[Question] Selecting joined meshes

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#1

Hello everyone, through this lesson there is an example where you have to practice snapping a box to another. I have no questions about the process, it was very clear, but while practicing it I came to a question regarding joined meshes.

Lets say I have two Cubes and join them together (Ctrl + J), perfectly aligned side by side. Im happy with the result and go back doing something else. But after awhile I realize I dont want these cubes side by side anymore, I would rather have them on top of another. So I select my mesh and go on Edit Mode hoping there is a way to select one of the meshes and move it entirely, but Im only presented Vertex, Edge and Face selection.

In 3DS Max we have something called Object selection for these situations, even if two different meshes are joined (attached in 3D Max) together we have a way to entirely select them, independently, something I dont see in Blender. It wont let me select one of the meshes even in the Outliner window, how can that be done?

#2

This can be achieved a few different ways. The first would be to add the new mesh in object mode, that way you can find it in the outliner and move it around easily. If the mesh is added in edit mode it automatically becomes part of the current mesh and you’ll have to use circle select © or box select (b) to select the whole shape. If vertices are joined v will rip them apart and then the entire selection can be separated from the mesh into it’s own mesh (visible in the outliner) by pressing p and selecting by selection.

I hope that answers your question. A few of these will be used often as you continue in the course.

#3

It still wont work, it actually has a weird behavior.

If I am on Edit Mode and click the cube (in the outliner) it will put me in Object Mode and select both cubes. If Im on Object Mode and do the same thing, select the Cube in the outliner, it will then change me to Edit Mode and select either a vertex, edge or Face, not the whole joined Cube mesh.

Kinda worries me the only way Im seeing this working is selecting by hand, either through Circle or Box selection the entire mesh you wanna select. If Im working on a large and complex meshe I dont see that being a viable (or practical) way to select entire blocks that happen to be joined together.

#4

The idea of having separate objects is that you can select them as a whole and move them around easily in object mode. In edit mode all we really have is select all (a), circle, box, loop and face select. I’ve heard that Blender is not an intuitive modeling program when compared to others like 3DS Max. Most free open source programs I’ve used have been accused of that by those who have used their counterparts. That’s the way it is, and the only way to change it is for someone who knows how, to write it into Blender’s code for the next version release. Blender can only do what the collective of people programing it know how to do. The rest of us have to work around it until then. Still, you may be able to find an add-on that works the way you want. Maybe ask around some Blender communities like Blenderartists.org and see if anyone knows of something.

#5

I understand now, thank you!

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