Rotate Tool

The rotate_M Rotate tool is used for changing the orientation of selected elements. You can rotate vertices, edges, prims, groups of prims, and more around one or more axes, all relative to their pivot point.

rotation

Tool Settings

The Tool Settings panel gives you control over how the Rotate tool behavior:

rotate_preferences

  • Axis Orientation: Choose how the gizmos are oriented for rotation:

    • Relative to the selected object’s rotation preferences: The gizmo aligns with the object’s existing orientation.

    • Relative to global coordinates: The gizmo is oriented to the world’s X, Y, Z axes.

    • Using a gimbal: A more advanced method for precise control over rotation.

  • Pivot: Enter pivot edit mode to manually move the pivot point or reset it back to its default position.

  • Snap: Enable Snap mode to rotate objects in increments.

Rotating with Precision

The Rotate tool provides several ways to achieve precise rotation:

  • Single Axis Rotation: Click and drag one of the inner circles on the gizmo to rotate around a specific axis.

  • Free Rotation: Click and drag anywhere within the gizmo’s control area to rotate freely along X, Y, and Z axes.

  • Camera-Relative Rotation: Click and drag the outer circle of the gizmo to rotate the object relative to the camera’s view.

Snap Rotating

For controlled rotations, enable Snap in the Tool Settings panel.

You can choose between Absolute absolute and Relative relative modes:

  • Absolute Mode: The snap is calculated relative to the world coordinates.

  • Relative Mode: The snap is calculated based on the object’s current size.

Enter the desired snap value in degrees to set the increment for each rotation.

rotate_step

This ensures that every rotation aligns with the specified snap value, allowing for consistent and predictable results.

rotation_step