8
Scale Synchronization 431
to any layer you choose, including layers created
by the File Link Manager.
Linked objects from AutoCAD, Architectural
Desktop or Revit, with some minor exceptions,
willbeassignedtothesamelayerstheyoccupyin
program where the draw ing was created.
Any changes made to the layer settings in 3ds Max
(hidden/unhidden, frozen/unfrozen, display
color) affect linked objects just as they do unlinked
objects. Also, any changes you make to the layers
are
not
reset when y ou reload the drawing.
Yo u c a n re n a m e l a y e r s c r e a t e d b y t h e F i l e L i n k
Manager. When the next reload occurs, the
renamed layer is not affected by t he File Link
Manager. Objects on the renamed layer are
updated; however, they remain on the same layer.
The original layer is only recreated when a new
object has been created in the DWG file. New
objects are never placed on the renamed layer.
Yo u c a n a l s o d e l e t e l a y e r s i m p o r t e d b y t h e
File
Link Manager (page 3–431)
;butonlyiftheydon’t
contain any objects.
You can move actively linked objects between
layers in 3ds Max. When the next reload occurs,
the objects are updated; however, they are not
moved back to t heir original layers. You can also
place non-linked objects, such as 3ds Max objects
or drawing geometry that has been b ound into the
scene, on any of the imported layers.
Objects contained in layers that are frozen in
AutoCAD or Architectural Desktop are not linked
to 3ds Max. Objects that were or ig inally linked
to 3ds Max are removed if their layer is frozen in
AutoCAD or Architectural Desktop and the link is
reloaded, but they are added again, upon reload,
after their layer is unfrozen in the program where
the drawing is created.
Note: This is only the case if Skip all Frozen Layers
is active on the
Select Layers dialog (page 3–444)
.
If you select the layers individually from a list, you
can bring in data on frozen layers.
See also
Using Layers to Organize a Scene (page 3–704)
Scale Synchronization
3ds Max automatically manages the scale
conversion on linked geometry and materials.
3dsMaxhasitsown
system unit
for internal
representation of geometrical scale.
If you find that a ny geometry is not shown at
thesizeyouintendedittobe,itisbecauseitwas
created at the improper scale in the orig inating
program.
See also
Using Units (page 2–3)
File Link Ma nager
File L ink Ma nager Ut ilit y
Utilities panel > Utilitie s rollout > Click More. > Utilities
dialog > File Link M a n ager
File m enu > File Link Manager
TheFileLinkManagerutilityallowsyou
to work in either another design software’s
environment (such as AutoCAD) or in 3ds Max
while maintaining a single design database.
If you use AutoCAD drawings, this feature
workswithdrawingsfromAutoCADRelease
12 through AutoCAD 2005, including t he
Mechanical/Architectural Desktop and Revit
applications.