User Tools

Site Tools


Position, Resizing, and Rotation with Target Helpers

Author: DanaC78

Tools Needed

* Carrara 5

Support Files



You have a massive scene and you have grouped everything together per the Organization Tutorial I wrote. You've already learned how target helpers can make the Instance Box look neat and organized. Sure, you can move things individually since Target Helper isn't rendered, and you can make sure the things are rendered are looking nice without the fuss caused by parenting say a Cube to Cone object. However, what if you need to reposition or resize groups of objects? For example, say you have a scene where you have the sun pointing where you want it to, but the house is on the wrong side, and the house is composed of MANY parts. No problem, Target Helpers will save the day once again. As with the previous tutorial, this assumes you know how to create objects.

Step 1: Make the Scene

What I would like you to do is create ten cubes at different point of the scene, or you could use the provided Car file.:) If you use the car file, you shall see this.


Step 2: Target Help!


What I want you to do now is create a target helper, and place it in the scene. Technically, you can place it anywhere but I would like you to place it in the center like so:


The reason is for simplicity. Position will go wherever the Target goes, but Resize and Rotate are based on Centers, which anything else but center may not get the result you are expecting.

The second part of this step is to place all the cubes into the Target Helper Object in the Instance Tab. Once this is done, we are ready to endure this nasty scene. :)


Step 3: Take Me Higher!

Your boss or muse (depending which applies to you) likes your scene, but thinks it should be higher, or maybe they notice that it was sunk too deep into the ground. You will want to scream, but you noticed that you created a target helper your objects are parented to.


What I would like you to do is to highlight the target helper, and then click on the Positioner (note: This isn't the official title of the tool, but it sounds cool.;))


The Object Rises! You have raised them in about 1/10th of the time it would have taken you to do each of them individually, and more importantly, accurately. This isn't so important for the scene at hand, but if you have walls, buildings, and such, it is helpful.


Step 4: Fatter

You showed your superior, and they like the work, but they think the objects could be a little wider on both the X and Y. You got ten cubes to do, and you thinking how to do it correctly, and think of the motion panel. However, there is always Target Helpers.:)


What I would like you to do here is stretch along the X and Y or you could use the motion tab.


Now you should see something along the lines of this:


The key thing I should mention is that Target helpers have once again allowed you to get things done in 1/10th of the time it would of taken you to resize each one accurately. Sounds pretty nice, eh? :)

Step 5: 45 Degrees

Your superior likes the work so far, but wants it in a 45 Degree angle. You go “Sure, No Problem” because you got Target Helpers. This one is equally important for target helpers because to rotate objects, you sometimes have to reposition them along the X-Y. So this step will save a whole lot of time. This is especially crucial that Target Helper is as centered as I mentioned in Step 2.


What I would like you to do is select the Target Helper, and click on rotate, or you can use the Motion panel if it is easier for you, and I want you to twist it on the Z Axis 45 degrees, and you should see it like below.


Now imagine doing all those individually? I know, Target helpers are a savior of your 3D Sanity.:)

Step 6: Overview

As you can see, Target Helpers can very useful when doing simple operations such as position, rotate, and resize with multiple objects that could be walls or a platform, or something you'really don't want separated.:) The best part of all.


Target Helpers don't render at all..:)