Chapter 1 ✦ Finding Your Way — Exploring the Max Interface 35

The Particle View interface (keyboard shortcut, 6) lets you control how particles interact
with the scene. Using icons that can be linked into a workflow, you can specify how particles
act with one another and with objects in the scene.

Cross- The Track View is covered in Chapter 33, “Working with the Track View,” The Schematic View
Reference interface is covered in Chapter 9, “Working with the Schematic View,” and the Particle View
interface is covered in Chapter 18, “Creating Particles and Particle Flow.”

The Rendering menu

The Rendering menu is the doorway to the final output. The Render command (F10) opens
the Render Scene dialog box where you can set output options such as which frames to ren-
der and the final image size. The Environment command (keyboard shortcut, 8) opens the
Environment dialog box where you can specify the environment settings such as a back-
ground color or image, global lighting settings, and atmospheric effects such as Combustion,
Fog, and Volume Lights.
The Effects command opens the Rendering Effects dialog box. You use the Rendering Effects
dialog box to add rendered effects to an image without having to use the Video Post dialog
box. The Effects categories include options such as Lens Effects, Blur, and Color Balance. The
Advanced Lighting command opens a control panel where the settings for the Light Tracer,
Radiosity, Exposure Control, and Lighting Analysis tools are located.

New The Rendering menu holds several features new to 3ds max 6; foremost is the inclusion of
Feature the mental ray rendering engine. Also new to 3ds max 6 are the Panorama Exporter and the
Print Size Wizard.

The Render to Texture command (keyboard shortcut, 0) allows you to render the current
scene as an image to be used as a texture. The Raytracer Settings command opens a dialog
box for enabling raytracing options, and the Raytrace Global Include/Exclude command
opens a dialog box where you can specify which objects are rendered using raytracing and
which are not. The mental ray Message Window opens a window where you can view error
and status messages produced by the mental ray rendering engine.
The ActiveShade Floater opens the ActiveShade window, where you can get immediate ren-
dered results. The ActiveShade Viewport command displays the immediate rendered results
in the active viewport. The Material Editor (keyboard shortcut, M) and Material/Map Browser
commands open their respective dialog boxes for creating, defining, and applying materials.
The Video Post command opens a dialog box for scheduling and controlling any post-
processing work. The dialog box manages events for compositing images and including
special effects such as glows, lens effects, and blurs. The Show Last Rendering command
immediately recalls the last rendered image produced by the Render command.
The Panorama Exporter command allows you to render a panoramic scene. The Print Size
Wizard is a godsend for anyone who is printing images from Max. It relates the current scene
to the common paper sizes that printers use. The RAM Player can display images and anima-
tions in memory and includes two channels for overlaying images and comparing animations
side by side.
36 Part I ✦ Learning the Max Interface

Cross- The basics of rendering are covered in Chapter 41, “Rendering Basics.” More advanced ren-
Reference dering topics, including Atmospheric Effects and Raytracing, are covered in the subsequent
chapters found in Part X. The Material Editor is covered in Chapter 19, “Exploring the Material
Editor,” and the Video Post dialog box is covered in Chapter 47, “Using the Video Post
Interface.”

The Customize menu

The Customize menu provides commands for customizing and setting up the Max interface.
The Customize User Interface command opens the Customize User Interface dialog box. This
dialog box includes panels for customizing the keyboard shortcuts, the toolbars, quadmenus,
menus, and colors. The Load Custom UI and Save Custom UI As commands let you load and
save different custom interfaces. If your customization creates more problems than it solves,
you can switch back and forth between your custom UI and the defaults with the Custom UI
and Defaults Switcher command.
The Show UI menu contains a submenu of interface elements that you can toggle on or off.
Elements that you can toggle include the Command Panel, Floating Toolbars, the main tool-
bar (Alt+6), and the Track Bar.
A random click and drag can really mess up your interface. To prevent this from happening,
you can lock the interface. The Lock UI Layout prevents an interface from being changed.
This feature is helpful if you accidentally keep dragging toolbars out of place. The Configure
Paths command opens the Configure Paths dialog box where you can define all the default
paths. These paths let Max know where it can find things like plug-ins, scenes, materials,
and so on.
The Units Setup command opens the Units Setup dialog box for establishing system units.
The Grid and Snap Settings command opens the Grid and Snap Settings dialog box for con-
trolling grid objects and determining which points to snap to.
The Viewport Configuration command lets you configure the viewport using the Viewport
Configuration dialog box. The Plug-in Manager command opens the Plug-in Manager dialog
box, which contains a detailed list of all the loaded plug-ins. This dialog box includes the
plug-in name, description, status, size, and its full path. The Preferences command opens the
Preference Settings dialog box for controlling many aspects of Max.

