8

Viewport Layout 899
Viewport Layout
Customize menu > Viewport Configuration > Viewport
Configuration dialog > Layout tab
Right-click a vi ew por t label. > Configure > Viewport
Configuration dialog > Layout tab
You specify the division method of viewports, and
assign specific types of views to each viewport on
the Layout panel of the Viewport Configuration
dialog.
The layout is saved with the
.max file, so you can
storedifferentlayoutsinseparatescenefiles.Load
thefileyouwant,thenmergeinthecontentsof
other files to maintain the layout.
Tip: Through MAXScript, there are commands
tosetthecurrentlayouttoanyofthe14available
setups. You can als o act ivate any viewport and set
the view type. This enables you to create macros
and custom user interface buttons to set any layout
you choose.
Inter face
The Layout panel is arranged in two general
areas. At the top are icons representing the
possible div ision methods. Below these is a screen
representation of the currently selected layout.
Clickanicontoselectthedivisionmethod,which
appears in the larger screen representation.
To assig n specific views, click the viewpor t in the
screen representation. Choose a v iewport type
from the menu that appears.
Safe Frames
Customize menu > Viewport Configuration > V i ewpor t
Configuration dialog > Safe Frames tab
Right-click a vie wport la bel. > Configure > Viewport
Configuration dialog > Safe Frames tab
Keyboard > SHIFT+F
Safe frame borders show which portions of a viewpo rt will
be visible when rendered to video.
You toggle the status of the video safe frame (page
3–1124)
forthecurrentviewportandadjust
its parameters on the Safe Frames panel of the
View por t Configuration dialog.
Video Safe Frame displays a series of concentric
rectangular frames in the viewport. Use Safe
Frametoseetheproportionsofyourrendered
output within the viewport. This is particularly
useful when you are rendering to output that
doesn’t match the viewpor t’s aspect ratio.
TheprimarypurposeofSafeFramesistosuggest
safe areas for work intended for display on TV
monitors. It is likely that t he b ezel will cover about
10% of the image so you don’t want important
objects or action to fall outside the Act ion Safe