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422 Chapter 20: Managing Scenes and Projects
Layer operations are accessed through the tools on
the Layers toolbar, and also on an object-by-object
basis using the quad menu (page 3–694).
Unlin ked objects, such as 3ds Max objects or
drawing geometr y that has been bound into the
scene using the Bind command, may b e assigned
to any layer you choose, including layers created
by the File Link Manager.
Linked objects from AutoCAD, AutoCAD
Architecture, or Revit, with s ome minor
exceptions,willbeassignedtothesamelayersthey
occupy in program where the drawing was created.
Any changes made to the layer sett ings in 3ds Max
(hidden/unhidden, frozen/unfrozen, display
color) affect linked objects just as they do unlinked
objects. Also , any changes you make to the lay ers
are not reset when you reload the drawing.
Yo u c a n r e n a m e l a y e r s c r e a t e d b y t h e F i l e L i n k
Manager. When the next reload occurs, the
renamed layer is not affected by the File Link
Manager. Objects on the renamed layer are
updated; however, they remain on the same layer.
The original layer is only recreated when a new
object has b een created in the DWG file. New
objects a re never placed on the renamed layer.
Yo u c a n a l s o d e l e t e l a y e r s i m p o r t e d b y t h e File
Link Manager (page 3–422);butonlyiftheydon’t
contain any objects.
You can move actively linked objects between
layers in 3ds Max. When the next reload occurs,
the objects are updated; however, they are not
moved back to t heir or iginal layers. You can a lso
place non-linked objects, such as 3ds Max objects
or drawing geometry that has been bound into the
scene, on any of the imported layers.
Objects contained in layers that are frozen in
AutoCAD or AutoCAD Architecture are not linked
to 3ds Max. Objects that were originally linked
to 3ds Max are removed if their layer is frozen in
AutoCAD or AutoCAD Architecture and the link
is reloaded, but they are added again, upon reload,
after their layer is unfrozen in the program w here
the drawing is created.
Note: This is only the case if Skip all Frozen Layers
is active on the Select Layers dialog (page 3–438).
If you select the layers individually from a list, you
can bring in data on f rozen layers.
See also
Using Layers to Organize a Scene (page 3–655)
Scale Synchronization
3ds Max automat ically manages the sc ale
conversion on linked geometry and materials.
3dsMaxhasitsownsyst em unit for internal
representation of geometrical scale.
If you find that any geometry is not shown at
thesizeyouintendedittobe,itisbecauseitwas
created at the improp er scale in the originating
program.
See also
Using Units (page 2–2)
File Li nk M anager
Utilities panel > Utilities rollout > Click the More button.
> Utilities dialog > File Link Manager
File menu > File Link Manager
TheFileLinkManagerutilityallowsyou
to work in either another design software’s
environment (such as AutoCAD) or in 3ds Max
while maint aining a single design database.
If you use AutoCAD drawings, this feature
workswithdrawingsfromAutoCADRelease12