Add Extra handles to an existing mesh

Question

I have a Google Earth 3D terrain capture with the image draped over it and everything is ok I just would like to add some extra handles to that existing mesh so I can more accurately drag a particular portion of the mesh's elevation down another 10 or 20 feet while leaving all the other handles alone. 
 For example there is a wash behind a residence that they are wanting to build a golf cart bridge over. The google earth capture comes in great but the angle of the wash is such that only a few of the mesh's default handles actually cross the wash and I'd like to add more handles right down the middle of the wash so I can just grab those handles and pull them down in elevation slightly . . . 
 I'd like to add a few handles along the white line so I can more accurately show there is a "wash" that runs under the bridge when I place my bridge model in there.... 
 Is there a command that does that? I tried add vertex and it ends up "tile-ing" the JPEG that is draped over the mesh. Maybe add vertix is the way to go I just need to spend more time with it, not sure, figured I'd ask the experts! 
 
 Thanks

Ron Jones · Accepted Answer

Hi Dan, 
 The tiling issue is cause by the method used to map the material to the mesh. It is using Parametric mapping with Surface units, which relies on the UV coordinates of the entire mesh. If you alter the mesh, by adding even a single vertex, the UV coordinates of the entire mesh are lost and default back to the basic triangles that make up the mesh. 
 You can overcome this problem by changing the units and the mapping method as follows: 
 
 From a Top view measure the horizontal dimension of the mesh (along the X axis) 
 Document the coordinate of upper left corner of the mesh by doing a tentative snap to the corner. This will show the coordinate in the Message center, from where you can copy it. (for example: 1185592.5454, 700218.4961 ) 
 Open the Material Editor to edit the material definition. (key-in: material ) 
 Select the google earth material and then click the Pattern map icon to open the Map Editor 
 Change Units: from Parametric to Master 
 Enter the measurement from Step 1 in the Size X: field and make sure the Lock icon next to this field is closed , which sets the aspect ratio to match the image. 
 Enter the X coordinate from Step 2, as a negative value , in the Offset X: field 
 Enter the Y coordinate from Step 2 , as a positive value , in the Y: field 
 Change the Mapping: to Elevation drape 
 Your now done editing the material and you can close both dialogs. 
 
 The Google Earth image on the mesh should still look the same as it did before, but now if you add vertices to the mesh it won't change the way the material looks. You can't move the mesh from it's current XY position because the material is now mapped to this coordinate location, but you can vertically adjust vertices to alter the elevations of any points on the mesh, including adding new vertices if necessary. 
 Regards, Ron

Add Extra handles to an existing mesh

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