9

Configure User Paths 809
Note:
Using Load eliminates the existing
path configuration; using Merge over writes
only paths that exist in both the current
configuration and the new one.
To share files with team members using relative
pat hs :
1.
EnsuretheConvertlocalfilepathstoRelative
preference is enabled.
2. As you work, all files are saved relative to your
project folder.
3. Give your scene to another user.
4. The second user opens the scene on a machine
with a different project folder and now 3ds Max
searches for all fi les related to the scene file in
the second user’s project folder.
Note: TheConvertlocalfilepathtoRelative
preference is set when you create the file. For
example, if I load a material into my scene with
this preference on, this material will always be
treated as relative to the project folder.
Inter face
The Configure U ser Paths dialog comprises three
panels:
• External Files (page 3–811)
• File I/O (page 3–810)
• XRefs (page 3–812)
In addition, the dialog provides command buttons
on the right side and across the bottom:
Proj ect Folder—Lets you set the project folder (page
3–393).
Modify—Lets you change the highlighted path.
Mak e R elative—Letsyouchangeanabsoluteor
complete file path into a path relative to the project
folder (page 3–393).
Note: For relative paths within the project folder,
a leading “.\” represents the project folder path.
On the other hand, one or more instances of “..\”
preceding the path indicates that the path is in a
sibling folder to the project folder, as opposed to
a sub-folder. For example, if your project folder
is c:\MyProject\Project1 and the asset location
is c:\Resources\myresource.jpg, then the relative
pathfromtheprojectfoldertotheresourceis
..\..\Resources\myresource.jpg. If the asset was in
c:\MyProject\Resources\myresource.jpg,thenthe
relative path would be ..\Resources\myresource.jpg.
Mak e Absolute—Lets you make the path absolute,
where a relative path is currently being used. For
example, if “.\” represents your project folder in
the path name, then when you make the path
absolutethefullnamewillbeusedinstead.
Move Up/Down—Lets you change the highlighted
path’s position in the list to alter its se arch priority.
Available only on the External Files and XRefs
panels.
Save as—Lets you save the path configuration as
an MXP file for sharing with team members.
Loa d—Loads a path configuration from an MXP
file. The loaded configuration completely replaces
the existing one.
Merge—Merges a path configuration from an MXP
file. The merged configuration adds paths that
existonlyinthenewfileandreplacesanyexisting
paths.