3ds Max® 2010 Bible

Chapter 9. Grouping, Linking, and Using Containers

IN THIS CHAPTER

Grouping objects

Building assemblies

Understanding root, parent, and child relationships

Linking and unlinking objects

Working with containers

Now that you've learned how to select and clone objects, you'll want to learn how to group objects in an easily accessible form, especially as a scene becomes more complex. Max's grouping and container features enable you to organize all the objects that you're dealing with, thereby making your workflow more efficient.

Another way of organizing objects is to build a linked hierarchy. A linked hierarchy attaches, or links, one object to another and makes it possible to transform the attached object by moving the object to which it is linked. The arm is a classic example of a linked hierarchy: When the shoulder rotates, so do the elbow, wrist, and fingers. Establishing linked hierarchies can make moving, positioning, and animating many objects easy.

Working with Groups

Grouping objects organizes them and makes them easier to select and transform. Groups are different from selection sets in that groups exist like one object. Selecting any object in the group selects the entire group, whereas selecting an object in a selection set selects only that object and not the selection set. You can open groups to add, delete, or reposition objects within the group. Groups can also contain other groups. This is called nesting groups.

Creating groups

The Group command enables you to create a group. ...