Using Named Selection Sets

 

You can assign a name to the current selection, and then later reselect those objects by choosing their selection name from a list.

Named Selection Sets

You can also edit the contents of named sets from the Named Selection Sets dialog.

Editing Named Selections

As you model and create a scene, you’re likely to rearrange the objects making up your named selection sets. If you do, you’ll need to edit the contents of those sets.

Procedures

To assign a name to a selection set:

1. Select one or more objects or sub-objects using any combination of selection methods.
2. Click in the Named Selection field on the main toolbar.
3. Enter a name for your set. The name can contain any standard ASCII characters, including letters, numerals, symbols, punctuation, and spaces.

Note : Names are case-sensitive.

1. Press Enter to complete the selection set.

You can now select another combination of objects or sub-objects and repeat the process to create another named selection set.

To retrieve a named selection set:

1. In the Named Selection field, click the arrow.

Note : If you're working with a sub-object selection set, you must be at the same level at which you created the selection set (for example, editable mesh > vertex) for it to appear on the list.

1. On the list, click a name.

To edit named selection sets:

• On the main toolbar, click NaEdit med Selection Sets to open the Named Selection Sets dialog.

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Using Select By Name

 

The Select By Name command opens the Select From Scene dialog, which lets you select objects by their assigned names without having to click in the viewports.

Procedures

To select objects by name:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the main toolbar, click Select By Name.
   • Choose Edit menu > Select By > Name.
   • Press H. The Select From Scene dialog opens. By default, this dialog lists all objects in the scene. Any selected objects are highlighted in the list.
2. Choose one or more objects in the list. To select multiple objects, drag vertically in the list or use Ctrl to add to the selection.
3. Click Select to make the selection. The dialog closes and the objects are selected.
4. Alternatively, to select a single object and close the dialog at the same time, double-click the object name.

For more information, see Select From Scene .

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Selecting by Region

 

Top Left: Selecting face sub-objects with a rectangular region

Top Right: Selecting vertex sub-objects with a circular region

Center: Selecting face sub-objects with a painted region

Bottom Left: Selecting edge sub-objects with a fence region

Bottom Right: Selecting edge sub-objects with a lasso region

The region-selection tools let you use the mouse to select one or more objects by defining an outline or area.

Region Selection

By default, when you drag the mouse a rectangular region is created. When you release the mouse all objects within and touched by the region are selected. The remainder of this topic describes how you can change each of these settings.

Note : If you hold down Ctrl while specifying a region, the affected objects are added to the current selection. Conversely, if you hold down Alt while specifying a region, the affected objects are removed from the current selection.

Setting Region Type

The type of region you define when you drag the mouse is set by the Region flyout button to the right of the Select By Name button. You can use any of five types of region selection:

• Rectangular RegionDragging the mouse selects a rectangular region. See Rectangular Selection Region.
• Circular RegionDragging the mouse selects a circular region. See Circular Selection Region.
• Fence RegionDraw an irregular selection-region outline by alternating between moving the mouse and clicking (begin with a drag). See Fence Selection Region.
• Lasso RegionDragging the mouse outlines an irregular selection region. See Lasso Selection Region.
• Paint RegionDrag the mouse over objects or sub-objects to be included in the selection. See Paint Selection Region

Setting Region Inclusion

This option lets you specify whether to include objects touched by the region border. It applies to all region methods.

Choose Edit menu > Region to display a submenu of the following two items. Only one can be active at a time. The option is also available on the main toolbar.

• WindowSelects only objects that are completely within the region. See Select Region Window.
• CrossingSelects all objects that are within the region and crossing the boundaries of the region. This is the default region. See Select Region Crossing.

The Window/Crossing toggle on the main toolbar also switches between these two modes.

You can set up a preference to switch automatically between Window and crossing based on the direction of your cursor movement. See Auto Window/Crossing by Direction in General Preferences.

Procedures

To make a region selection using defaults:

1. Click Select Object.
2. Drag the mouse to define a region. A rubber-band rectangle appears.
3. Release the mouse button to select all objects within or touching the region. The selected objects turn white.

You can also use the Select and Transform buttons on the main toolbar to select by region. You must start defining the region over an unselectable area of the viewport. Otherwise, you’ll transform the object beneath your mouse when you begin to drag.

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Basics of Selecting Objects

 

Bed selected in wireframe

Bed selected in smooth and shaded view

The most basic selection techniques use either the mouse, or the mouse in conjunction with a keystroke.

