Transform tools

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

Tip:

• To use the CityEngine tools, ensure the Tool Options window is open by clicking Window > Tool Options in the main menu.
• Not all CityEngine tools have options under Tool Options.

Move

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

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

Move 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

Use the Adjust Position and Orientation option in the Tool Options to temporarily adjust the position and orientation of the tool. See Adjust the Position Orientation for more information.

Transform Move Tool Options

The Transform Move Tool tool includes the following options:

Transform Move Tool
Reference System	See Reference system.
Adjust the Position and Orientation	See Adjust the Position Orientation.
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 objects or components 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, edges, or guides on the xz plane. Drag the axes handles to snap to vertices, edges, or guides 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.

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

Use the Adjust Position and Orientation option in the Tool Options to temporarily adjust the position and orientation of the tool. See Adjust the Position Orientation for more information.

Transform Scale Tool Options

The Transform Scale Tool tool includes the following options:

Transform Scale Tool
Reference System	See Reference system.
Adjust the Position and Orientation	See Adjust the Position Orientation.
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.
Snapping	Turn snapping options on and off. Press Shift to temporarily enable or disable snapping.

Rotate

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

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

Rotate tool with shape

Use the Adjust Position and Orientation option in the Tool Options to temporarily adjust the position and orientation of the tool. See Adjust the Position Orientation for more information.

Transform Rotate Tool Options

The Transform Rotate Tool tool includes the following options:

Transform Rotate Tool
Reference System	See Reference system.
Adjust the Position and Orientation	See Adjust the Position Orientation.
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.
Snapping	Turn snapping options on and off. Select objects or components, drag a rotate axis handle, and do one of the following: Rotate to snap to global axes. Rotate to snap to planes. Rotate to snap to parallels of guides. Press Shift to temporarily enable or disable snapping.
Snap to discrete angles	Rotate in discrete intervals.

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).

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).

Adjust Position and Orientation

You can adjust the position and the orientation of the transform tools when you click the Adjust Position and Orientation tool in Tool Options.

1. Select the objects or components to transform.
2. Click the Adjust Position and Orientation toggle key or press O to reposition the transform tool.

   Note:

   This only works when the reference system is set to the world coordinate system.

3. Move your mouse to the new location and click to reposition the tool to that place.
   You can also reposition the tool by dragging or rotating the axis handles, or dragging the orange sphere handle. As you rotate, the reposition tool snaps similarly as the rotation tool.
4. Click the Adjust Position and Orientation toggle key or press O to switch back to the transform tool.

When you deselect, select another shape, or choose a different tool, the position is reset to original selection location.

Original rotation tool, moved outside of the shape, and new tool position

Tip:

The tool automatically snaps to vertices, edges, faces, and guides as you reposition the tool.