Page 278 - Kitab3DsMax

Part II: Working with Objects

Using Quick Clone
Within the Transform Toolbox is a QClone button. This Quick Clone button creates a clone of the selected
object and places it to the side of the selected object. The placement is exactly half the width of the selected
object so the cloned object just touches the original. Holding down the Shift key creates an Instanced copy,
and holding down the Alt key creates two copies. This provides a quick and easy way to clone and move
the object at the same time.

Understanding Cloning Options

When cloning in Max, you’re offered the option to create the clone as a copy, an instance, or a reference.
This is true not only for objects but for materials, modifiers, and controllers as well.

Working with copies, instances, and references
When an object is cloned, the Clone Options dialog box appears. This dialog box enables you to select to
make a copy, an instance, or a reference of the original object. Each of these clone types is unique and offers
different capabilities.
A copy is just what it sounds like—an exact replica of the original object. The new copy maintains no ties to
the original object and is a unique object in its own right. Any changes to the copy do not affect the original
object, and vice versa.
Instances are different from copies in that they maintain strong ties to the original object. All instances of an
object are interconnected, so that any geometry modifications (done with modifiers or object parameters) to
any single instance changes all instances. For example, if you create several instances of a mailbox and then
use a modifier on one of them, all instances are also modified.

Note
Instances and references can have different object colors, materials, transformations (moving, rotating, or scaling),
and object properties. n
References are objects that inherit modifier changes from their parent objects but do not affect the parent
when modified. Referenced objects get all the modifiers applied to the parent and can have their own modi-
fiers as well. For example, suppose that you have an apple object and a whole bunch of references to that
apple. Applying a modifier to the base apple changes all the remaining apples, but you can also apply a
modifier to any of the references without affecting the rest of the bunch.

Cross-Ref
Instances and references are tied to the applied object modifiers, which are covered in more detail in Chapter 11,
“Introducing Modifiers and Using the Modifier Stack.” n

At any time, you can break the tie between objects with the Make Unique button in the Modifier Stack. The
Views ➪ Show Dependencies command shows in magenta any objects that are instanced or referenced when
the Modify panel is opened. This means that you can easily see which objects are instanced or referenced
from the current selection.

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