Procedures

To select an object in the viewport:

1. Click one of the selection buttons on the toolbar: Select Object, Select And Move, Select And Rotate, Select And Scale, or Select And Manipulate. Alternatively, right-click in a viewport to open the quad menu, and from the Transform menu choose Move, Rotate, Scale, or Select.
2. In any viewport, move the cursor over the object you want to select. The cursor changes to a small cross when it’s positioned over an object that can be selected. The valid selection zones of an object depend on the type of object and the display mode in the viewport. In shaded mode, any visible surface of an object is valid. In wireframe mode, any edge or segment of an object is valid, including hidden lines.
3. While the cursor displays the selection cross, click to select the object (and to deselect any previously selected object). A selected wireframe object turns white. A selected shaded object displays white brackets at the corners of its bounding box.

To select all objects do one of the following:

• Choose Edit menu > Select All. - This selects all objects in your scene.
• On the keyboard press Ctrl+A.

To invert the current selection do one of the following:

• Choose Edit menu > Select Invert. - This reverses the current selection pattern. For example, assume you begin with five objects in your scene, and two of them are selected. After choosing Invert, the two are deselected, and the remaining objects are selected.
• On the keyboard press Ctrl+I.

To extend or reduce a selection:

• Hold down Ctrl while you click to make selections.

This toggles the selection state of the objects you select. Use this method to select or deselect objects. For example, if you have two objects selected and Ctrl+click to select a third, the third object is added to the selection. If you now Ctrl+click any of the three selected objects, that object is deselected.

Tip : You can also hold down Alt while you click to remove objects from selections.

To lock a selection:

1. Select an object.
2. Click the Selection Lock Toggle on the status bar to turn on locked selection mode.

While your selection is locked, you can drag the mouse anywhere on the screen without losing the selection. The cursor displays the current selection icon. When you want to deselect or alter your selection, click the Lock button again to turn off locked selection mode. The keyboard toggle for locked selection mode is Spacebar.

To deselect an object, do any of the following:

• Hold down the Alt key, and either click an object, or drag a region around the object to deselect it.
• Hold down the Ctrl key and click to deselect a selected object. This is a toggle; it also selects non-selected objects.
• To deselect all objects in the scene, choose Edit menu > Select None, or click an empty area of a viewport anywhere outside the current selection.

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Introducing Object Selection

 

3ds Max is an object-oriented program. This means that each object in the 3D scene carries instructions that tell the program what you can do with it. These instructions vary with the type of object.

Because each object can respond to a different set of commands, you apply commands by first selecting the object and then selecting the command. This is known as a noun-verb interface, because you first select the object (the noun) and then select the command (the verb).

Identifying the Selection Interface

In the user interface, selection commands or functions appear in the following areas:

• Main toolbar
• Edit menu
• Quad menu (while objects are selected)
• Tools menu
• Track View
• Display panel
• Schematic View

The buttons on the main toolbar provide a direct means of selection. The Select From Scene dialog is easy to use, while the Edit menu provides more general selection commands, plus methods of selecting objects by property. Perhaps the most powerful selection tool is Scene Explorer, which lets you select objects by various methods, and also edit object hierarchies and properties. Track View and Schematic View let you select objects from a hierarchical list.

Selecting From the Quad Menu

The quickest way to select an object is from the Transform quadrant of the quad menu, where you can easily switch among the Move, Rotate, Scale, and Select modes. Choose any of these and click the object you want to select in the viewport.

Selecting by Name

Another quick way to select an object is to use the keyboard shortcut for the Select By Name command. Press H on the keyboard to open the Select From Scene dialog and then select the object by name from the list. This is a foolproof way to ensure you select the correct object when the scene contains many overlapping objects.

Selection Buttons

Another way to select an object is to click one of these buttons, and then click the object.

Select Object

Select by Name

Select And Move

Select And Rotate

Select And Scale

Select And Manipulate

The main toolbar has several selection-mode buttons. When any of the selection buttons is active, the program is in a state where you can select objects by clicking them.

Of the selection buttons, you use Select Object when you want selection only. The remaining buttons let you both select and transform or manipulate your selection. Use transforms to move, rotate, and scale your selection. See Moving, Rotating, and Scaling Objects and Select and Manipulate.

Crossing Versus Window Selection

Above: Window selection selects the trash can and bench, but not the streetlight.

