3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [296]
The Expand button shows the actual nodes when enabled but only an arrow that can be clicked to access the nodes if disabled. The Focus button shows all related objects as colored nodes, and all other nodes are unshaded.
Figure 25.16 shows a Schematic View with the Base Objects and Controllers Entities selected in the Display floater. The Expand button also is disabled. This makes up and down arrows appear above each node. Clicking the up arrow collapses the node, rolling it up into its parent. Clicking the down arrow expands the node and displays the Base Object and Controller nodes for the node that you clicked, such as the Earth node in Figure 25.14. You also can expand and collapse nodes with the Display⇒Expand Selected and Collapse Selected menu commands.
Hierarchical relationships are shown as lines that connect the nodes. Even if the nodes are moved, the lines follow as needed to show the relationship between the nodes.
FIGURE 25.16
Schematic View nodes can be collapsed or expanded by clicking the up and down arrows.
Connecting nodes
To create a hierarchy, use the Edit⇒Connect menu command, or press the C shortcut, or click the Connect button on the Schematic View toolbar. This enters Connect mode, which lets you link objects together; copy modifiers, materials, or controllers between nodes; or even wire parameters.
For linking nodes, the Connect button works the same way here as it does on the main toolbar—selecting the child node and dragging a line from the child node to its parent. You can even select multiple nodes and link them all at once.
The Edit⇒Unlink Selected menu command (and toolbar button) destroys the link between any object and its immediate parent. Remember that every child object can have only one parent.
Copying modifiers and materials between nodes
Before you can copy materials or modifiers between nodes, you need to make sure they are visible. Material nodes and modifier nodes show up only if they are enabled in the Display floater. You can access this floater by clicking the Display floater button (or by pressing the D key).
To copy a material or modifier, select the material node for one object, click the Connect (C) button, and drag the material to another object node.
Note
In the Schematic View, materials can be copied only between objects; you cannot apply new materials from the Material Editor to Schematic View nodes. •
When modifiers are copied between nodes, a dialog box appears, giving you the chance to Copy, Move, or Instance the modifier. You also can use the Schematic View window to reorder the Modifier Stack. Using the Connect tool, just drag the modifier node to the modifier node that you want to be beneath and the stack is reordered.
Cross-Reference
You can learn more about applying modifiers and the Modifier Stack in Chapter 11, “Introducing Modifiers and Using the Modifier Stack.” •
Assigning controllers and wiring parameters
If controller nodes are visible, you can copy them to another node using the same technique used for materials and modifiers using the Connect (C) button. You also can assign a controller to an object node that doesn't have a controller using the Edit⇒Assign Controller menu command. This opens the Assign Controller dialog box, shown in Figure 25.17, where you can select the controller to apply.
FIGURE 25.17
Controllers can be assigned using the Schematic View window.
Nodes can be wired using the Schematic View window. To wire parameters, select the node you want to wire and select Edit⇒Wire Parameters. A pop-up menu of wire parameters appears that works the same as in the viewports. All parameter wiring relationships are shown in magenta.
Cross-Reference
You can learn more about parameter wiring in Chapter 21, “Understanding Animation and Keyframes.” •
Tutorial: Linking a character with the Schematic View
Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of the Schematic View is its ability to link objects.