The 3ds Max interface chapter covers the main components of the 3ds Max workspace including viewports, navigation tools like the viewcube and quad menus, transforming objects using gizmos, the Graphite modeling tool tab, the command panel, modifier stack, time slider and track bar, setting projects, and file management features like version up saving. Key areas discussed are the viewports and navigation options, transforming objects using the move, rotate, and scale gizmos, the Graphite modeling tools, and the layout and functions accessible through the command panel.

1. 3ds Max 2015 Essentials
Chapter 1: The 3ds Max Interface

2. 3ds Max 2015 topics covered in
this chapter include the following:
• The Workspace
• Transforming Objects Using Gizmos
• Graphite Modeling Tool
• Command Panel
• Time Slider and Track Bar
• File Management
2

3. The Workspace
3
This is a brief rundown of what you need to know about the UI and how to
navigate in 3ds Max’s workspace

4. Viewports
• Viewport
– Top, Front, Left and Perspective
– Right-click Viewport Labels menus for
more options
• ViewCube
– Viewport Navigation
– Adjust viewport
orientation
• Mouse Buttons
– Each button has different role for
manipulating in viewports
4
3ds Max’s Viewports are windows into your scene.

5. Viewports (cont.)
• Quad Menus
– Right-click in viewport to display up to
four quadrant areas with various
commands.
• Caddy Interface
– Context sensitive tool
– Replaces the Settings dialog box
• Display of Object in Viewport
– Most common ways are Wireframe and
Smooth and Highlights 5

6. Transforming Objects using
Gizmos
• Move
– Shortcut is W
– Drag handles moves along
XYZ axis
• Rotate
– Shortcut is E
– Click on colored circles to
rotate XYZ
• Scale
– Shortcut is R
– Middle triangle scales
uniformly, drag handle to
scale along one axis 6

7. Graphite Modeling Tool Tab
• Polygon Modeling Panel
• Modify Selection Panel
• Edit Panel
• Geometry Panel
• [Subobject] Panel
• Loops Panel
• Additional Panels
7
The Graphite Modeling tool ribbon provides you with a wide range of
tools to make building and editing modeling fast and easy.

8. Command Panel
• Create
- Creates object, lights, cameras, etc.
• Modify
- Edit object parameters and apply
modifiers
• Hierarchy
- Adjust hierarchy for objects and adjust
their pivot points.
• Motion
- Animation tools and functions
• Display
- Lets you access display options for
scene objects
• Utilities
- Lets you access several functions such
as motion capture utilities and the Asset
Browser 8
Running along the right side of the 3ds max interface, the
Command Panel has everything you need to create,
manipulate, and animate objects.

9. Modifier Stack
• This UI element gives a list of all the modifiers that
are active on any selected object. Modifiers are
actions applied to an object that change it
somehow, such as bending or warping.
9
Command Panel
Objects and Subobjects

10. Time Slider and Track Bar
• The time slider allows you to move
through any frame in your scene by
scrubbing (moving the slider back and
forth).
• You can move through your animation one
frame at a time by clicking on the arrows
on either side of the time slider or by
pressing the < and > keys.
10

11. Setting a Project
• 3ds Max provides several subfolders
automatically grouped into projects for you.
• Once you copy the appropriate projects to your
hard drive, you can tell 3ds Max which project to
work on by choosing Application Manage Set➢ ➢
Project Folder.
11
File Management
Version Up!
• Save your file using the same name, but you
increase the version number by 1.
• Select Application Save As and manually➢
changing the version number or click the
Increment button (the + icon) to the right of the
filename which will a add 01, then 02, then 03,
and so on.