Below: Crossing selection selects all three: trash can, bench, and streetlight.

One way to select multiple objects simultaneously is to drag a region, such as a rectangle, around them. The Window/Crossing toggle, available from the main toolbar, switches between Window and Crossing modes when you select by region. In Window mode, you select only the objects within the selection. In Crossing mode, you select all objects within the region, plus any objects crossing the boundaries of the region.

Edit Menu Commands

The Edit menu contains selection commands that operate globally on your objects.

Edit menu selection commands include:

Select All

Select None

Select Invert

Select Similar

Select By > Color

Select By > Name (also a toolbar button)

Select By > Layer

Selection Region > Rectangular Region

Selection Region > Circular Region

Selection Region > Fence Region

Selection Region > Lasso Region

Selection Region > Paint Selection Region

Selection Region > Window (also a toolbar button)

Selection Region > Crossing (also a toolbar button)

Edit Named Selection Sets

Tools Menu Commands

The Tools menu provides the Scene Explorer commands as well as access to modeless selection dialogs or "floaters." You can place them anywhere on the screen, or minimize them by right-clicking the title bar and choosing Minimize:

• New Scene Explorer (and related commands)See Scene Explorer.
• Display FloaterProvides options for hiding and freezing selections as well as some display options. See Display Floater.
• Layer ManagerThis modeless dialog lets you select objects individually and by layer, and change display properties such as Hide and Freeze. See Layer Manager .

Scene Explorer

Scene Explorer gives you a modeless dialog for selecting and linking objects as well as changing object properties such as the name and display characteristics. You can manipulate hierarchical relationships via drag-and-drop techniques, and use various search methods including a powerful Boolean editor to fine-tune your selection. You can also edit properties for multiple objects at once simply by selecting them and then changing one of them.

Track/Schematic View Selection

Track View is primarily designed as an animation tool, but you can also use its Hierarchy List window as an alternative method of selecting objects by name and hierarchy. This works in both the Curve Editor and Dope Sheet modes of Track View.

Schematic View is specifically designed to let you navigate your scene efficiently, presenting a hierarchical view and letting you select objects and their properties by name.

Display Panel Selection

The Display panel provides options for hiding and freezing objects. These techniques exclude objects from other selection methods, and are useful in simplifying complex scenes. Frozen objects are still visible, but hidden objects are not.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Link Display Rollout

 

Display panel > Link Display rollout

The Link Display rollout provides controls that alter the display of hierarchical linkages.

Interface

Display Links

Displays a wireframe representation of any hierarchical links affecting the selected object.

Note : Display Links must be turned on in order to see Joint Limits on a inverse kinematics chain.

Link Replaces Object

Replaces the selected object with the wireframe representation of the hierarchical link. This option offers another way to reduce the geometric complexity of selected objects in a scene. See also Display Properties rollout.

The Draw Links As Lines option on the Viewports panel of the Preference Settings dialog further reduces the display of links to a single line.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Display Properties Rollout

 

Display panel > Display Properties rollout

The Display Properties rollout provides controls for altering the display of selected objects.

See Also

• Link Display Rollout

Procedures

To display trajectories using the Display panel:

1. Select one or more animated objects.
2. Right-click the selection, and choose Properties.
3. In the Display properties group, click By Layer to change it to By Object, and then click OK.
4. Expand the Display Properties rollout in the Display panel.
5. Turn on Trajectory.

By default, object trajectories appear with the following properties:

• The trajectory curve is drawn in red.
• Frame increments display as white dots on the curve.
• Position keys display as red boxes surrounding the appropriate frame dot on the curve. The boxes are white when the object is selected.
• If Views > Show Key Times is turned on, the keyframe numbers are displayed along side the keys on the trajectory.

Trajectories can also be displayed through Object Properties. Right-click any object and choose Properties, then in the Display properties group change By Layer to By Object. Turn on Trajectories when it becomes available in the Display Properties group.

You can change the colors for these items on the Colors panel of the Customize User Interface dialog.

You can also use object properties to display trajectories: right-click any object and choose Properties, then turn on Trajectory.

Interface

The first three options reduce the displayed geometric complexity of selected objects in a scene, resulting in faster response time because the computer has less to calculate. These options are also available in the Display Properties group of the Object Properties dialog > General panel and the Display floater.

Display as Box

Toggles the display of selected objects, including 3D objects and 2D shapes, as bounding boxes. Produces minimum geometric complexity.

