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CHAPTER 1 GettinG to Know 3ds Max desiGn 2010
Floating and Hiding the Command Panel
You can move the Command panel just like any other toolbar, or you can close the panel entirely by
clicking the Close button (the one with the X, in the upper-right corner of the window) when the
panel is floating. To bring the Command panel back, right-click on the blank area of any toolbar and
then select Command Panel from the context menu. You can also right-click the Command panel’s
title bar to dock the panel on the left or right side of the screen.
Understanding 3ds Max’s Tools
There are a few ways of working in 3ds Max that are a bit unusual for a Windows program. In
this section, you’ll explore the Create tab of the Command panel as a way to understand some of
3ds Max’s quirks. There aren’t many, but understanding them now will make it easier for you to
learn how to use the program.
Ge t t i n G t o Kn o w Sc r o l l i n G Pa n e l S a n d ro l l o u t S
3ds Max Design 2010 has a rich set of creation and editing toolsso many, in fact, that 3ds Max’s
programmers had to come up with a way to get to them easily without making the program
too arcane. Two of these tools help you navigate its interface: the scrolling panel and the rollout. A
scrolling panel is an area that can be scrolled up or down using a Hand cursor. A rollout is a set
of tools that can be opened or closed, much like a drawer in a dresser. Lets start by looking at
how a scrolling panel works:
1. Click the Create tab of the Command panel. Notice the row of icons just below the title of
the tab. These icons are buttons, or tools, that offer different categories of objects.
2. Place the cursor over the tool that looks like a movie camera. Notice that a tooltip dis-
plays, offering the name of the tool.
3. Click the Cameras tool. You see the options change below the tools.
4. Click the Target button. A set of additional options appears. Although it may not be obvi-
ous, these options extend beyond the bottom of the Command panel.
5. Move your cursor down to a blank spot in the Command panel. The cursor changes to a
hand.
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