16

On the delete menu with vertices selected, I am presented with two options(among others), dissolve, and limited dissolve. What is the function of each, and when should I use each?

nanofarad
  • 2,906
  • 3
  • 22
  • 33

1 Answers1

13

As per the wiki

A dissolve

...effectively turns the selection into a single N-gon. Dissolve works slightly different based on if you have edges, faces or vertices selected. You can add detail where you need it, or quickly remove it where you don't.

While a limited dissolve

...reduces detail on planer faces and linear edges with an adjustable angle threshold.

From experience, you would use a dissolve to create one large N-gon from several vertices while a limited dissolve can be used to remove excess geometry.

iKlsR
  • 43,379
  • 12
  • 156
  • 189
  • 1
    Note, in 2.67 vertex dissolve has an option Face Split which avoids creating ngons from all surrounding faces and isolates the dissolve. So if a vertex has 3 connected edges, the resulting face will only have 3 sides. – ideasman42 Jun 01 '13 at 01:58