Modify a multipatch feature

In the Modify Features pane, Vertices Edit Vertices edits multipatch feature vertices, edges, and faces in a scene. You can move edges, vertices and faces by dragging or typing a value. When you click an edge or a face, the tool enters sketch mode and you can split a face or create a new face.

When you drag a face or an edge, axis constraints appear as arrows. When you turn on Dynamic Constraints Dynamic Constraints on the status bar at the bottom of the active scene, you can press the Tab key and specify a value.

Depending on the feature geometry, one or more axis constraints can appear that are perpendicular to the base face or to an adjacent face, in a direction taken as the average between two adjacent faces, or orthogonal to the x- or y-axis of the map.

For steps to create a multipatch feature from scratch, see Create multipatch features.

Move a vertex

When you double-click a vertex, a 3D handle appears with x, y, and z axes. You can drag the 3D handle and release it to move the vertex, or use Dynamic Constraints to specify a value.

  1. Open a scene containing the multipatch feature.
  2. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

    The Modify Features pane appears.

  3. Expand Reshape and click Vertices Edit Vertices.

    The tool opens in the pane.

  4. In the pane, click Active Select Active Select and select the multipatch feature.
  5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the pane to flash it in the scene, right-click the feature in the list you want to edit, and click Only Select This Unselect on the context menu.
  6. Hover over a corner vertex.

    Notice the active endpoint constraint appears and snaps to the vertex.

  7. Double-click the vertex.

    A 3D handle appears with x, y, and z axes.

  8. Move the vertex using one of the following methods:
    • Drag the 3D handle and release it.
    • Turn on Dynamic Constraints Dynamic Constraints, drag the 3D handle along an axis, press the Tab key, and type the value in the on-screen text box.
  9. On the editing toolbar, click Finish Finish, or press the F2 key.

Move an edge

When you hover over an edge, a 3D handle appears. You can drag the 3D handle along an axis and release it, or use Dynamic Constraints to specify a value.

  1. Open a scene containing the multipatch feature.
  2. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

    The Modify Features pane appears.

  3. Expand Reshape and click Vertices Edit Vertices.

    The tool opens in the pane.

  4. In the pane, click Active Select Active Select and select the multipatch feature.
  5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the pane to flash it in the scene, right-click the feature in the list you want to edit, and click Only Select This Unselect on the context menu.
  6. Hover over the edge you want to move.

    A 3D handle appears.

  7. Move the edge using one of the following methods:
    • Drag the 3D handle along an axis and release it.
    • Turn on Dynamic Constraints Dynamic Constraints, drag the 3D handle along an axis, press the Tab key, and type the value in the on-screen text box.
  8. Drag the 3D handle and release it to set the edge.
  9. On the editing toolbar, click Finish Finish, or press the F2 key.

Move a face

When you hover over a face, a 3D handle appears. You can drag the 3D handle along an axis and release it, or use Dynamic Constraints to specify a value.

  1. Open a scene containing the multipatch feature.
  2. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

    The Modify Features pane appears.

  3. Expand Reshape and click Vertices Edit Vertices.

    The tool opens in the pane.

  4. In the pane, click Active Select Active Select and select the multipatch feature.
  5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the pane to flash it in the scene, right-click the feature in the list you want to edit, and click Only Select This Unselect on the context menu.
  6. Hover over the face you want to move.

    The face highlights and a 3D handle appears.

  7. To move the selection anchor to the location of your pointer, press Ctrl and click the new location.
  8. Move the face using one of the following methods:
    • Drag the 3D handle along an axis and release it.
    • Turn on Dynamic Constraints Dynamic Constraints, drag the 3D handle along an axis, press the Tab key, and type the value in the on-screen text box.
  9. On the editing toolbar, click Finish Finish, or press the F2 key.

Split a face

When you click an edge, the tool enters sketch mode and creates the first point of a split line. Clicking another edge splits the face and creates two connected faces.

Active constraints help you snap to the midpoint of an edge and sketch the split line at a 90 degree angle from the first edge.

  1. Open a scene containing the multipatch feature.
  2. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

    The Modify Features pane appears.

  3. Expand Reshape and click Vertices Edit Vertices.

    The tool opens in the pane.

  4. In the pane, click Active Select Active Select and select the multipatch feature.
  5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the pane to flash it in the scene, right-click the feature in the list you want to edit, and click Only Select This Unselect on the context menu.
  6. Hover over an edge of the face you want to split.