Particle systems appear as bounding boxes when adaptive degradation takes effect. Because particle systems naturally exist in world space, their bounding box is always oriented parallel to the world planes.

Backface Cull

Toggles the display of faces, edges, and vertices with normals pointing away from the point of view. When off, all entities are visible. Default=off.

Edges Only

Toggles the display of hidden edges and polygon diagonals. When on, only outside edges appear. When off, all mesh geometry appears. Applies to Wireframe viewport display mode, as well as other modes with Edged Faces turned on.

Vertex Ticks

Displays the vertices in the selected geometry as tick marks.

If the current selection has no displayed tick marks, the check box is clear. If some of the vertices in the current selection display tick marks, the check box contains a gray X. If all vertices in the current selection display tick marks, the check box contains a black X.

Trajectory

Toggles trajectory display for the selected object so its trajectory is visible in viewports.

See-Through

Makes the object or selection translucent in viewports. This setting has no effect on rendering: it simply lets you see what’s behind or inside an object in a crowded scene, and is especially useful in adjusting the position of objects behind or inside the See-Through object. This is very handy when you have objects within other objects in your scene.

This option is also available from Object Properties dialog and the Tools > Display Floater.

You can customize the color of see-through objects by using the Colors panel of the Customize > Customize User Interface dialog.

Keyboard shortcut (default): Alt+X

Ignore Extents

When turned on, the object is ignored when you use the display control Zoom Extents. Use this on distant lights.

Show Frozen in Gray

When on, the object turns gray in viewports when you freeze it. When off, viewports display the object with its usual color or texture even when it is frozen. Default=on.

Never Degrade

When on, the object is not subject to adaptive degradation.

Vertex Colors

Displays the effect of assigned vertex colors. You assign vertex colors using the Assign Vertex Color utility, or the VertexPaint modifier. Once vertex colors have been assigned they can also be edited in the Vertex Properties rollout in the editable mesh or editable poly in vertex or face sub-object level.

The Shaded button determines whether the object with the assigned vertex colors appears shaded in the viewport. When this button is off, the colors are unshaded and appear in their pure RGB values, looking a little like self-illuminated materials. When the Shaded button is on, the colors appear like any other assigned color in the viewports.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Freeze Rollout

 

Display panel > Freeze rollout

The Freeze rollout provides controls that let you freeze or unfreeze individual objects by selecting them, regardless of their category.

Frozen objects remain on the screen, but you can't select, transform, or modify them. By default, frozen objects turn dark gray. Frozen lights and cameras, and their associated viewports, continue to work as they normally do.

You can choose to have frozen objects retain their usual color or texture in viewports. Use the Show Frozen In Gray toggle in the Object Properties dialog.

Interface

Freeze Selected

Freezes the selected object(s).

Freeze Unselected

Freezes all visible objects except the selected ones. Use this to quickly freeze all the objects except the one you're working on.

Freeze by Name

Displays a dialog that lets you choose objects to freeze from a list. See Select From Scene , which describes nearly identical controls.

Freeze by Hit

Freezes any object you click in a viewport. If you press Ctrl while selecting an object, that object and all of its children are frozen. To exit Freeze by Hit mode, right-click, press Esc, or select a different function. This mode is automatically turned off if you freeze all objects in the scene.

Unfreeze All

Unfreezes all frozen objects.

Note : If you click Unfreeze All in a scene with frozen layers, a dialog opens prompting you to unfreeze all layers. You cannot unfreeze an object on a frozen layer.

Unfreeze by Name

Displays a dialog that lets you choose objects to unfreeze from a list. See Select From Scene , which describes nearly identical controls.

Note : If you unfreeze by name an object on a frozen layer, a dialog opens prompting you to unfreeze the object's layer. You cannot unfreeze an object on a frozen layer.

Unfreeze by Hit

Unfreezes any object you click in the viewport. If you press Ctrl while selecting an object, that object and all of its children are unfrozen.

If you select an object on a frozen layer, a dialog will pop up prompting you to unfreeze the object's layer. You cannot unfreeze an object on a frozen layer.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Hide Rollout

 

Display panel > Hide rollout

The Hide rollout provides controls that let you hide and unhide individual objects by selecting them, regardless of their category.

You can also hide and unhide objects using the Display Floater.

See Also

• Hide By Category Rollout

Interface

Hide Selected

Hides the selected objects.

