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Knot 961
an object that you specify as a terminator for the
chain.
3ds Max automatically determines the kinematic
chain when you select and transform an object
w ith the IK button turned on.
Knot
A va lue in an array or "knot vector" associated
with a N URBS curve. The knots specify the region
of influence of the CVs on the curve. You can’t see
or directly alter knots.
Launch Script
A launch script is a MAXScript script that you
run from the command line with the -U switch,
instead of from the Utilities command panel.
Youusealaunchscripttorunbatchoperationsin
the software. For example, you might have a batch
rendering in which the script opens a sequence of
files, sets up shots in each, and renders them, all
w ithout using the user interface.
Layer Track
A Motion Mixer track for a series of motions that
do not require transitions between them. Compare
with a Transition track (page 3–1027),which
allows you to stack clips on top of one another
and to create automatic transitions between them.
When a biped is added to the Motion Mixer, it is
automatically assigned a Layer t rack. See Adding
Tracks to the Mixer (page 2–607).
Layers
Layersareliketransparentoverlays,andallowyou
to organize and group different ty p es of scene
information.Theobjectsyoucreatehavecommon
properties including color, visibility, renderability,
and display. An object can assume these properties
from the layer on which you create it.
You can adjust layer properties from the Layers
toolbar (page 3–688) and the Layer Manager.
See also
Using Layers to Organize a Scene (page 3–655)
Layer Manager (page 3–656)
Layer Proper ties Dialog (page 3–662)
Layers (B iped)
The Layers (page 2–974) feature lets you add l ayers
of animation above the orig inal biped animation.
This is a powerful way to make global changes
to your character animation. For example, by
adding a layer and rotating the spine forward at
any f rame, a run cycle becomes a crouched r un.
The original biped motion is kept intact and can
be v iewed by switching back to the original layer.
You can v iew layers individually or as a composite
of the animation in all layers. Lay ers behave like
a freeform animation; the biped can adopt any
position.
Layers allow you to easily adjust raw motion
capture data, which contains keys at every frame.
You add a layer and keyframe t he biped.
Layout Mode
Layout mode is active while the A uto K ey button
(page 3–717) and Set Key button (page 3–718)
are both turned off. While you are in Layout
mode, you can transform objects and sub - objects,
and change the values of animatable par ameters,
without generating animation keys.