Substitute Modifier

Typically, designers use two-dimensional shapes to represent objects, such as furniture, in their AutoCAD designs. However, when they link their DWG files into 3ds Max for visualization, they want to see how the objects will look in their design.

Make a selection. > Modify panel > Modifier List > Object-Space Modifiers > Substitute
Make a selection. > Modifiers menu > Parametric Deformers > Substitute
Make a selection. > Modifiers menu > Geometry (Parametric) > Substitute

Top view of 2D symbols used to represent 3D objects

The Substitute modifier lets you quickly replace one or more objects with another in the viewports or at render time. The substitute object can be instanced from the current scene or can be referenced from an external file.

The Substitute modifier replaces the 2D objects with their 3D counterparts.

To get rid of the substitute object, simply remove the modifier from the stack. This frees up the memory required to store it.

Tip: When you file link to a DWG file, the file is imported to 3ds Max as groups of VIZBlocks. If the pivot points of the VIZBlock and the substituted geometry do not match, you may not obtain the desired results. Adjust the pivot point of the VIZBlock object using the Adjust Geometry button to align the substituted geometry correctly.

Procedures

To use an object from the current scene as a substitute:

Select an object, and then apply the Substitute modifier.
Click Pick Scene Object, and then in the viewport, click an object to substitute for the selection.
Alternatively, click the ... button to the right of Pick Scene Object and use the dialog to select an object.

The original object is replaced by an instance of the substitute object.
To see the original object in the viewport, turn off In Viewport. To see the original object in the final rendering, turn off In Render. To permanently disable the substitution, delete the modifier.

To use an externally referenced object as a substitute:

Select an object, and then apply the Substitute modifier.
Click Select XRef Object.
Use the Open File dialog to designate the file that contains the substitute object you want to use.
Use the XRef Merge dialog to designate the object to use as a substitute.
The original object is replaced by an instance of the substitute object.

To see the original object in the viewport, turn off Display group In Viewport. To see the original object in the final rendering, turn off Display group In Render. To permanently disable the substitution, delete the modifier.

Interface

Modifier Stack

Substitute Object: At this sub-object level, you can transform the substitute object without affecting the original, changing the offset distance between them. Otherwise, transforming the substitute object affects both equally.

Parameters rollout

Display group

In Viewport: Replaces the original object with the substitute in the viewports.
In Render: Replaces the original object with the substitute when you render the scene.

Object: This editable text field displays the name of the substitute object and lets you rename it.

Note: The name, if changed, appears only on the Modify panel at the current stack level. That is, the name is local to the current application of the Substitute modifier.
Type (label): Displays the type of object used as a substitute. If you use a scene object, the type is shown as Instance. If you use an XRef object, the type is shown as XRef Object. Appears only after you designate a substitute object.

Substitute Assignment group

Pick Scene Object

Lets you choose an object from the current scene to be instanced as a substitute for the selected object. Click Pick Scene Object, and then select the object from a viewport to use as a substitute. If In Viewport is on and Retain Current Position is off (the default settings), an instance of the substitute object appears in the place of the original object.

The mouse cursor changes to a plus sign (+) when over an object that can be used as a substitute. You cannot use an object to which the Substitute modifier is applied as a substitute object.

Use the button labeled "..." to the right of Pick Scene Object to choose a substitute object using the Select Substitute Object dialog, which works like the Select From Scene dialog. In the dialog's list window, highlight the object to use as a substitute, and then click Select.

Select XRef Object

Lets you specify an object to be instanced from an external scene file as the substitute. Click Select XRef Object, and then, in the Open File dialog, open the file containing the substitute object. On the XRef Merge dialog, select the substitute object and then click OK. Objects to which the Substitute modifier is applied don't appear in the list.

Note: Because the object used as a substitute is referenced from an external file, any changes to the object in that file apply to the substitute after reloading. For example, if you apply a Bend modifier to the substitute object in the external file, then the next time you load the file containing the object with the Substitute modifier, it appears bent.

Retain Local Rotation/Scale

When on, rotates or scales the new object instance in the same place as the substitute object you select. In this case, the two objects coincide in space, and you must move one to see both. When off, 3ds Max positions the instanced substitute object in the same place as the object containing the Substitute modifier.

You must specify the Retain Local Rotation/Scale setting before designating the substitute object. Changing this setting afterward has no effect.