Cross- You can learn about most of the commands found in the Customize menu in Chapter 4,
Reference “Customizing the Max Interface and Setting Preferences,” except for Viewport Configuration,
which is covered in Chapter 2, “Seeing It All — Working with the Viewports.”

The MAXScript menu

From the MAXScript menu, you can create, open, and run scripts. You can also open the
MAXScript Listener (F11) and enable the Macro Recorder. The MAXScript menu also includes
a command for loading the Visual MAXScript Editor, which simplifies the process of building
scripts.

Cross- Chapter 48, “Automating with MAXScript,” covers the basics of MAXScript.
Reference
 Chapter 1 ✦ Finding Your Way — Exploring the Max Interface 37

The Help menu

The Help menu is a valuable resource that provides access to reference materials and tutori-
als. The New Features Guide, User Reference, and MAXScript Reference are comprehensive
help systems that work like a Web browser. The Tutorial command loads the tutorials, which
offer a chance to gain valuable experience.
The Hotkey Map displays an interactive interface for learning all the keyboard shortcuts.
Additional Help presents help systems for any external plug-ins that are loaded. The 3ds max
on the Web options (Online Support, Updates, Resources, and Partners) automatically opens
a Web browser and loads the Discreet Support Web pages or looks for updates.
The Authorize 3ds max command lets you enter an authorization number to authorize the
software. The About 3ds max command opens the About dialog box. This dialog box displays
the serial number and current display driver.

Cross- Most of the Help menu commands are covered at the end of this chapter in the section titled
Reference “Getting Help.”

Using the Toolbars

Now that you’ve learned the menu two-step, it is time for the toolbar one-step. The main tool-
bar appears by default directly under the menus at the top of the Max window; the reactor
toolbar appears docked to the left edge of the interface. Using toolbars is one of the most
convenient ways to execute commands because most commands require only a single click.
You can make any docked toolbar a floating toolbar by clicking and dragging the two vertical
lines on the left (or top) end of the toolbar away from the interface edge. After you separate it
from the window, you can resize the floating toolbar by dragging on its edges or corners. You
can then drag and dock it to any of the window edges or double-click on the toolbar title to
automatically dock the toolbar to its latest location. Figure 1-2 shows the main toolbar as a
floating panel.
If you right-click on any toolbar away from the buttons, you can access a pop-up menu
that includes options to Dock, Float, Customize, show, or hide any of the toolbars or the
Command Panel. You can also show or hide all floating toolbars or the main toolbar with
the Customize ➪ Show UI menu command. The main toolbar can be hidden with the Alt+6
keyboard shortcut.

Figure 1-2: The main toolbar includes buttons and

drop-down lists for controlling many of the most popular
Max functions.

All icon buttons (including those found in toolbars, the Command Panel, and other dialog
boxes and windows) include tooltips, which are identifying text labels. If you hold the mouse
38 Part I ✦ Learning the Max Interface

cursor over an icon button, the tooltip label appears. This feature is useful for identifying but-
tons. If you can’t remember what a specific button does, hold the cursor over the top of it
and the tooltip gives you its name.
All toolbar buttons with a small triangle in the lower-right corner are flyouts. A flyout is a sin-
gle toolbar button that expands to reveal additional buttons. Click and hold on the flyout to
reveal the additional icons, and drag to select one. Figure 1-3 shows the flyout for the Align
button on the main toolbar.

