3ds max from scratch lesson_03

Max for all presents

3ds max from scratch series at http://maxtutrs.blogspot.com/

Now we’ll explore the navigation controls on the low right hand side.

We have a number of different controls.

Zoom : it allows you to zoom in and out (in only the active viewport) by clicking and dragging in the viewport and you can do the same by scrolling the middle mouse button (the wheel).

Zoom all : it zooms all viewports by clickng and dragging.

Zoom extents : when you click on it the active view port zooms to fit in and enable you to see all the objects.

Zoom extents all : the same of zoom extents but for all the viewports and the hotkey for it is (Z)

Zoom region : allows you to select and drag around a specific region and it’ll zoom this region in only one vewport.

Pan view : allows you to pan the view port and you can do the same with the pressing middle mouse button (the wheel)

Orbit : allows you to rotate around the scene and you can do it by holding down the Alt key and the middle mouse button (the wheel) then move the mouse to rotate.

Maximize view port toggle : it’ll maximize the active view port and clicking it again will minimize it, you can do the same by clicking Alt + W.

now let’s jump to something else.

As you notice the objects in the perspective view port is shaded and in the other view ports is wire frame.

To change that easily click beside the viewport name and you can choose between some options.

Smooth + highlights : it looks shaded without any borders appear, F4 turns on and off the smooth and higlights

Wire  frame : shows all geometries in a wiry look, F3 turns on and off the wre frame

Smooth + highlights + edged faces : combines between both of smooth and wire frame

Hidden line : shaded with gray color.

Flat : makes objects looks like it’s 2d image.

Now we’re familiar with the view port let’s know how to select and manipulate objects from the scene.

From the tool bar there are two tools enable you to select.

The first tool is select object.

it’s enable you to select by clicking on the object.

To select more than one you can hold Ctrl key and click on another object.

To deselect an object hold down the Alt key and click on the object.

you can use click and drag to select multiple objects.

Beside the select tool there’s a filter to choose the type you want to select in your scene.

so you can select the lights only or geometry or cameras ……..etc

you don’t have to select by rectangle selection but you can change it to a circle or lasso tool (which allows you to click around the geometries to select) or the free form lasso (which allows you to draw a selection around the geometries) or spray (which allows you to select every thing you click and drag over).

window / crossing tool if not active it allows you to select every thing your selection touches and crossing.

 but if it’s active it allows you to select only the items completely included within the selection region.

3ds max allows you to select geometries by name.

once you click select by name the select from scene window pops up.

as we see this window is very like  merge window so you can choose the object with it’s name or search for object by it’s name or filter the scene by the small icons on the top to show only for example the lights or cameras or shapes …………etc.

Download the project file from HERE