When you select a vertex, as a single selection or as a lead vertex in a multi-selection, an orange sphere displays that allows you to drag the vertex on any plane and snap to faces, vertices, edges, or guides.

Move tool with single vertex

Tool options

The Tool Options window includes the following settings:

Transform Move Tool
Reference System	See Reference system.
Translation (m)	Distance in meters to move objects along the axes (x, y, and z) of the reference system. Press Enter to apply a value. Press Tab to move to the next input field. Apply only one value at a time.
Snapping	Turn snapping options on and off. Select a single vertex or multiple vertices and do one of the following: Drag the orange sphere to snap to faces, vertices, edges, or guides on any plane. Drag the yellow disc to snap to vertices and edges on the xz plane. Drag the axes handles to snap to vertices and edges along the selected axis. Press Shift to temporarily enable or disable snapping.

Scale

To scale objects, click the Transform Scale tool or press E. You can also click Edit > Scale Tool in the main menu to open the tool.

You can scale selected objects and components along the axes (x, y, and z). Use the yellow handle to uniformly scale along all axes.

Scale tool with shape

Tool options

The Tool Options window includes the following settings:

Transform Scale Tool
Reference System	See Reference system.
Scale (%)	Scale objects along the axes (x, y, and z ) of the reference system. Press Enter to apply a value. Press Tab to move to the next input field. Apply only one value at a time. —Enables uniform scaling along the axes.

Rotate

To rotate objects, click the Transform Rotate tool or press R. You can also click Edit > Rotate Tool in the main menu to open the tool.

You can rotate selected objects and components along the axes (x, y, and z).

Rotate tool with shape

Tool options

The Tool Options window includes the following settings:

Transform Rotate Tool
Reference System	See Reference system.
Rotation (°)	Rotate objects around the axes (x, y, and z) of the reference system. Press Enter to apply a value. Press Tab to move to the next input field. Apply only one value at a time.
Snap to discrete angles	Rotate objects in discrete intervals. Press Shift to temporarily enable or disable snapping.

Reference system

By default, the transform tools operate in the world coordinate system; in other words, all operations take place along the principal axes (x, y, and z) of the scene. However, you can also select the object coordinate system as reference. In many cases, it is more convenient to use a specific object coordinate system as the reference system.

Click the World coordinate system button or the Object coordinate system button to switch between the two systems. You can also press the , (comma) key to switch the systems. When the Object coordinate system setting is applied, the transform tools are aligned to objects' features (edges and normals).

Additionally, you can lock and unlock the current reference system by clicking either the lock button or the unlock button . You can also press the . (period) key to switch between the locked and unlocked systems. The lock button indicates a locked reference space and defines a persistent coordinate space (for example, with ongoing selection or transformation) until it is unlocked.

Object selection

If object space is active and multiple objects are selected, the current coordinate system is determined by the currently selected object or lead object. The lead object is always the most recent individually selected object. You can change the lead object by pressing Shift and selecting the new lead object.

A multiselection is shown with the lead selection in light blue. The Move Tool is positioned at the center of the multiselection.

The same multiselection is shown with the Move Tool and object coordinate system as reference. Note the position of the Move tool (center of lead selection) and the x-axis aligned with the first edge (orange–blue border).