3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [292]
The Configure Paths dialog box includes an XRefs tab for setting the paths for XRef scenes and objects, shown in Figure 25.9. Choose Customize⇒Configure User Paths to open the XRefs panel.
FIGURE 25.9
The XRefs panel in the Configure User Paths dialog box lets you specify paths to be searched when an XRef cannot be located.
Max keeps track of the path of any XRefs used in a scene, but if it cannot find them, it looks at the paths designated in the XRefs panel of the Configure Paths dialog box. For projects that use lots of XRefs, populating this list with potential paths is a good idea. Paths are scanned in the order they are listed, so place the most likely paths at the top of the list.
To add a new path to the panel, click the Add button. You also can modify or delete paths in this panel with the Modify and Delete buttons.
Using the Schematic View Window
A great way to organize and select objects is to use the Schematic View window. Every object in the Schematic View is displayed as a labeled rectangular box. These boxes (or nodes) are connected to show the relationships among them. You can rearrange them and save the customized views for later access.
You access the Schematic View window via the Graph Editors menu command or by clicking its button on the main toolbar. When the window opens, it floats on top of the Max interface and can be moved by dragging its title bar. You also can resize the window by dragging on its borders. The window is modeless and lets you access the viewports and buttons in the interface beneath it.
The Graph Editors menu options
The Schematic View menu options enable you to manage several different views. The Graph Editors⇒New Schematic View command opens the Schematic View window, shown in Figure 25.10. If you enter a name in the View Name field at the top of the window, you can name and save the current view. This name then appears in the Graph Editors⇒Saved Schematic Views submenu and also in the title bar when the saved view is open.
Every time the Graph Editors⇒New Schematic View menu command is used, a new view name is created and another view is added to the Saved Schematic Views submenu. The Schematic View⇒Delete Schematic View command opens a dialog box in which you can select the view you want to delete.
Tip
You can open any saved Schematic View window (or a new Schematic View window) within a viewport by right-clicking the viewport title, choosing Views⇒Schematic, and clicking the view name in the pop-up menu. •
FIGURE 25.10
The Schematic View window displays all objects as nodes.
The Schematic View interface
The Schematic View window includes several common interface elements, including menus, toolbar buttons, and a right-click quadmenu. Just like the main interface, you can access the commands in many ways.
Using the Schematic View menus
The Schematic View window includes menus at the top of its interface, including Edit, Select, List Views, Layout, Options, Display, and View.
The Edit menu includes commands to Connect (C) and Unlink Selected object nodes. It also includes a Delete command, which deletes an object from the viewports as well as from the object node. The Edit menu includes commands to Assign Controllers, Wire Parameters, and open the Object Properties dialog box.
Note
Many of the keyboard shortcuts for the Schematic View window are the same as those in the main interface. If you enable the Keyboard Shortcut Override Toggle, you can use the Schematic View keyboard shortcuts. •
The Select menu includes commands for accessing the Select tool (S or Q); selecting All (Ctrl+A), None (Ctrl+D), and Invert (Ctrl+I); selecting (Ctrl+C) and deselecting children; and commands to sync the selected nodes in the Schematic View with the scene (Select from Scene) and vice versa (Select to Scene).
The List Views menu determines what is shown in the Schematic View. Options include All Relationships, Selected Relationships, All Instances, Selected Instances, Show Occurrences, and All Animated Controllers. Many of these options are available