Hide Unselected

Hides all visible objects except the selected ones. Use this to hide all objects except the one you're working on. Objects hidden by category aren’t affected.

Hide by Name

Displays a dialog you use to hide objects you choose from a list. See Select From Scene , which describes nearly identical controls.

Hide by Hit

Hides any object you click in the viewport. If you hold the Ctrl key while selecting an object, that object and all of its children are hidden. To exit Hide by Hit mode, right-click, press Esc, or select a different function. This mode is automatically turned off if you hide all objects in the scene.

Unhide All

Unhides all hidden objects. The unhide buttons are available only when you have specifically hidden one or more objects. They won't unhide objects hidden by category.

Note : If you click Unhide All in a scene with hidden layers, a dialog will pop up prompting you to unhide all layers. You cannot unhide an object on a hidden layer.

Unhide by Name

Displays a dialog you use to unhide objects you choose from a list. See Select From Scene , which describes nearly identical controls.

Note : If you select an object on a hidden layer, a dialog will pop up prompting you to unhide the object's layer. You cannot unhide an object on a hidden layer.

Hide Frozen Objects

Hides any frozen objects. Turn it off to display hidden frozen objects.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Hide By Category Rollout

 

Display panel > Hide By Category rollout

The Hide By Category rollout toggles the display of objects by category (objects, cameras, lights, and so on).

By default, 3ds Max displays all objects in the scene. Objects hidden by category aren’t evaluated in the scene, so hiding objects by category improves performance.

You can use any of the default display filters provided, or add new display filters for fast selection of objects to hide.

Interface

Turn on the check boxes to hide objects of that category. You can use the All, None, and Invert buttons to quickly change the settings of the check boxes.

The Display Filter box gives you finer control in creating categories to hide. Click the Add button to display a list of display filters. Hold down the Ctrl key and click the filter name to select whatever category you'd like to hide.

Geometry

Hides all geometry in the scene.

Shapes

Hides all shapes in the scene.

Lights

Hides all lights in the scene.

Cameras

Hides all cameras in the scene.

Helpers

Hides all helpers in the scene.

Space Warps

Hides all space warps in the scene.

Particle Systems

Hides all particle systems in the scene.

Bone Objects

Hides all bones in the scene.

Bones

Hides all bones in the scene.

IK Chain

Hides all IK chains in the scene.

Point

Hides all points in the scene.

All

Hides everything in the scene.

None

Unhides everything in the scene

Invert

Hides everything that is visible and unhides everything currently hidden.

Add

Adds a display filter category to the list.

Remove

Removes a display filter category.

None

Deselects all highlighted display filters in the list.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Display Color Rollout

 

Display panel > Display Color rollout

The Display Color rollout specifies whether 3ds Max displays objects using their object colors or their diffuse material colors, when the objects have their display properties set to By Object. If the display properties of an object is set to By Layer, the layer color will be used for the display. You can choose one method for wireframe display and a different one for shaded display. In each shading mode you can specify whether the material or the object color is used.

As a default, all new objects have their display properties set to By Layer. The default can be changed in Customize > Preferences > Preferences dialog > General panel > Layer Defaults group. If you turn off Default To By Layer For New Nodes, all new objects created in 3ds Max will display in the viewports based on the settings in the Display Color rollout. You can switch individual objects between By Object and By Layer by setting the Display Properties in the Object Properties dialog, accessible by right-clicking any selected object.

If the object color box displays black and white rectangles, this indicates that the object has its display properties set to By Layer.

Interface

Wireframe

Controls the color of objects when the viewport is in wireframe display mode.

Object Color

Displays the wireframes in object color.

Material Color

Displays the wireframes using the material color.

Shaded

Controls the color of the object when the viewport is in any shaded display mode.

Object Color

Displays the shaded objects using the object color.

Material Color

Displays the shaded objects using the material color.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Expert Mode

 

Views menu > Expert Mode

Keyboard > Ctrl+X

When Expert mode is on, the title bar, toolbar, command panel, status bar, and all of the viewport navigation buttons are removed from the display, leaving only the menu bar, time slider, and viewports. Use Expert mode when you need to view your composition alone without the rest of the interface.

With the ability to customize the user interface in 3ds Max, you can create your own versions of Expert mode by hiding whatever you want item-by-item. Expert mode is only a quick way to hide everything that can be hidden at once.

You can assign keyboard shortcuts to hide and unhide the command panel, toolbars, and so on and then use these while in Expert mode. You can also use the quad menu to access tools quickly in Expert mode as well.

