Introduction to Maya - Modeling Fundamentals Vol 1
This course will look at the fundamentals of modeling in Maya with an emphasis on creating good topology. We'll look at what makes a good model in Maya and why objects are modeled in the way they are.
# 1 05-12-2010 , 05:54 AM
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Extrude Manipulator does not appear

Hey all,

I'm working through the helmet polygonal modeling tutorials for Maya 2010 and I'm stuck on the step were you have to extrude the polygon mesh mouth piece. I select the mesh then go Edit Mesh > Extrude and nothing happens, no arrows or nothing. Even when I select the show manipulator button from the tools side bar nothing happens! Please help me! I really want to complete the tutorial but I cannont advance past this problem. user added image I've attached a screenie to show you what I'm doing. The second image is what it is supposed to look like!

P.S- Sorry for being so green I just started using the program.

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# 2 05-12-2010 , 06:28 AM
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Want to help before someone beats me to it... But I just quickly did what that tute says and couldn't duplicate yur problem no matter how many settings I tried to stuff up..

One time early on I dont know what I did- but every mesh I created/duplicated would have its pivot like -10 in the x??? From where I expected it to be.

When you select that poly and use ANY tool do you get a manipulator? If not you need to center pivot. I'm still green too, hope that does it.

modify>center pivot


Learn from others mistakes, it takes too long to make them all yourself.
# 3 05-12-2010 , 08:30 AM
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Thanks for your help. I can manipulate the mesh with the rotate and scale tool...but with the scale tool I can only manipulate it in the Y and Z axis but not X which is the axis I need to do the extrusion on...perhaps that could be the source of the problem?

# 4 08-12-2010 , 07:17 AM
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Sooo does nobody know how to fix this? user added image

# 5 08-12-2010 , 12:30 PM
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Sorry Fella,

I dont have an answer to your question as I cant just open Maya and try and tackle it, I create a poly I extrude- it works!

I figured you might have accidentally hit something while creating it -Locking translate in X or something I dont really know much about, but I'm a noob! KNOW many here can help if you're still suffering. Like me they probably assumed you got on with it somehow. Sorry again.

If it was me I would have just deleted that piece of geometry and tried again to get on with the Tute, as it doesn't really matter. Please don't get me wrong, I have a prob at the moment that doesnt 'really matter', but I'm still bombarding Miss_Nova with questions because knowing what to do when something isnt going right will help next time (and theres always a next time) Love to help you if I can, - Have you read my Signature? I'd learn something.

So some questions:-

Can you create a new poly cube in that scene and extrude a face in the X?

Is snap to grid on? If it is, sometimes it's awful hard to move a handle from certain angles.

Deleting that 6 sided Poly and creating a new one shouldn't take long. I know it doesnt help you know what went wrong, but will get you moving again - does it still not work?? If not then I'm even more intrigued - try resetting the tool (that tool doesn't really have many- but you never know)
Are you willing to post your file?

Send me a PM if no-one else who knows what they're doing jumps in with the answer and I'll bombard you with more questions user added image Sadly I can't see an obvious solution which is why I didnt offer more help before.

IMO a new poly will work, and take 20 secs. The snap icons are at the top of your screen - They have little horseshoe magnets - they should not have squares around them.

If you select your poly and go to your Attribute editor, under 'Polysurface#' (# is a number) are any of your values greyed out? hit ctrl-a if you dont knowe where the Attribute editor is.

Umm yeah I'll shut up now...Hope something above works for you.


Learn from others mistakes, it takes too long to make them all yourself.
# 6 08-12-2010 , 12:41 PM
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Sigh I just had a fiddle in Maya and most of my suggestions are crap (but try them anyway) in your screenie your snap icons look fine. If Translate attributes are locked you should get grey manipulators not no manipulators at all... see I'm pretty green too.


Learn from others mistakes, it takes too long to make them all yourself.
# 7 08-12-2010 , 12:59 PM
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Two more hopefully helpful questions.

Should have been the first Question I asked but I overlooked it. When you select that Object/Face and then hit Extrude do you get any message in command line down the bottom? You might have it turned off (from yhour screenie) Display>UI Elements>Command Line to turn it back on again.

If theres a reason its not doing the extrude then it will say why there, and that will also explain no handles.

My other question is if it IS extruding then your verts should be doubling every time you've hit the button. if you go Display>Heads Up Display>Display Polygon Count You can select your object and it will tell you what its made up of.. This probably wont help you, but it might help me...

K PROMISE I'm shutting up here now and going to bother David or Nilla


Learn from others mistakes, it takes too long to make them all yourself.
# 8 08-12-2010 , 02:20 PM
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ROFLMAO 3DStudent will always find a way to keep talking user added image

I just wasted an hour or more, my power went out and I hadn't saved...... Arghh

I just noticed this thread is in the Technical Lounge, no-one really understands what is said here which is why alot of people wouldn't browse here looking for something good. I believe if you'd asked for help in the Maya Basics and Newbie lounge David or Miss_Nova (or one of many others) would have had your problem sorted within the first day.

# 9 08-12-2010 , 02:37 PM
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From what I can see in your screen grab you have a single polygon face and it appears selected. I cannot see any reason why extrude would not work.

Try deleting that simple polygon, recreate it, and then see if you can extrude the new one. If you cannot post again and if possible attach a .ma save of your model so I can see if I can replicate your problem.


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# 10 08-12-2010 , 04:49 PM
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I seem to recall someone saying something about construction history being turned off and a manipulator not showing up. Can't verify it at the moment, but check that your construction history is turned on.

# 11 09-12-2010 , 08:09 AM
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Thank you very much! turning construction history on fixed the problem! user added image Again thank you to everyone for helping me out, it is very much appreciated!

# 12 15-10-2013 , 08:37 PM
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Wow - i know this thread is ancient, but i was having the same problem (using 2012) with the exact same tutorial. Exact same solution. So thanks to you out there who helped with this issue 3 years ago. And yes i actually created an account on this site just to leave this message. Of course i'm sure i will be a frequent user now - user added image

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