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CHAPTER 1 GettinG to Know 3ds Max desiGn 2010
Just as with the spinners in the Command panel, the Transform Type-In spinners let you
set values by clicking and dragging. You can also return to the default values of zero by right-
clicking the spinners. When in Offset mode, the spinners automatically reset to zero because the
values represent numerical values away from the current, baseline location. The spinners in the
coordinate readout appear when you turn on the Select and Move, Select and Rotate, or Select
and Scale tool from the main toolbar.
Accessing the Transform Type-In Dialog Boxes
If you are used to earlier versions of 3ds Max, you can still use the floating Transform Type-In dialog
boxes that appear when you right-click the Select and Move, Rotate, and Scale tools. Most recently,
this functionality has been added to the quad menu; by clicking the settings box to the right of
Move, Rotate, or Scale, you are taken to the Transform Type-In dialog box automatically. You can
also access the Transform Type-In dialog box by using the F12 key.
Rotating and Scaling Objects
Besides the Move tool, the Transform tools also include the Rotate and Scale tools. Try the fol-
lowing set of exercises to see how these tools work.
Using the Transforms from the Quad Menu
You can also activate the Move, Rotate, and Scale tools by right-clicking on an object and selecting
Move, Rotate, or Scale from the Transform section of the quad menu that appears. You can access
the Transform Type-In dialog boxes by clicking the icon to the right of the transforms listed.
1. With the box selected, click the Select and Rotate tool in the main toolbar. The Rotate
Transform gizmo, a kind of virtual trackball, appears with rings representing the rotation
about the X-, Y-, and Z-axes.
2. Place the cursor on the red ring that circumscribes the X-axis. Notice that the ring is
highlighted in yellow. Click and drag the X-axis ring up. The box rotates about the X-axis
as shown in Figure 1.25. A tangent indicator arrow will appear, indicating the direction of
rotation, and a transparent red slice along with a text tooltip will appear, displaying the
amount of rotation. Release the mouse button to set the rotation angle.
Make sure the Absolute/Offset Mode Transform Type-In button is in the Absolute mode and
look at the coordinate readout. Notice that the X value is not zero, because you rotated it in
step 2. It now shows a number of degrees.
3. Right-click the X spinner in the coordinate readout to set the X value rotation back to
zero. Notice that the box snaps back to its original orientation.
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