Figure 1-3: Flyout menus bundle several toolbar buttons together.

Note If you’re looking for the Tab Panel, you won’t find it. The Tab Panel, although it was a good
idea, never really caught on and has been removed from this version of Max. Its former key-
board shortcut, Y, hasn’t been reused, so if you often use a command that needs a shortcut,
the letter Y is available.

Starting with the main toolbar

On smaller resolution screens, the main toolbar is too long to be entirely visible. To see the
entire main toolbar, you need to set your monitor resolution to be at least 1280 pixel wide. To
scroll the toolbar to see the end, position the cursor on the toolbar away from the buttons,
such as underneath one of the drop-down lists (the cursor changes to a hand), then click and
drag the toolbar in either direction. Using the hand cursor to scroll also works in the
Command Panel, Material Editor, and any other place where the panel exceeds the given
space.

Tip The easiest way to scroll the main toolbar is to drag with the middle mouse button.

Table 1-4 lists the controls found in the main toolbar. Buttons with flyouts are separated with
commas.

Table 1-4: Main Toolbar Buttons

Toolbar Button Name Description

Undo (Ctrl+Z) Removes the last performed command. You

can set the levels of Undo in the Preferences
dialog box.

Redo (Ctrl+Y) Brings back the last command that was

undone.
 Chapter 1 ✦ Finding Your Way — Exploring the Max Interface 39

Toolbar Button Name Description

Select and Link Establishes links between objects.

Unlink Selection Breaks links between objects.

Bind to Space Assigns objects to be modified by a

Warp space warp.

Selection Filter Limits the type of objects that can be

drop-down list selected.

Select Object (Q) Chooses an object.

Select by Name (H) Opens a dialog box for selecting objects

by name.

Rectangular Determines the shape used for selecting

Selection Region, objects.
Circular Selection
Region, Fence
Selection Region,
Lasso Selection
Region (Ctrl+F
to cycle)

Window/ Specifies whether an object must be crossed

Crossing Toggle or windowed to be selected.

Select and Selects an object and allows positional

Move (W) translations.

Select and Selects an object and allows rotational

Rotate (E) transforms.
Select and Uniform Selects an object and allows scaling
Scale, Select and transforms using different methods.
Non-Uniform Scale,
Select and Squash
(R to cycle)

Reference Specifies the coordinate system used for

Coordinate System transforms.
drop-down list

Use Pivot Point Specifies the center about which rotations

Center, Use are completed.
Selection Center,
Use Transform
Coordinate Center

Select and Selects an object and allows parameter

Manipulate manipulation via a manipulator.

Continued
40 Part I ✦ Learning the Max Interface

Table 1-4 (continued)

Toolbar Button Name Description

Snap Toggle 2D, Specifies the snap mode. 2D snaps only to

Snap Toggle 2.5D, the active construction grid, 2.5D snaps to
Snap Toggle 3D (S) the construction grid or to geometry
projected from the grid, and 3D snaps to
anywhere in 3D space.

Angle Snap Causes rotations to snap to specified angles.

Toggle (A)

Percent Snap Causes scaling to snap to specified

(Shift+Ctrl+P) percentages.

Spinner Snap Toggle Determines the amount a spinner value

changes with each click.

Named Selection Sets Opens a dialog box for creating and

managing selection sets.

Named Selection Lists and allows you to select a set of named

Sets drop-down list objects.

Mirror Selected Creates a mirrored copy of the selected

Objects object.

Align (Alt+A), Opens the alignment dialog box for

Normal Align (Alt+N), positioning objects, allows objects to be
Place Highlight aligned by their normals, determines the
(Ctrl+H), Align to location of highlights, or aligns object to a
Camera, Align to View camera or view.

Layer Manager Opens the Layer Manager interface where

you can work with layers.

Open Curve Editor Opens the Function Curves Editor.