    A 3D handle appears on the edge you are editing. Notice the X constraint appears when you hover near the midpoint of the edge.

  7. Click the edge to create the first vertex of the split line.

    As you drag the pointer across the face, active snapping and construction guides appear as you hover orthogonal to the x- or y-axis, parallel to other edges, and to midpoints and endpoints of edges.

  8. Hover over the opposite edge you want to split.

    Notice active constraints appear and snap when you hover 90 degrees from the first edge, and orthogonal to other edges.

  9. Click the opposite edge to complete the line and split the face.

    The face splits into two faces.

    Tip:

    You can drag the new common edge vertically and create a ridge.

  10. On the editing toolbar, click Finish Finish, or press the F2 key.

Add a face

When you click an existing face, the tool enters sketch mode and creates the first point of a new face. Creating a closed polygon creates a new face you can drag and extrude.

  1. Open a scene containing the multipatch feature.
  2. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

    The Modify Features pane appears.

  3. Expand Reshape and click Vertices Edit Vertices.

    The tool opens in the pane.

  4. In the pane, click Active Select Active Select and select the multipatch feature.
  5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the pane to flash it in the scene, right-click the feature in the list you want to edit, and click Only Select This Unselect on the context menu.
  6. Click an existing face.

    The tool enters sketch mode and creates the first point of the new face.

  7. Move the pointer and click the face again to create a new edge segment.
  8. Create the remaining segments using one of the following methods:
    • Drag and click the pointer.
    • Turn on Dynamic Constraints Dynamic Constraints, drag the pointer, press the Tab key, and type the value in the on-screen text box.

    Notice active constraints appear and snap when you hover 90 degrees from the first edge, parallel or orthogonal to other edges.

  9. Hover over the first point of the first segment.

    Notice the active endpoint constraint appears and snaps to the endpoint.

  10. Close the polygon by clicking the first endpoint of the first segment.

    Closing the polygon shades the new region and a 3D handle appears at its centroid.

  11. To set the extrusion depth, do one of the following:
    • Drag the 3D handle vertically.
    • Turn on Dynamic Constraints, drag the 3D handle along an axis, press the Tab key, and enter the value in the on-screen text box.
    Dynamic constraints
  12. On the editing toolbar, click Finish Finish, or press the F2 key.

Delete a face

When you hover over a face, pressing Delete removes the face from the feature.

  1. Open a scene containing the multipatch feature.
  2. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

    The Modify Features pane appears.

  3. Expand Reshape and click Vertices Edit Vertices.

    The tool opens in the pane.

  4. In the pane, click Active Select Active Select and select the multipatch feature.
  5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the pane to flash it in the scene, right-click the feature in the list you want to edit, and click Only Select This Unselect on the context menu.
  6. Hover over the face you want to modify.

    The face highlights and a 3D handle appears at its centroid.

  7. Press Delete to delete from the feature.
  8. On the editing toolbar, click Finish Finish, or press the F2 key.

Cut a hole through a face

When you delete a new face with zero depth on an existing face, it cuts a hole through the existing face.

  1. Open a scene containing the multipatch feature.
  2. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

    The Modify Features pane appears.

  3. Expand Reshape and click Vertices Edit Vertices.

    The tool opens in the pane.

  4. In the pane, click Active Select Active Select and select the multipatch feature.
  5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the pane to flash it in the scene, right-click the feature in the list you want to edit, and click Only Select This Unselect on the context menu.
  6. Click an existing face.

    The tool enters sketch mode and creates the first point of the new face.

  7. Move the pointer and click the face again to create a new edge segment.
  8. Create the remaining segments using one of the following methods:
    • Drag and click the pointer.
    • Turn on Dynamic Constraints Dynamic Constraints, drag the pointer, press the Tab key, and type the value in the on-screen text box.

    Notice active constraints appear and snap when you hover 90 degrees from the first edge, parallel or orthogonal to other edges.

  9. Hover over the first point of the first segment.

    Notice the active endpoint constraint appears and snaps to the endpoint.

  10. Close the polygon by clicking the first endpoint of the first segment.

    Closing the polygon shades the new region and a 3D handle appears at its centroid.

  11. Press the Delete key.

    Deleting the zero depth face cuts a hole through the existing face.

  12. On the editing toolbar, click Finish Finish, or press the F2 key.