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772 Chapter 21: User Interface
you use Key Steps mode. If you turn this off, the
transforms of all (unhidden) objects in the scene
are considered. Default=on.
Use Current Tr ansfor m—Disables Position,
Rotation, and Scale and uses the current transform
in Key Mode. For example, if the Rotate button is
selected in the toolbar, you stop at each rotation
key. If none of the three transform buttons are on,
Key Mode considers all tr ansforms.
To make the following control available, turn off
Use Current T ransform.
Position, Rotat ion, S cale—Specifies which
transforms are used by Key Mode.
Clear Use Current Transform to make the Position,
Rotation, and Scale check boxes available.
Viewports and Viewport
Controls
Viewports
When you start 3ds Max, the main screen contains
four equal-sized viewports. The one in the
lower rig ht is a perspect ive view, and the others
correspond to the t hree views: top, front, left.
By default, the perspective view is Smooth and
Highlights.
You can choose different v iews to display i n these
fourviewportsaswellasdifferentlayoutsfromthe
viewport right-click menu (page 3–774) .
Viewport Layouts
You can choose from other layouts different
from the default configuration. To choose a
different layout, right-click the viewport label,
and click Configure. Choose the lay out tab of the
Viewport Configuration dialog to see and select
the alternative layouts.
Typical viewport layout
Note: The v iewport layout is saved with your MAX
file.
Tip: You can change the default viewport layout
by saving a
maxstart.max file with the desired
viewport configuration and placing it in the
\defau lts folder (page 3–834) .
Active Viewport B or der s
When four viewpor ts are visible, one viewpor t,
marked with a hig h lighted b order, is always ac tive.
This is where commands and other actions take
effect. Only one viewport at a time can be active.
Other view por ts are set for obser vation only;
unless disabled, they simultaneously track actions
takenintheactiveviewport.WhentheAutoKey
button is on, the active viewport border changes
from yellow to red.
In general, a viewport becomes active as you work
init. Youcanmoveanobjectinoneviewport,
thendragthesameobjectinanotherviewport
to continue the move. Right-click v iewport to
activate it without changing the selection. If you
left-click a viewport, the viewp ort is activated
and whatever you click is selected. The previous
selection is discarded.