Hi all, after 2 years of ‘playing’ with Blender, which is no doubt great software ‘for free’, and viewing the Amarok promo video, i decided to take it for a spin and WOW, i had to scrape my jaw off the floor with a spatula . The difference between the two is mind-numbing. I tested v11 or 12 out years ago but i was a newb so…

The question i have is a simple one: Blender has the same ‘zoom to mouse position’ feature in it's viewport as H does in it's network editor (you know, where the nodes/objects zoom in and out wherever you place your mouse pointer). Well, is there a way to have H do the same in the viewport area just as it does in it's network area? This was one feature i became SO accustomed to when working with objects in Blender. Since Houdini has this in the network editor, i wonder why the devs didn't implement it in the viewport? I'm constantly zooming in, middle mouse moving up or down, zooming in again, middle mouse moving up or…. well you get the picture. Space+G is a good alternative, but the other just seems to give me so much definitive control. Is there's a python script someone could point me too? No biggie, it's minor compared to the majors Houdini offers. After getting a taste of H16 there's no turning back and i hope to master it asap so i can give back to the forum as much as i gain from it. Thanks everyone, it's good to be here.

Tim

There's no zooming in viewport based on mouse cursor position currently. It will probably be implemented at some point. What I personally miss more than this feature, and I'm guessing most modelers familiar with Max and/or Zbrush are too, is to orbit around a selection. Imagine working zoomed in a small detailed area and having to orbit around… you lost all your area of interest from the screen. With “orbit around selection” that would not be a problem. Right now the work-around is to use Space+F, but that gets tiresome fast when having to do it constantly.
These things will get sorted out soon, I'm sure.

I see. Well at least i now know it definitely doesn't support it…..on the ‘left-hand side’ that is . Hopefully speaking, it's good news they're going to implement it soon . Maybe 16.5 will have both the features we're wanting. I use Zbrush too so i hear ya dude. I think i'll even fill out a feature request form. Thanks for the reply McNistor.

There is also Space+Z to pivot and center. Still not the same as orbit but I find it useful.

Yes, Space + Z - it's a bit jarring since it jerks the viewport to the cursor position, but after that, your rotation is pretty much around where the cursor is located.


-Will

You can do Space+Shift+Z as well. That will set your orbit pivot without moving the camera.

Personally I just use Shift+Z because the camera repositioning doesn't bother me, and I think a 3-key shortcut is too much finger acrobatics for something you'll be doing constantly.

Orbit around selection sounds interesting. I'd be down.