Open Schematic View Opens the Schematic View window.

Material Editor (M) Opens the Material Editor window.

Render Scene (F10) Opens the Render Scene dialog box for
setting rendering options.

Render Type Selects the area or objects to render.

drop-down list

Quick Render Produces a quick test rendering of the current

(Production), Quick viewport without opening the Render Scene
Render (ActiveShade) dialog box.
 Chapter 1 ✦ Finding Your Way — Exploring the Max Interface 41

New The only change in the main toolbar was to move the Keyboard Shortcut Override Toggle
Feature button to the Extras floating toolbar and to add the Layer Manager button. The Selection
Filter drop-down list and the Select and Manipulate buttons changed position and the Quick
Render (Draft) button was dropped. Everything else is unchanged. Thanks, Discreet.

Viewing the default floating toolbars

If you select the Customize ➪ Show UI ➪ Show Floating Toolbars menu command, three more
toolbars appear. These are floating toolbars. You can also make them appear by selecting
them from the toolbar right-click pop-up menu. The floating toolbars are Axis Constraints,
Layers, and Extras and Reactor, but the Reactor toolbar is docked to the left side of the inter-
face by default. Figure 1-4 shows the Axis Constraints and Extras toolbars.

New The Extras and reactor toolbars are new to 3ds max 6.
Feature

Restrict to X

Restrict to Y
Restrict to Z
Restrict to XY, YZ, XZ Plane

Render Presets drop-down list

Array, Snapshot, Spacing Tool
AutoGrid
Keyboard Shortcut Override Toggle
Figure 1-4: The Axis Constraints and Extras toolbars are
available as floating toolbars.

The Axis Constraints toolbar includes buttons for restricting transformations to the X (F5), Y
(F6), or Z (F7) axes or to restrict transformations to a single plane: XY, YZ, or ZX (F8 to cycle).
The Extras toolbar includes the Keyboard Shortcut Override Toggle, AutoGrid, and a flyout
button for the Array, Snapshot, and Spacing Tool (Shift+I) dialog boxes. It also includes the
Rendering Presets drop-down list.
The Layers toolbar includes several buttons for creating, enabling, locking, and selecting lay-
ers. You can also set the properties for each layer. The reactor toolbar includes buttons for
accessing all the reactor functions.

Cross- Layers are discussed in Chapter 6, “Selecting Objects and Setting Object Properties,” and
Reference reactor is covered in Chapter 40, “Animating with reactor.”
42 Part I ✦ Learning the Max Interface

Using the Viewports

The four viewports make up the largest area of the entire interface and provide a way of view-
ing the objects within the scene. Each of the viewports is configurable and can be unique
from the others.

Cross- Understanding how to work with the viewports is vital to accomplishing tasks with Max, so
Reference viewports have an entire chapter dedicated just to them — Chapter 2, “Seeing It All — Working
with the Viewports.”

Using the Command Panel

If there is one place in Max, besides the viewports, where you’ll spend all your time, it’s the
Command Panel (at least until you’re comfortable enough with the quadmenus). The
Command Panel is located to the right of the viewports along the right edge of the interface.
This is where the object parameters, settings, and controls are located. The Command Panel
is split into six panels, each accessed via a tab icon located at its top. These six tabs are
Create, Modify, Hierarchy, Motion, Display, and Utilities.
You can pull away the Command Panel from the right window edge as a floating dialog box, as
shown in Figure 1-5, by clicking on the open space to the right of the tabbed icons at the top
of the Command Panel and dragging away from the interface edge. You can also dock it to the
left window edge, which is really handy if you’re left-handed. While it’s a floating panel, you
can resize the Command Panel by dragging on its edges or corners.
After you’ve pulled it away from the interface, you can re-dock it to its last position by dou-
ble-clicking on its title bar. You can also right-click on the title bar to access the pop-up menu
to Dock (either Left or Right), Float, Customize, or hide the Command Panel.

