- Create a simple scene with two cameras in different positions pointed toward a few objects at the center of the scene. Set the main viewport to Perspective.
- Open State Sets and add a state (
) so the list contains two states. - Click
(Make This State Current) to activate the new state. By default, a state is always recording while it is active.
- Set the main viewport to Camera001.
- Near the bottom-right corner of the 3ds Max interface, click
(Time Configuration) to open the Time Configuration dialog. - In the Animation group, set Start Time to 20 and End Time to 50. Click OK to accept the changes and close the dialog.
This sets the active time segment to frames 20 through 50. The main viewport shows the Camera001 view and the track bar shows frames 20–50.
Note: This is a useful way also to set the rendered frame range. After setting in the Render Setup dialog
Common Parameters rollout Time Output group, choose Active Time Segment. - Finish recording by
deactivating the state. The main viewport now shows the Perspective view and the track bar shows the default animation range: frames 0–100.
- In the states list, click the name of State01 to highlight it, pause a moment, then click again to access renaming mode. Rename the state Cam1+Frames 20-50. Press Enter when done.
- Right-click the renamed state and choose Create Template.
- Press Delete to delete the state.
The list now contains only State02 and the Objects state.
- On the State Sets dialog, open the States menu and move the mouse to Add State template.
The submenu opens showing the template you created: Cam1+Frames 20-50.
- Click this item.
A new state named State01 appears in the list. Whether you create a new state from scratch or from a template, State Sets always names it State## with ## being the first available number, starting with 01.
- Rename the new state, if you like, and then activate it.
As before, when you created the state, the main viewport shows the Camera001 view and the track bar shows frames 20–50.
- Save the scene, then exit 3ds Max and restart.
- Open State Sets and add the Cam1+Frames 20-50 template.
When you create a template, it remains available in all subsequent sessions.
- Activate the new state.
A message warns that no cameras exist in the scene. However, the state is still activated and the track bar shows frames 20–50. State templates store the recorded aspects of the scene setup but not the scene contents.
- Click OK to close the warning dialog, then load the scene you saved in step 14.
The States list reverts to its status as saved in the scene file.
- Add the template again and then activate it.
This time everything works correctly.
- Deactivate the state, then delete Camera001.
- Activate the state again.
Not having Camera001 available, the state automatically uses the other available camera instead.
- Deactivate the state, then add two more cameras, leaving the last one (Camera004) selected.
- Activate the state again.
This time the state automatically uses the selected camera instead of Camera001.
So it's important to remember that any scene contents referred to in a template should exist in the scene before you can fully activate a state created with the template. If an item doesn't exist but State Sets can substitute a reasonable alternative, it does so automatically.
The State Template feature in State Sets lets you create a preset: A state with specific settings that you can add at any time and use as is or modify as you see fit. This procedure offers a simple example of how to create and use a state template.