This tutorial will help you install a preset in modo and any related configuration files that go along with it. This tutorial uses the awSnapJoy preset as an example tool preset.

There are 3 different ways of installing a tool preset in modo.

inserting the tool preset into modo's main config

1. Integrating it right into modo's config.

This is not the recommended way because if modo's main config file ever gets corrupted, you will have to install it all over again.

a. Open the main modo config file and open the awSnapJoy preset.

b. In the awSnapJoy preset text, copy everything within and including the 'atom' tags. Do not copy the configuration tags.

c. Paste the content into the main modo config at the bottom right before the </configuration> tag, save the file.

d. Open modo, the preset is now installed!

2. Place it in modo's default config folder

a. Find modo's default config and script folder locations. On a PC, the path is as follows:

'C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Luxology'

b. Place the awSnapJoy preset into the 'config' folder

c. Open modo, the preset is now installed!

3. Place it in a custom default config folder.

The custom preset can also be placed in a custom folder of your choosing.

For further information on custom config setups in modo, see the 'Professional modo Config Setup' tutorial. In this case, the preset would be placed in the 'resrc' directory.

As with scripts, there are various ways of using custom tool presets in your workflow.

You can launch them using a command line, assign them to a keyboard shortcut or add them to a custom menu. The main thing that you need to know to use a tool preset is the command:

tool.setPreset

In the case of the awSnapJoy preset the command that we would use to activate it would be as follows:

tool.setPreset awSnapVertice

or

tool.setPreset awSnapEdge

or

tool.setPreset awSnapPoly

This particular tool presets is really three presets in one. Any one of the 3 above commands would activate a similar but slightly different tool preset.

Some people may use pie menus or other methods to firing the command, it really depends on your workflow and the tool itself to determine what the best way is to use it.

I am partial in this particular case to tying this particular command to a keyboard shortcut and use it as a sticky key. A sticky key is no different than a keyboard shortcut -all keyboard shortcuts are already sticky keys! You use a sticky key by holding it down when you press it instead of pressing it and letting go. awSnapJoy lends itself nicely to this workflow as because it is a snapping tool, you can hold down your key, drag your vertice or whatever, and snap it to your desired object and let go of the key.