{"id":623,"date":"2018-10-02T04:42:24","date_gmt":"2018-10-02T03:42:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/?p=623"},"modified":"2023-09-07T15:53:45","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T14:53:45","slug":"remove-doubles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/remove-doubles\/","title":{"rendered":"Remove Doubles (Merge by Distance)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a07363c146ef\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a07363c146ef\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/remove-doubles\/#merge-by-distance\" >Merge by Distance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/remove-doubles\/#adjust-merge-distance\" >Adjust Merge Distance<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>With newer versions of Blender a number of editing functions previously available in the <i>Tool Shelf<\/i>, now the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/edit-mode-basics\/\"><b>Toolbar<\/b><\/a>, have been reorganised or relocated so they make more sense contextually whilst working. One such tool is <b>Remove Doubles<\/b> (<i>RemDub<\/i>), now called <b>Merge by Distance<\/b>, that collapses, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/merge\/\">merges<\/a>, coincidental vertices together.<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"background-color: #fc0; color: #000;\"><p><b>Important<\/b>: depending on the version of Blender used, <b>Merge by Distance<\/b> may (still) be referred to as <b>Remove Doubles<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/mesh-clean-up-remove-doubles.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 98.5%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/mesh-clean-up-remove-doubles.jpg\" alt=\"Remove Doubles has been moved to the Mesh menu of the 3D View\" width=\"910\" height=\"512\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/merge-by-distance-29.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 98.5%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/merge-by-distance-29.jpg\" alt=\"Remove Doubles has been moved to the Mesh menu of the 3D View\" width=\"910\" height=\"512\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>Shown above (top image, in Blender 2.80), <b>Merge by Distance<\/b> is still referred to as <b>Remove Doubles<\/b> whilst still being accessible from the exact same location, the <b>Mesh<\/b> menu whereas in Blender 2.9+ (bottom image) the function is <b>Merge by Distance<\/b>, again in the same location.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"merge-by-distance\"><\/span>Merge by Distance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The label <b>Merge by Distance<\/b> replaces <b>Remove Doubles<\/b> while the function remain unchanged. Here, use of the tool collapses and removes coincidental vertices. In other words vertices that are close to others, or occupy the same physical location or position (coordinates) are merged together and redundant or duplicate vertices removed. In this way a mesh is &#8216;cleaned&#8217;.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><b>Design note<\/b>: Merge by Distance is selection based so two or more elements (vertex\/edge\/face) need to be highlighted for the operation to function.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/coincidental-vertices.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/coincidental-vertices.jpg\" alt=\"Coincidental Vertices, two or more vertexes in the same place\" width=\"910\" height=\"512\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>Shown above elements detached from one another due to their not having a common (shared) terminating vertex &#8211; this can change mesh behaviour and\/or appearance, <b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/smoothing\/\">Mesh Smoothing<\/a><\/b> for example &#8211; both green and red paths terminate separately, two coincidental vertices occupy the position causing a &#8216;break&#8217; the structure. Merge by Distance changes this so both resolve to the same vertex.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>To access <b>Merge by Distance<\/b> then, select an object (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/multi-object-editing\/\">or objects<\/a>) and switch to <strong>Edit Mode<\/strong> (<span class=\"shortcutkey\">Tab<\/span>). Select the elements to be joined together, for example press <span class=\"shortcutkey\">A<\/span> to select everything for processing (<a href=\"#adjust-merge-distance\"><em>cf. below<\/em><\/a>), then from the <b>Mesh<\/b> menu upper-left of the 3D View, click <b>Clean Up<\/b> towards the bottom of the list then <b>Remove Doubles<\/b> from the additional options shown &#8211; <i><b>Mesh \u00bb Clean Up \u00bb Merge by Distance<\/b><\/i>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><b>Design note<\/b>: <a href=\"#adjust-merge-distance\">see below<\/a> for additional options. To cancel Merge by Distance right-click or press <span class=\"shortcutkey\">Esc<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/merge-by-distance-menu.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/merge-by-distance-menu.jpg\" alt=\"Merge by Distance (Remove Doubles) is now in the Mesh menu\" width=\"910\" height=\"512\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<video poster=\"\" controls=\"controls\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\"><source src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/merge-by-distance.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><!--<source src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/remove-doubles.ogg\" type=\"video\/ogg\" \/>\n<source src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/remove-doubles.webm\" type=\"video\/webm\" \/>--><\/video><br \/>\n<i><b>Merge by Distance<\/b> (formally Remove Doubles) has been relocated to the 3D View&#8217;s <b>Mesh<\/b> menu &#8211; in Edit Mode make a selection then select <b>Mesh \u00bb Clean Up \u00bb Merge by Distance<\/b>.<\/i><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"adjust-merge-distance\"><\/span>Adjust Merge Distance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When Merge by Distance is used bottom-left of the 3D View the <b>Merge by Distance<\/b> context overlay also appears. Here a number of options provide additional control over the tools behaviour; <b>Merge Distance<\/b>, a <i>tolerance<\/i> control, and <b>Unselected<\/b>, an <i>inclusion<\/i> control. To control how aggressive merging will be <b>Merge Distance<\/b> can be increased; any vertices <i>within the threshold<\/i> will be culled and merged to form a single, common, termination point\/vertex. To include vertices than might not be immediately visible, or may not have been included in an initial selection but may fall within the required threshold, enabling <b>Unselected<\/b> will include such vertices or those not explicitly part of a selection being processed but within the threshold set by <b>Merge Distance<\/b>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><b>Design note:<\/b> to cancel Merge by Distance right-click or press <span class=\"shortcutkey\">Esc<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/merge-distance.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 100%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/merge-distance.jpg\" alt=\"Merge Distance setting influence what's included\" width=\"910\" height=\"512\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<video poster=\"\" controls=\"controls\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\"><source src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/merge-distance.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><!--<source src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/remove-doubles.ogg\" type=\"video\/ogg\" \/>\n<source src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/remove-doubles\/remove-doubles.webm\" type=\"video\/webm\" \/>--><\/video><br \/>\n<i>The <b>Merge Distance<\/b> option provide more control over a merge operation allowing for decreased tolerance (increasing the tolerance value increases the distance between vertices that might not have been initially included) and whether vertices need to be selected for inclusion in a merge or not.<br \/>\n<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2490,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,230],"tags":[358,346,403,517,404,410,357,359,356],"class_list":["post-623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blender","category-tutorials","tag-clean-up","tag-edit-mode","tag-merge","tag-merge-by-distance","tag-merge-vertex","tag-merge-vertices","tag-mesh","tag-remdub","tag-remove-doubles"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=623"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5202,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623\/revisions\/5202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}