Procedures

To turn on Expert mode, do one of the following:

• Choose Views menu > Expert Mode.
• Press Ctrl+X.

To turn off Expert mode and return to full display, do one of the following:

• Click the Cancel Expert Mode button to the right of the time slider.
• Press Ctrl+X.
• Choose Views menu > Expert Mode.

 

source :  3dsMax Help.chm

Diagnose Video Hardware

 

Help menu > Diagnose Video Hardware

This command runs a MAXScript script that displays information about your system’s graphic display configuration. This can be useful for telling you whether some interactive viewport features such as shadows are supported.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Update During Spinner Drag

 

Views menu > Update During Spinner Drag

When Update During Spinner Drag is on, dragging a spinner (such as a Radius spinner for a sphere) updates the effects in real time in the viewports. Default=on.

When Update During Spinner Drag is off, the effect is updated after the drag, when you release the mouse. Use this option when you're adjusting processor-intensive controls.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Show Materials in Viewport As

Views menu > Show Materials in Viewport As > Standard Display Views menu > Show Materials in Viewport As > Standard Display with Maps Views menu > Show Materials in Viewport As > Hardware Display Views menu > Show Materials in Viewport As > Hardware Display with Maps Material Editor > Material menu > Show Materials in Viewport As > Standard Display Material Editor > Material menu > Show Materials in Viewport As > Standard Display with Maps Material Editor > Material menu > Show Materials in Viewport As > Hardware Display Material Editor > Material menu > Show Materials in Viewport As > Hardware Display with Maps

These commands turn on and off display of all maps in the viewports, using software or hardware rendering. Software rendering applies to all maps and materials, but tends to be less accurate. Hardware rendering is highly accurate, showing highlights very close to the way they render, but applies primarily to the Arch & Design material, although it also supports the Standard material.

Note : Hardware viewport rendering is not available on computers with older graphics systems. Also, hardware viewport rendering is supported only by the Direct3D display driver.

 

Note : These commands do not apply to XRef materials, including materials from XRef objects and XRef scenes.

See Also

• Show Standard/Hardware Map in Viewport

Interface

Standard Display

Uses the legacy software shader, which works on a per-face basis, and turns off viewport display of all maps at the material level. This applies only to materials used in the scene.

Standard Display with Maps

Uses the legacy software shader, which works on a per-face basis, and turns on viewport display of all maps.

Hardware Display

Uses the hardware viewport shader, which works on a per-pixel basis, and turns off viewport display of all maps at the material level.

The hardware shader applies only to the Standard and Arch & Design materials; when it’s active, 3ds Max still uses the software shader to display all other materials.

Hardware Display with Maps

Uses the hardware viewport shader, which works on a per-pixel basis, and turns on viewport display of all maps at the material level.

This switch applies only to the Standard and Arch & Design materials; when it’s active, 3ds Max still uses the software shader to display all other materials. Also, it doesn’t affect viewport display of maps for materials other than those two.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Redraw All Views

 

Views menu > Redraw All Views Keyboard > ` (accent grave)

Redraw All Views refreshes the display in all viewports. When you move, rotate, scale, or otherwise manipulate geometry, the viewports may display the scene with some irregularities, or with objects or parts of objects missing. Use Redraw All Views to redisplay your scene with all lines and shading restored.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Add Default Lights to Scene

 

Right-click a viewport label. > Configure > Viewport Configuration dialog > Rendering Method panel > Rendering Options group > Turn on Default Lighting and choose 2 Lights (to activate the Add Default Lights To Scene menu item) > Click OK. > Create menu > Lights > Standard Lights > Add Default Lights To Scene

This command opens the Add Default Lights To Scene dialog, which provides options that let you convert the default scene lighting into actual light objects.

The default lighting for viewports consists of a key light, positioned in front and to the left of the scene, which behaves as an omni light..

This command is unavailable unless you use the Viewport Configuration dialog to configure the active viewport to use two lights. When viewports use two lights, and you invoke this command, the lights are added to the scene as omni lights. You can add either the key light, the fill light, or both.

Two default lights are placed opposite to each other.

A, the key light is in front of the object, on the upper left side, while B, the fill light is behind on the lower right side.

You can add either the key light, the fill light, or both. The omni light objects have the names DefaultKeyLight and DefaultFillLight.