Create

Modify Motion
Display

Utilities
Hierarchy

Figure 1-5: The Command Panel

includes six separate panels
accessed via tab icons.
 Chapter 1 ✦ Finding Your Way — Exploring the Max Interface 43

Most of the controls, buttons, and parameters in the Command Panel are contained within
sections called rollouts. A rollout is a grouping of controls positioned under a gray, boxed
title, as shown in Figure 1-6. Each rollout title bar includes a plus or minus sign (a minus sign
indicates that the rollout is open; a plus sign shows closed rollouts). Clicking the rollout title
opens or closes the rollout. You can also reposition the order of the rollouts by dragging the
rollout title and dropping it above or below the other rollouts.

Note You cannot reposition some of the rollouts, such as the Object Type and the Name and Color
rollouts found in the Create panel.

Opened rollout

Closed rollout

Figure 1-6: Open and close rollouts

by clicking on the rollout title.

Right-clicking away from the buttons in a rollout presents a pop-up menu where you can
select to close the rollout you’ve clicked in, Close All, Open All, or Reset Rollout Order. The
pop-up menu also lists all available rollouts within the current panel with a check mark next
to the ones that are open.
Expanding all the rollouts often exceeds the screen space allotted to the Command Panel. If
the rollouts exceed the given space, then a small vertical scroll bar appears at the right edge
of the Command Panel. You can drag this scroll bar to access the rollouts at the bottom of the
Command Panel, or you can click away from the controls when a hand cursor appears. With
the hand cursor, click and drag in either direction to scroll the Command Panel. You can also
scroll the Command Panel with the scroll wheel.

Cross- You can customize the Command Panel like the other toolbars. Customizing the Command
Reference Panel is covered in Chapter 4, “Customizing the Max Interface and Setting Preferences.”

The Command Panel can also be doubled or tripled (or any multiple as long as you have
room) in width by dragging its left edge toward the center of the interface. The width of the
Command Panel is increased at the expense of the viewports. Figure 1-7 shows the Command
Panel double its normal size.
44 Part I ✦ Learning the Max Interface

Figure 1-7: Increase the width of the Command Panel by dragging its left edge.

Tutorial: Rearranging the interface for lefties

I used to work for a company that required that all computers have the mouse to the left of
the keyboard. We swapped computers often, and the boss felt that this would enable us to
work the mouse and the keypad at the same time (and you thought your work environment
was weird). The reality is that some people like it on the left and others prefer it on the right,
and Max can accommodate both.
With the Command Panel on the right side of the interface, the default Max interface obvi-
ously favors right-handers, but with the docking panels, you can quickly change it to be
friendly to lefties.
To rearrange the interface to make it friendly for lefties, follow these steps:
1. Click the Command Panel on the empty space to the right of the Utilities tab, and drag
toward the center of the interface. As you drag the Command Panel away from the right
edge, the cursor changes.
2. Continue to drag the Command Panel to the left edge, and the cursor changes again
to indicate that it will be docked when released. Release the mouse button, and the
Command Panel docks to the left side.
 Chapter 1 ✦ Finding Your Way — Exploring the Max Interface 45

3. For an even easier method, you can right-click on the Command Panel’s title bar and
select Dock ➪ Left from the pop-up menu.
4. Next dock the reactor toolbar on the right side by dragging it from the left to the right.
Figure 1-8 shows the rearranged interface ready for all you southpaws.

Create panel
The Create panel is the place you go to create objects for the scene. These objects could be
geometric objects like spheres, cones, and boxes or other objects like lights, cameras, or
Space Warps. The Create panel contains a huge variety of objects. To create an object, you
simply need to find the button for the object that you want to create, click it, click in one of
the viewports, and voilá — instant object.

Cross- Creating objects is covered in detail in chapters throughout the rest of the book, but the first
Reference chapter that really gets into creating objects is Chapter 5, “Creating and Editing Primitive
Objects.” You can buzz over to that chapter if you are anxious to start creating things.

Figure 1-8: Left-handed users can move the Command Panel to the left side.