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22 Chapter 2: Viewing and Navigating 3D Space
Gener a l Vi ewpor t Concepts
The 3ds Max main window, with a docked toolbar and
viewport layout displaying multiple views.
Viewports are openings into the three-dimensional
space of your scene, like windows looking into
an enclosed garden or atrium. But viewports are
more than passive observation points. While
creating a scene, you can use them as dynamic and
flexible tools to understand the 3D relationships
among objects.
Attimesyoumightwanttolookatyourscene
through a large, undivided viewport, giving you
a "picture-window" view of the world you’re
creat ing. Often you use multiple viewports, each
settoadifferentorientation.
If you want to move an object horizontally in the
world space, you might do this in a top v iewport,
lookin g directly down on the object as you move it.
Atthesametime,youcouldbewatchingashaded
perspective viewport to see when the object you’re
moving slides behind another. Using the two
windows together, you can get exactly the position
and a lignment you want.
You also have pan and zoom features available in
either view, as well as grid alignment. With a few
mouse clicks or keystrokes, you c an reach any level
of de tail you need for the next step in your work.
Another way to use viewports is to place a camer a
in your scene and set a viewport to look through
its lens. When you move the camera, the viewport
tracks the change. You ca n do the same thing with
spotlights.
In addition to geometry, viewports can display
other views such as Track View and Schematic
View, which display the structure of the scene
and the animation. Viewports can be extended to
display other tools such as the MAXScript Listener
and the Asset Browser. For interactive rendering,
theviewportcandisplaytheActiveShadewindow.
Active Viewpor t
One view p ort, marked w ith a hig h lig hted border,
is always act ive. The active viewport is where
commands and other actions take effect. Only one
viewportcanbeintheactivestateatatime.Ifother
viewports are visible, they are set for observation
only; unless disabled, they simultaneously track
actionstakenintheactiveviewport.
Sav ing the Active V iewpor t
You can save the v iew in any active viewpor t and
later restore it with the Views menu’s
Save Active
View (page 1–37)
and RestoreActiveView(page
1–37)
commands. One view can be saved for each
of the follow ing view types: Top, Bottom, Left,
Right, Front, Back, User, Perspective.
For example, while in the Front view, you choose
Save Active Front View, and then zoom and pan
that view. You then activate t he Top viewport,
choose Sav e Active Top V iew, and then click Zoom
Extents. You return to the Front view, and choose
Restore Active Front View to return to its original
zoom and pan. At any time, you can activate the
Top viewport, and then choose Restore Active Top
View to restore its saved view.