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Quick Tip: Creating a Custom Shelf in Maya

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Chandan Kumar
• 2 min read
Graphic Design 3D Design

Hey Guys! Today I will share a small Quick Tip - Making a Custom Shelf in Maya, which could be quite useful for beginners and hence speed up your workflow in Maya. A Maya Shelf is like a shortcut gallery of tools, where you can put your desired and most helpful and useful tools from different Menus. The best part is that you don’t need to go inside the different Menus all the time, again and again. You can keep all of your best and most helpful tools inside the Custom Shelf and hence using those tools at times will become very easy for you. See in the image below how I made my own custom Shelf.

Tip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk Maya

Step 1

Open up Maya. Click on the Custom Menu and you'll find the Shelf empty.

Tip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk Maya

Step 2

If you can’t see the Shelf inside Maya, which means the Shelf is hidden or 'OFF' in the UI Elements. Go to Display > UI Element and here you'll find 'Shelf' is Unchecked. So turn it ON by checking the box.

Tip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk Maya
Tip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk Maya

Step 3

After that you'll be able to see the Shelf. Now you can add your favorite tools here. Select any of your desired Tools, like here I am adding the Split polygon tool into my Shelf. Go to Edit Mesh > Split Polygon Tool and put the mouse pointer over it so that it looks selected. Remember, you don’t have to click on it.
NB:- In Maya 2012, the Split Polygon Tool has been renamed as the ‘Interactive Split Tool’.

Tip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk Maya

Step 4

Before clicking on the Split Polygon Tool, press Shift+Ctrl on the keyboard and then Left-click on the Split Polygon Tool.

Tip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk Maya

Step 5

You will immediately see the Split Polygon Tool appear in the Shelf.

Tip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk Maya

Step 6

Now if you ever want to use the Split polygon tool in your work, you don’t need to go inside the Edit Mesh menu. You can use the tool from the Shelf only.

Tip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk Maya

Step 7

Now, you can add as many of your desired tools into Shelf. These will always remain in your custom Shelf inside Maya.

Tip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk MayaTip Tutorial - Creating a Custom Shelf in Autodesk Maya
Graphic Design 3D Design
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