If you have already added one or both default lights, a warning prompts you to rename or delete the previous default light object before you add another.

Procedures

To add the default lights as objects:

1. Right-click a viewport label, and click Configure.
2. On the Viewport Configuration dialog > Rendering Method tab, in the Rendering Options group, turn on Default Lighting and choose 2 Lights. Click OK to close the dialog.
3. Choose Create menu > Lights > Standard Lights > Add Default Lights To Scene.
4. On the Add Default Lights To Scene dialog, toggle Add Default Key Light, Add Default Fill Light, or both. Click OK.
5. Activate the Top viewport, and on the status bar, click Zoom Extents. The lights are now visible in the viewport.

Interface

Add Default Key Light

When on, adds the default key light to the scene. The key light is in front of the scene and to the left. The key light becomes an omni light with the name, DefaultKeyLight. Default=on.

Add Default Fill Light

When on, adds the default fill light to the scene. The fill light is behind the scene and to the right. The fill light becomes an omni light with the name, DefaultFillLight. Default=on.

Distance Scaling

Affects how far the lights are placed from the origin (0,0,0). The default value leaves the scene's lighting unchanged. Larger values move the lights farther away, dimming the scene, and smaller values move them closer, brightening the scene. Default=1.0. Range=0.0 to 1000.0.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Create Camera From View

 

Activate a Perspective viewport. > Views menu > Create Camera From View Activate a Perspective viewport. > Create menu > Cameras > Create Camera From View Activate a Perspective viewport. > Keyboard > Ctrl+C

 

 

Create Camera From View creates a Target camera whose field of view matches an active Perspective viewport. At the same time, it changes the viewport to a Camera viewport for the new camera object, and makes the new camera the current selection.

Alternatively, if the scene already contains a camera and the camera is selected, then Create Camera From View does not create a new camera from the view. Instead, it simply matches the selected camera to the active, Perspective viewport. This functionality was adopted from the Match Camera to View command, which is now available only as an assignable main user interface shortcut (see Keyboard Shortcuts).

Note : Create Camera From View is available only when a Perspective viewport is active.

To create a camera from a view, assuming any existing cameras are unselected:

1. Activate a Perspective viewport.
2. If necessary, adjust the viewport using Pan, Zoom, and Orbit, or the ViewCube, until you have a view you like.
3. Leaving the viewport active, on the Views menu choose Create Camera From View or press Ctrl+C.

3ds Max creates a new camera, matching its view to that of the Perspective viewport, and then switches the Perspective viewport to a Camera viewport, showing the view from the new camera.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

Show Dependencies

 

Views menu > Show Dependencies

While you are using the Modify panel, this command toggles viewport highlighting of objects dependent on the currently selected object.

When Show Dependencies is on and the Modify panel is active, any object that is dependent upon the currently selected object in any way appears magenta. This includes instances, references, and shared modifiers. Default=off.

You can also see similar dependencies in Schematic View.

Procedures

To show dependencies between objects:

1. Select an object with an instanced modifier.
2. On the Modify panel, choose the instanced modifier in the modifier stack.
3. Choose Views menu > Show Dependencies

Other objects with instances of the same modifier appear in a different color.

Example: To use Show Dependencies when animating with Linked XForm:

1. Select the sub-object geometry you want to animate, and apply a Linked XForm modifier.
2. On the Parameters rollout, click Pick Control Object.
3. Click an object to be the control object. Choose a dummy object if you want to keep the control hidden in final rendering.
4. The chosen object is now linked as parent to the sub-object selection and its name is listed on the Parameters rollout.
5. Choose Views menu > Show Dependencies to make the link visible when the control object is selected.
6. Use any of the transforms to animate the control object.

The selection is animated in parallel with the control object.

 

source : 3dsMax Help.chm

 

Shade Selected

 

Select an object to be shaded. > Views menu > Shade Selected

Shade Selected shades only the selected objects in the scene when the viewport is set to Wireframe or Other. When Smooth + Highlights is on, all objects are shaded whether they are selected or not.

Shade Selected lets you work with a wireframe scene and shade only the selected objects when you want to visualize them more clearly. All other objects in the scene will appear in wireframe.

Selected objects shaded in a wireframe viewport.

Procedures

To shade only selected objects in a scene:

1. Choose Views menu > Shade Selected.
2. Right-click the viewport label and choose Wireframe.
3. Select the object.

Only the selected object is shaded.

 

source: 3dsMax Help.chm