Wiley 3ds max 7 Bible 978-0-7645-7971-4 Manuel D’Utilisation

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Part I ✦ Learning the Max Interface

Many features include keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts can give you direct access to a
command without moving the mouse. The default shortcuts for the menu commands are
listed to the right of the command. You can use the Keyboard panel of the Customize User
Interface dialog box to view and change the keyboard shortcut for any feature.

Appendix C, “Max Keyboard Shortcuts,” lists all the default keyboard shortcuts.

Strokes are similar to the keyboard shortcuts, except they allow you to draw a predefined
shape using the middle mouse button as a shortcut to a command. For example, you can set
up a stroke to undo the last action using a shape that looks like the letter U. Then you can
undo the last action by clicking the middle button and dragging in the shape of the letter U.
Strokes are convenient because they use the mouse, and you don’t need to reach for the key-
board. The Strokes feature requires a three-button mouse or a mouse with a scroll wheel. 

Setting up and using strokes is covered in more detail in Chapter 4, “Customizing the Max
Interface and Setting Preferences.”

Many dialog boxes in Max are modeless, which means that the dialog box doesn’t need to be
closed before you can work with objects in the background viewports. The Material Editor is an
example of a modeless dialog box. With the Material Editor open, you can create, select, and
transform objects in the background. Other modeless dialog boxes include the Material/Map
Browser, the Render Scene dialog box, the Video Post dialog box, the Transform Type-In dialog
box, the Display and Selection Floaters, and the various graph editors. Pressing the Ctrl+~
keyboard shortcut closes all open dialog boxes. Pressing the same keyboard shortcut again
reopens the dialog boxes that were previously closed.

Another feature of many, but not all, dialog boxes is persistence, which means that values
added to a dialog box remain set when the dialog box is reopened. This feature applies only
within a given Max session. Choosing the File ➪ Reset command button or exiting and restart-
ing Max resets all the dialog boxes.

If you get stuck, Max won’t leave you stranded. You can turn to several places in Max to get
help. The Help menu is a valuable resource that provides access to references and tutorials.
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 open a
Web browser and load the Discreet Support Web pages or look for updates.

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