Boolean Operation Ctrl + - (Numpad Minus)
Boolean operations involve adding or subtracting objects. To demonstrate, let’s create a cube and a cylinder using Shift + A. Position them as shown using G.
Now, select both the cylinder and the cube by holding down Shift, then press:
Ctrl + - (Numpad Minus)
You’ll notice that the cube has been subtracted from the cylinder.
If Ctrl + - (Numpad Minus) doesn’t work, go to Edit->Preferences, search for bool in the Add-ons section. Make sure Object: Bool Tool is enabled. Turn it on, save user settings at the bottom left, and try again.
Although the cylinder is now shown in wireframe, it can still be selected. Try moving only the cylinder by selecting it and pressing G.
Here, we’ve introduced the subtraction with Ctrl + - (Numpad Minus), but you can easily imagine the result of addition with Ctrl + + (Numpad Plus). However, Booleans are predominantly used for subtracting, so scenarios using subtraction are more common. Also, changing the selection order of the cylinder and cube will yield the opposite result. Try it out.
Boolean operations are different from the shortcuts we’ve learned so far; they use a feature called Modifiers. Watch the following video for more details.
After Ctrl + - (Numpad Minus), a tab with a wrench icon will appear on the right side of the screen. This is similar to the screen introduced after the Bevel or Subdivide operations we covered earlier, where adjustments can be made immediately after execution. However, unlike those operations, the Boolean modifier always exists, and you can edit its parameters even after progressing with your work. If editing is no longer necessary, you can use Apply to return to a regular mesh.
