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 x, y, and z axes. These axes are defined by the current 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

You can apply transform move options, such as reference system, position and orientation, translation, or snapping in the Transform Move Tool options.

Transform Move Tool Options

The Transform Move Tool includes the following options:

Transform Move Tool
Reference System	See Reference system.
Adjust the Position and Orientation	See Adjust the Position and Orientation.
Translation (m)	Distance in meters to move objects along the axes 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 turn on or off 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 x, y, and z axes. Use the yellow handle to uniformly scale along all axes.

Scale tool with shape

You can apply transform scale options, such as reference system, position and orientation, scale, or snapping in the Transform Scale Tool options.

Transform Scale Tool Options

The Transform Scale Tool includes the following options:

Transform Scale Tool
Reference System	See Reference system.
Adjust the Position and Orientation	See Adjust the Position and Orientation.
Scale (%)	Scale objects along the axes 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 turn on or off 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 x, y, and z axes.

Rotate tool with shape

You can apply transform rotate options, such as reference system, position and orientation, rotation, or snapping in the Transform Rotate Tool options.

Transform Rotate Tool Options

The Transform Rotate Tool includes the following options:

Transform Rotate Tool
Reference System	See Reference system.
Adjust the Position and Orientation	See Adjust the Position and Orientation.
Rotation (°)	Rotate objects around the axes 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 turn on or off snapping.
Snap to discrete angles	Rotate in discrete intervals.

Reference system

Transformations operate by default along the principal x, y, and z axes of a scene in the world reference system. Additionally, for customization and precision, you can apply transformations using the object reference system or create a custom reference system to save and apply to other objects in the scene.

In the transform Tool Options window , click the World reference system , Object reference system , or the Custom reference system to apply the reference systems. You can also press the (,) to switch between the systems. When the Object reference system setting is applied, the transform tools are aligned to objects' features (edges and normals).

Custom Reference System

You can create a custom reference system (CRS) in which the axes handles position and orientation are saved to use later with the transform tools.

In the main menu, click Edit > Custom Reference System to open the Custom Reference System Tool.

To add or update a CRS, do the following:

1. Set the location and orientation of axes handles by doing any of the following:
   • Click anywhere in the scene to reposition the axes to that location.
   • Drag the handles to reposition the axes. Snap to geometry, guides, and other snapping targets depending on what snapping elements are turned on.
   • Drag or rotate the axes handles to change orientation, or drag the orange sphere handles. As you rotate the axes, they snap similarly as the Transform Rotate tool.
2. To add or update the current position and orientation of the axes as a CRS, click the Add / Update CRS button under the Retrieve CRS option in the Custom Reference System Tool options.

   The Add / Update Custom Reference System window opens:

   

3. Add or update an existing CRS:
   • Click Add to add the CRS.
   • Click Update to update a selected existing CRS in the list.
4. Click Cancel to close the window without adding or updating CRS.

To retrieve a saved CRS to apply to the transform tools, do the following:

1. Click the Choose... drop-down menu under Retrieve CRS.
2. Click a saved CRS in the list.

   The transform tools are now set to the selected CRS.

3. Click any transform tool, and click the Custom reference system button to apply the selected CRS to your transformation.

   Note:

   The Transform Move tool applies the orientation of the CRS but not the position.

You can rename, reorder, or remove an existing CRS by clicking Edit > Edit Custom Reference Systems... in the main menu, or click Edit CRSs... under Retrieve CRS in the Custom Reference System Tool options.

Custom Reference System Tool Options

The Custom Reference System Tool includes the following options:

Custom Reference System Tool
Snapping	Turn snapping options on and off in the scene.
Retrieve CRS	Add, update, or edit a CRS. See Custom Reference System.

Adjust Position and Orientation

You can temporarily adjust the position and the orientation of the transform tools handles 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.

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 axes handles, or dragging the orange sphere handles. As you rotate, the reposition tool snaps similarly as the Transform Rotate tool.
4. Click the Adjust Position and Orientation toggle key or press O to switch back to the transform tool.

Note:

The Adjust Position and Orientation tool works only with the world reference and custom reference systems.

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.

Object selection

If object space is active and multiple objects are selected, the current reference 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 reference system. Note the position of the Move tool (center of lead selection) and the x-axis aligned with the first edge (orange–blue border).