2009

custom constraints directly without having to go to Track View and assign
controllers.
Parameter wiring is accessible from the Animation menu and the quad menus
on page 7516. The Wire Parameters command is available only if a single node
is selected. Choosing the Wire Parameters command displays a hierarchical
pop-up menu with levels and items corresponding to the animatable tracks
that would be visible for that object in Track View.
When you make a parameter selection, a dashed line, similar to that displayed
in the
Select and Link mode on page 3343, is drawn from the selected object to
the mouse cursor. The cursor changes from an arrow to a cross whenever it is
over a valid destination object. You can right-click at any time to cancel the
parameter wiring.
While the dashed line is displayed, you can click a destination node or on
empty space in the viewport to customize the relationship between two wired
parameters. If you click empty space, the Parameter Wiring dialog on page
3324 opens showing the first parameter in the left Tree View and the full scene
in the right tree. Clicking a destination node (which can be the same as the
originating node) displays a hierarchical pop-up menu for the destination
object so you can choose the destination parameter. After you choose a second
parameter, the Parameter Wiring dialog opens.
You can wire one-way and two-way connections between parameters. For
one-way wires, one parameter is effectively slaved to the other and its value
changes as the controlling parameter changes, according to a user-defined
transfer expression. The controlling parameter can be animated and adjusted
as needed using all the animation tools in 3ds Max. This includes making it
a controlled parameter in another parameter-wiring setup, so that you could
potentially set up a chain of controlled parameters.
For two-way wiring, the software assigns Wire controllers of the appropriate
kinds to each of the parameters and they are cross-linked so that changing
either parameter cause linked changes in the other.
NOTE You should establish all object hierarchies before wiring parameters in a
scene. If you change the hierarchy of an object that has a wired parameter, it will
take on new parameters, which could introduce undesired results in your wired
parameters.
TIP Use Schematic View on page 7411 to see all the wired parameter relationships
in a scene. You can also use Schematic view to wire parameters.
Wire Parameters | 3323