Page 239 - Kitab3DsMax

Chapter 6: Selecting Objects and Setting Object Properties

Using the layer list
The main section of the Layer Manager (and repeated in the Layers toolbar) is the layer list and its columns,
which allow you to turn certain properties on and off. The properties in the columns include Hide, Freeze,
Render, Color, and Radiosity. If a property is enabled, a simple icon is displayed; if disabled, a dash is dis-
played. If an object is set to get its property from the layer (by clicking the ByLayer button in the Object
Properties dialog box), then a dot icon is displayed. Individual objects within a layer can have different
properties. You can sort the column properties by clicking the column head.
You can toggle these properties on and off by clicking them. You also can set these properties in the Layers
toolbar. The Hide toggle determines whether the layer’s objects are visible in the viewports. The Freeze tog-
gle makes objects on a layer unselectable. The Render toggle enables the layer’s objects to be rendered. The
Color toggle sets the layer color. Layer 0 is set to assign random colors and cannot be changed. The
Radiosity toggle includes the layer’s objects in the radiosity calculations.
The Layer Manager also includes a right-click pop-up menu that includes many of the same commands
found as buttons, but a unique set of commands found in the right-click pop-up menu are the Cut and Paste
commands. With these commands, you can select objects in one layer to cut and paste into another layer.

Caution
If multiple objects are selected within the Layer Manager, then right-clicking an object’s name deselects all the selected
objects. To maintain the current selection, right-click within the Layer Manager, away from the Layers column. n

Tutorial: Dividing a scene into layers
As a scene begins to come together, you’ll start to find that it is difficult to keep track of all the different
pieces. This is where the layers interface can really help. In this example, you take a simple scene and divide
it into several layers.
To divide a scene into layers, follow these steps:
1. Open the Elk on hill layers.max scene file.
You can find it in the Chap 06 directory on the DVD. This file includes an Elk model created by
Viewpoint Datalabs.
2. Select Tools ➪ Manage Layers to open the Layer Manager.
3. With no objects selected, click the Create New Layer button and name the layer Hill and trees.
Click the Create New Layer button again, and name this layer Elk. Click the Create New Layer
button again, and create a layer named Background and light. The Layer Manager now includes
four layers, including layer 0.
4. In the Layer Manager, click the first column for the Elk layer to make it the current layer. With
the Edit ➪ Select All (Ctrl+A) menu command, select all objects in the scene and click the Add
Selected Objects to Highlighted Layer button in the Layer Manager.
5. Expand the Elk layer by clicking the + icon to the left of its name.
This displays all the objects within this layer.
6. Select all the trees and the hill objects by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking each object’s
name in the Layer Manager. Then right-click away from the names, and select Cut from the pop-
up menu. Then select the Hill and trees layer, and select Paste from the right-click pop-up menu.
7. Select the background and light objects from within the Elk layer, and click the Select
Highlighted Objects and Layers button. Then select the Background and light layer, and click the
Add Selected Objects to Highlighted Layer button to move the background and light objects to
the correct layer.
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