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Mastering
3D Studio MAX R3 |
The Command Panel
Imagine you had a new Cadillac or a sporty new Corvette. Everything on
the automobile was top of line. Except one little problemthere was
no engine in the car. You could still sit in it and be surrounded by all
the best equipment, but it just would not be the same. Think of the Command
Panel as the engine inside MAX. There are plenty of tools that surround
you in MAX, but the main area of the program that makes it go is the Command
Panel.
The Command Panel (originally located on the right side of the UI; see
Figure 3.12) breaks down the program into six basic categories:
- Create tab
- Modify tab
- Hierarchy tab
- Motion tab
- Display tab
- Utility tab
FIGURE
3.12 The Command Panel, with the Object Type
rollout open
Each of these tabs is broken into sections, and sometimes those sections
are further divided. Dont confuse these tabs with the Tabs in the
Shelf Area. The Command Panel always has the same six tabs and the user
cannot modify them. Well take a look at each of the six areas, but
first you should know about several common features in the Command Panel
tabs.
A term you will run across as we go through this area is rollouts.
A rollout is any heading that has either a (minus) or + (plus)
symbol next to it. A symbol indicates an open rollout and
a + symbol marks a closed rollout. In Figure 3.12, the Object
Type area is an open rollout. Opening a rollout reveals details
pertaining to the command you are using; closing one hides those details
to save space.
Another common feature of Command Panel tabs is the Parameters area.
The Parameters area holds all the basic information on a particular objectits
X, Y, or Z value, its radius, color, density, sides, segments, anything
that defines the making of a particular object.
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| TIP You can float and
dock the Command Panel on the left or right of the screen (but not
the top or bottom as you can with toolbars).
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Create Tab
The Create tab holds all the commands for creating these and many other
types of objects in your scene:
- Geometry
- Shapes
- Lights
- Cameras
- Helpers
- Space warps
- Systems
Again, each command is broken down to another level. So for example,
in the Geometry area there are Standard Primitives, Extended Primitives,
and Doors and Windows, just to name a few. Then you have another level
inside these areas. So if you look at the Standard Primitives, for example,
you have choices such as Box, Sphere, and Cylinder.
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| TIP Many of these features
are also found in certain Tabs in the Shelf Area.
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Modify Tab
Any time you need to modify an object, the change is done in the Modify
tab. You can edit the initial parameter settings of an object, or you
can add various types of changes to your objects by using modifiers. Modifiers
deform your geometry, with certain modifiers working in certain areas
of the object. Modifiers can be a very powerful way of manipulating your
2D and 3D elements. One small note about Modifiers: they are not the same
as Transforms. When we create an object, MAX records its position, rotation,
and scale information, they are recorded in an internal table called a
transformation matrix. Any change to position, rotation, or scale is called
a transform. The objects actual position within the world coordinate
system is always calculated in relation to its local coordinate system,
which is based on the objects transformation matrix. You can have
many modifiers to an object, but you can have only one set of transforms.
Hierarchy
Tab
The Hierarchy tab holds the controls for adjusting linking, objects,
pivot points, and inverse kinematics. These controls deal with complex
motions and set the rotational and sliding joints of objects.
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| NOTE The term
hierarchy in this context refers to linking objects together,
where one object becomes the parent and the other object becomes the
child. Once objects are linked, one object controls the other (usually,
the parent controls the child).
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Motion Tab
The Motion tab contains most of the controls to assist you in setting
up and editing your animation. Animation controllers are found
in this tab. Controllers handle all of the animation tasks in MAX; theyre
used to store animated values and interpolate between values. Using custom
controllers is an advanced way to animate objects in your scene.
Display Tab
The Display tab holds the controls that display your object in your scene.
For example, you could use the Hide command found in the Display tab to
temporarily remove an object from the screen.
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| TIP Many of the commands
in the Display tab are also found in the Display Floater (Tools Ø
Display Floater).
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Utility Tab
The Utility tab is home to a variety of different features in MAX. Unlike
the other areas of the Command Panels, this area does not concentrate
on one specialized group of commands. You can find the MAXScripting commands
in this area, along with the Asset Manager, which is like a built-in Windows
Explorer feature, and third-party plug-ins.
© 2000, Frol (selection,
edition, publication)
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