2009

Understanding Controllers
Controllers are plug-ins that handle all of the animation tasks in 3ds Max,
including:
■ Storing animation key values.
■ Storing procedural animation settings.
■ Interpolating between animation key values.
Most animatable parameters don't receive a controller until you animate them.
As soon as you change an animatable parameter at any frame other than 0
with the Auto Key button on, or click in its track using Curve Editor > Add
Keys, a default controller is assigned to the parameter.
Accessing Controllers
You can work directly with controllers in two different places:
■
Track View: Controllers are indicated in the Hierarchy list by the
various controller icons. Each controller has its own individual icon. Using
Track View, in either Curve Editor or Dope Sheet mode, you can view and
work with the controllers for all objects and all parameters. See
Track View
on page 3503.
■
Motion panel: Contains special tools for working with transform
controllers. The Motion panel contains many of the same controller
functions as the Curve Editor, plus controls necessary for working with
special controllers such as IK Solvers. Using the Motion panel you can view
and work with the transform controllers of a single selected object. See
Motion Panel on page 7663.
Categories of Controllers
There are two main categories of controllers. These categories are easy to
identify when looking at the Track View - Curve Editor Hierarchy list.
Single-Parameter Controllers: Control animation values of a single parameter.
Regardless of whether the parameter has a single component, such as the
number of sides of a cylinder, or multiple components, such as the RGB values
of a color, the controller is handling a single parameter.
Understanding Controllers | 3103