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.The CoordinateDisplay windows, labeled x, y, and z, feature numeric readouts that corre-spond to mouse manipulations and enable numeric input from the key-board (see Figure 4-11).Also located in this area below the viewports are the buttons that controlkeyframe creation, the playback controls for the trackbar, and, in the farright of this area, the buttons that control view navigation.To the right of the viewports is a moderately wide, vertical columncalled the Command Panel.The top of the Command Panel features fiveiconic category tabs (Create, Modify, Hierarchy, Motion, Display, and Util-ities) that, when clicked, change the array of the tools and parameter con-trols below.The contents of each array are so extensive that the user canscroll and expand the display to two or more columns when accessing allthe contents.Many of the tools found in the Command Panel are replicatedin the Menu Bar.With all the toolbars and panels opened at once, one might think thatvery little room is left for displaying the animation in the viewports.Onemight think correctly! That s why Expert mode has been created (toggledwith Ctrl X).Expert mode hides all the menus, buttons, and panels,revealing the real focus of 3ds max: the viewports.04_200505_Avg_ch04 9/5/03 11:29 AM Page 198Chapter 4198Figure 4-11The time slider, a portion of the trackbar, and, below that, the status and prompt areashowing that  1 Object has been selected and that the program expects additionalobjects to be selected.Notice the coordinates that denote the current position of thecursor.View NavigationThe four default views in maxstart.cui are top, left, front (orthogonal), andperspective.The view within any viewport can be assigned to the entirescreen area by selecting the viewport and then clicking on the min/maxtoggle button in the lower-right corner of the screen.Viewports can dis-play objects in wireframe mode, any one of several shaded modes, and anedge-faced mode that combines wireframe and shading.Each viewportcan be assigned one of six orthogonal views (top, bottom, left, right, front,and back) or four perspective views (perspective, user, light source, orcamera).Right-clicking the viewport s label pulls down a menu where variousviewing choices can be made.Here also, under Configure, is a utility thatcontrols a wide range of viewport options, including the layout of the entireinterface Clicking and dragging the mouse on the viewport borders adjuststhe sizes of the viewports (see Figure 4-12).The viewport views are manipulated in real time by using one of twoview navigation button arrays in the lower-right corner of the screen (seeFigure 4-13).These arrays change depending on the type of viewportselected.If the viewport is set to a perspective view, the controls reflect cam-era motions, such as dolly, field of view, and roll.If the selected viewport isset to an orthogonal view, the controls offered are limited to zooming (z-axis)and 2-D (x- or y-axis) moves.The two rightmost controls remain constant(zoom to full extent and full-screen toggle).04_200505_Avg_ch04 9/5/03 11:29 AM Page 199The Mechanics of Three Leading Animation Programs199Figure 4-12One portion(Layout tab) of theConfigurationwindow thatcontrols theviewing functionsof the centralviewports in3ds max.Figure 4-13The viewnavigationconstant buttonarrays in thelower-right cornerof the 3ds maxscreen.Perspective viewarray is on the left,and orthogonalview array is onthe right.Object NavigationObjects that can be manipulated in 3ds max include 3-D objects and ele-ments, bones, lights, and cameras.Object navigation tools, found in theMain Menu toolbar as icons, include position, rotation, and scale.04_200505_Avg_ch04 9/5/03 11:29 AM Page 200Chapter 4200When activated, object navigation tools superimpose the conventionalcolored symbols on the center of the object, relating to the type of toolselected.3ds max, however, adds some interesting features to these symbolsthat are termed gizmos.The Move gizmo, for instance, features a cube in the center of thearrows (see Figure 4-14).Grabbing the center of the cube allows movementin all axes, as you would expect, but grabbing one face of the cube, such asthe back face, allows movement only on the two axes (x and y) that repre-sent the plane of the back face.In other words, the movement of the objectis constrained in the z-axis, but free in the x-y plane.The Rotate gizmo includes a track ball embedded within the rings (seeFigure 4-15).This ball is opaque to the rings, reducing screen clutter byblocking out the portions of the rings that go behind the ball.In addition,the ball s surface becomes the color of the chosen ring as you rotate theobject.This highlighted wedge provides useful feedback, indicating how farthe object has been rotated, as does a numeric pop-up window that displaysthe amount of rotation in degrees.Similar to the feedback attributes of the Move and Rotate gizmos, theScale gizmo also enables the user to choose planes of scale, and the gizmoFigure 4-14The 3ds maxMove gizmo.Notice that the x-zplane in thecenter cube hasbeen highlighted,indicating thatmovement on they-axis isconstrained [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]