From BlenderWiki
Snap to Mesh
Mode: Edit or Object modes
Hotkey: ⇧ Shift⇆ Tab
Menu: Mesh/Object » Transform » Snap
Description
Used in conjunction with Grab, Extrusion, Scale or Rotation modes, this tool allows you to snap objects (in Object mode) or vertices/edges/faces (in Edit mode, for meshes only currently) to a target vertex/edge/face.
Once the tool is activated you are ready to drag your element(s) to its(their) destination. Move your mouse pointer to the target where you want to snap to, hold down Ctrl, move your pointer to adjust (especially if your target is an edge or face).
When satisfied with the result, confirm with LMB 
or ↵ Enter (as usual, you can cancel everything with a RMB 
clic or by hitting Esc).
Options
Snap Mode
- Closest: move the closest point of the selection to the target.
- Center: move the current transformation center to the target. Can be used with 3D cursor to snap with an offset.
- Median: move the median of the selection to the target.
- Active: move the active element (vertex in Edit mode, object in Object mode) to the target.
Snap Element
- Vertex: the target will be a vertex.
- Edge: the target will be an edge.
- Face: the target will be a face.
- Volume: the target will be a whole mesh volume – the first one found below the mouse cursor. Unlike the other ones, this option controls (in the current view space) the depth (i.e. Z-coordinates in view space) of the transformed element, which is placed at the current “volume center”. This “volume center” can be determined in two different ways, depending on the new “monkey” button that shows up:
- When disable, the snapped element will be at the mid-distance between the two first faces found below the mouse cursor.
- When enabled, the snapped element will be at the mid-distance between the nearest and farest faces found below the mouse cursor.
NdA
I’m not sure how exactly the “volume” target works – so if you know more or can explain it better, please edit this part (or contact me…).
--Mont29 13:32, 11 May 2010 (UTC) |
The following shows different Element and Mode options: Download Demo Video (theora).
Align Rotation
Align Object’s Z axis with the normal of the target element.
Normals are interpolated between the two vertex normals when snapping to edges, otherwise, face normals and vertex normals are directly used.
Only works with Translations (Grab) done in Object mode.
The following video shows a tree being snapped and aligned on a ground mesh: align.ogg Download Demo Video (theora).
