What's New in Director 8.5 > Working with Models and Model Resources > Animation modifiers > Mesh deform modifier properties |  |

Mesh deform modifier properties

The mesh deform modifier lets you alter an existing model resource's geometry at run time. You can create twist, bend, and ripple effects. Unlike other modifiers, the mesh deform modifier directly affects model resources as well as the models that use those resources. For example, if three car models share the same model resource, adding this modifier to one model and then deforming it will deform all the car models.

The mesh deform modifier is complex and is primarily useful for users with a thorough understanding of 3D geometry. However, you can take advantage of much of the modifier's potential by using only the vertexList property.

Use these properties to work with the mesh deform modifier:

Property | Access | Description
--- | --- | ---
`whichModel``.meshDeform.mesh.count` | Get | Returns the number of meshes in a model.
`whichModel``.meshDeform.mesh[``index``].vertexList` | Get and set | Returns a list of the vertices for the specified mesh. To modify the vertices in this mesh, set this property to a list of modified vertex positions, or modify individual vertices using bracket analysis.
`whichModel``.meshDeform.mesh[``index``].normalList` | Get and set | Returns a list of the normals for the specified mesh.
`whichModel``.meshDeform.mesh[``index``].textureCoordinateList` | Get and set | Returns a list of the texture coordinates for the specified mesh.
`whichModel``.meshDeform.mesh[``index``].face.count` | Get | Returns the number of triangular faces in a given mesh.
`whichModel``.meshDeform.mesh[``index``].face.[``index``]` | Get | Returns a list of three indexes into the vertex, normal, texture coordinate, and color lists. These indexes correspond to the corners of the face for the specified mesh.
`whichModel``.meshDeform.mesh[``index``].face[``index``].neighbor[``index``]` | Get | Returns a list of lists describing the neighbors of a particular face of a mesh opposite the face corner specified by the neighbor index `(1,2,3)`. If the list is empty, the face has no neighbors in that direction. If the list contains more than one list, the mesh is nonmanifold. This is rare. Usually the list contains four integer values. The first value is for the index into the `mesh[]` list, where the neighbor face lives. The second is `FaceIndex`, the index of the neighbor face in that mesh. The third is `vertexIndex`, the index within the neighbor face. The last is for `Flipped`, which describes whether the neighbor face is oriented in the same `(0)` or the opposite `(1)` way as the original face.
`whichModel``.meshDeform.face.count` | Get | Returns the total number of faces in the model, which is equivalent to the sum of all the `model``.meshDeform.mesh[``index``].face.count` properties in a given model.