Default transform axis in 2.8x

Can someone explain the current 2.8 axis restriction shortcut behavior?

In 2.7, hitting, for example S for scale, and then Z, Z switched from global Z axis to normal.

This does not work in 2.8.

Intuitively, it feels as if hitting Z multiple times should cycle between global, local, normal, gimbal, etc. etc.

3 Likes

It cycles between the currently selected orientation (first), then global, then off again.

There was a bunch of people asking for this to be reverted, or for an option to revert it at some point, not sure what came of it.

The axes follows the orientation setting. If your Orientation is set to Global, it will align to the global coordinates, but if set to Normal, for eg, it will use that. Tap X, Y or Z a second time to align to the Global orientation.

Was a way to reverse this back put in by the way?

No, it’s just different from 2.7x. It’s more consistent now, because it respects the user-defined orientation, which we try and do throughout now.

Obviously you can set whatever orientation you want quickly with the comma key and just use the axes normally then.

If you wish to switch between global and local while transforming, you can set the orientation to either, and double tap the axis to switch to the other orientation.

2 Likes

So, no.

Along with an explanation that ignores why I might want that.
Rough usage for me, orientations goes like this:
85% of the time, global.
12% of the time, local.
2.9% of the time, normal.

Overall, now managing what orientation I’m in is just going to be more of a pain, and I’ll have to do it more proactively.
If I need anything other than local, I have to remember to set it back to global when I’m done

I don’t understand why we can’t just get an option for this.

4 Likes

these are not bad observations

I noticed a certain disturbance in the operation compared to 2.79 blender … but in these cases my memory misleads me and makes me confused, and so I did not understand that it was a change of operation …

For your little inconvenience, people doing architecture and having chunks of floorplans under angle of 45 degrees, would have to use double tap on X, Y sometimes for days, just to use prefered orientation vs global. I think this way is fair and correct, I am telling from my experience how relived I was when this functionallity was implemented as default

3 Likes

I asked for an option, not removal or reversal.

2 Likes

this is a good kick in the ass at speed modeling … where this type of shortcut combo is most used.

the reason is simple because it’s not good …
because the combinations of shortcuts to do operations … are almost muscle memorized as having learned the position of a letter …
it’s almost like writing “words” …
if every time these “words” change function …
in speed modeling everything goes to hell.

Any possibility to user define what it toggles between?

99% of the time when using that shortcut in 2.79 I wanted normal.

2.8 doubles or triples the time for an operation that I sometimes performed 10-20 times per minute.

EDIT: Workflow was, move global/view, scale normal, move global/view, scale normal, etc…

If you mainly use Global and Local, just set Orientation or Global and toggle between them like in 2.7x.

There was nothing in the 2.7x behavior that made it faster for modeling. Nothing at all. Some people just hate when things change, that’s common. But there is really no speed in ridiculous hotkey combinations like S-Z-Z. Whatever requires such a clumsy approach can likely be done faster or equally fast in 5 different ways.

The way transform tool orientation is implemented now makes life easier for many people while still preserving the 2.7x behavior if you want that. What more could you possibly want?

8 Likes

First of all, when the change is really an improve, I’m the first to support it, so I’m not “one of the one who hates when things change”
I am one of those who gets angry when I see that things are changed too lightly that then make worse or logical inconsistencies respect to the philosophy adopted and well tested for many years.
And I have often repeated, who does not use this modeling approach, does not know what he is talking about, so stop speculating that “they are obsolete” or “they are not fast”

Please, if you know the shortcut equivalent for S-Z-Z for 2.8, let me know!

Because sometimes I use normal and having it behave completely differently when I do that screws up workflow.
Also because I’m sure other people use normal more than I use local.

What? S-Z-Z works in 2.8 factory defaults as it always did…

The point is that unlike before, you no longer have to press every axis twice if you want to transform an object several times in local orientation at once. You can just switch to local orientation, and then always press axis only once. So it ends up being S-Z instead of S-Z-Z. Of course even few local axis transforms in a succession will always be slower than simply dragging on the scale gizmo a few times…

1 Like

Sorry, let me rephrase then:

Do you know the shortcut to transform along a normal axis in 2.8?

So we are talking about something mesh edit mode specific then. That feature is named shrink/fatten. I don’t use default keymap at all, but I vaguely remember it was Alt+S.

If they want to use Normal, they can set their Orientation to Normal, while tapping X, Y or Z a second time will let them transform along the global orientation.

2 Likes