[Bf-committers] [Bf-blender-cvs] SVN commit: > /data/svn/bf-blender [24964] trunk/blender/source/blender/ > editors/object/object_transform.c: Rename 'Object Center' to > 'Centroid'.

[Charles Wardlaw]

> One issue we might easily run into using the word 'pivot' is while setting the pivot for transformation. You would then have a sentence in a tutorial like: 'choose the pivot as the pivot'. This is obviously bad :) 
> 
> Of course you could explain it like 'choose the object's own pivot as the transformation pivot' but then you already made the user confused, compared to the simpler 'use the object's origin as the pivot' where you aren't mixing definitions.
> 
> I've seen that some apps distinguish between the two by using 'pivot' and 'Pivot' (with a capital P), but that's IMO not a good solution either, as the word may be at the start of a sentence and would not be distinguishable.

That's a good point, William, but I think that's been solved by other packages.  Modo uses the term "Action Center" to talk about the place where transformation handles appear.  Maya makes a distinction between the tool "handles" and the object pivot / transform.  There's no reason why Blender couldn't do the same.

So in your example, something like "set the translate handle position to the object pivot" would be fine.  I don't think anyone wants to mix lingo by saying "we're going to pivot the object from its pivot" or anything similar, surely, but sentences like:

"By snapping the transformation handles to the object's pivot, you'll be able to rotate around the pivot.  Snapping to the cursor will allow rotation around the cursor regardless of the pivot."

would work.  The important thing would be to make sure documentation writers never use the word "pivot" as a verb. :)
~ C




> 
> Cheers,
> 
> -W
> 
> On 29 Nov, 2009, at 5:23 PM, Daniel Salazar - 3Developer.com wrote:
> 
>> "My problem with the word 'pivot' is that the objects origin may or
>> may not be the pivot point in a transformation, and so referring to
>> the object's (0,0,0) as the pivot point will often times be
>> incorrect."
>> 
>> If you transform and it doesn't move around the pivot its because you
>> *chose* to not transform around the pivot! I think you are over
>> thinking things here and trying to end up with easier terminology you
>> end up confusing it.
>> 
>> The pivot is exactly what the word means, it will always be the
>> transformation pivot in animation unless you choose to use another
>> pivot by parenting or so. I don't think there could be any clearer
>> word to describe what it does better. Also many other software
>> packages like maya, 3dsmax, inkscape, flash, after effects not
>> surprisingly use the term pivot.
>> 
>> Daniel Salazar
>> Cel: (506) 8366 8384
>> Offi: (506) 2219 0511
>> www.3developer.com
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