9

User Interface Problems and Recovery 895
4.
Restart 3ds Max.
Anew3dsmax.ini file is automatically created
using default sett ings.
You need to b e careful w hen using this method,
because you don’t necessarily know what custom
settings are saved in the 3dsmax.ini file. Perhap s
you have 3ds Max set to display the command
panel on the left and you’ve changed the viewport
background color. Furthermore, if you have
third-party plug-ins installed, they sometimes
write information to the 3dsmax.ini file. If you
delete the fi le, you will losing al l those sett ings.
If you’re not sure about customized sett ings that
are stored in the 3dsmax.ini file, you can rename
the fi le to something like old3ds.ini.Whenyou
restart 3ds Max, you can continue working and, at
alatertime,comparethetwofilesandcopythe
data you need from the old one to the new one.
Material Editor Defaults to Architectural
Materials
When you open the Material Editor, you encounter
Architectural Materials instead of original
Autodesk VIZ Standard materials.
3ds Max allows you to set default user i nterfaces.
If you build architectural models or require
photorealistic rendering, you can set the user
interface to default to features more relevant to the
wayyouwork.Thisisanewfeaturethatissetfrom
the Customize menu > Custom UI and Defaults
Switcher dialog (page 3–789)
Theprogramsavesthissettingtothe3dsmax.ini
file and you have to restart 3ds Max after using the
defaults switcher.
Missing Command Panel
The command panel normally appears along
the right side on the user interface. If you start
3ds Max and notice that the command panel is
missing, there are usually three causes.
• The command panel is turned off.
• You floated the command panel to another
monitor and attempted to drag it to a new
location. When you released the mouse button,
the command panel disappeared.
• Acustomuserinterfaceisactivethatplacesthe
command panel off-screen.
All of these situations can b e quickly fixed by using
the following steps.
1. Start 3ds Max.
2. From the main menu, choose Customize >
Revert To Startup Layout.
You’re warned that all UI settings you’ve made
during the current session of 3ds Max will b e
reset.
3. Click Yes.
The original user interface is restored.
Missing Transform Gizmos
Whenever you move, rotate or scale an object, the
standard, red axis tripod is replaced by a special
purposetransformgizmo.It’spossibletolosethe
transform gizmo, but it’s easy to get it back. If you
find you’ve lost your transform gizmo, try these
steps.
1. Start 3ds Max.
2. Press the X key.
This is the keyboard shortcut that toggles the
transform gizmo on and off.
3. Press the = key.
This keyboard shor tcut increases the size of the
transform gizmo. The
– key reduces the size.
4. Open the Customize > Preferences > Gizmos
panel, and match your setting to the default
settings shown in the following image.