3ds Max Documentation Set

The documentation set for 3ds Max resides primarily online. (Two exceptions for offline users are noted below.) Most documents are available from the Start menu Programs Autodesk [program folder] Help folder, as well as from the Help menu within 3ds Max and the Additional Help dialog.

• Installation Documentation Set You can access all of the documentation associated with installing, deploying, and licensing Autodesk 3ds Max 2017 using the links in the bottom left corner of the installer: Installation Help | System Requirements | Readme. The installer detects whether or not you have an internet connection. With a connection you will see the latest documentation online. Refer to the following table for direct links to these documents:

  Document:	Location:
  3ds Max Installation Supplement	http://www.autodesk.com/3dsmax-install-2017-enu
  Autodesk Installation Help	http://www.autodesk.com/installation-help-2017-enu
  System Requirements	http://www.autodesk.com/3dsmax-systemreq-2017-enu
  Readme	http://www.autodesk.com/3dsmax-readme-2017-enu
  Troubleshooting	http://www.autodesk.com/3dsmax-troubleshooting-enu

• Autodesk 3ds Max Help: This document covers fundamental concepts and strategies for using the product, as well as details about the features of 3ds Max.
  Access the reference by choosing Help Autodesk 3ds Max Help.

  Note: By default the Help resides online. To use a local offline version of the help see Help Preferences.
• Autodesk 3ds Max 2017 Tutorials: Contain tutorial information and detailed procedures to walk you through increasingly complex operations. This is the best source for learning 3ds Max.

  Access the tutorials by choosing Help Tutorials.

  Note: These tutorials reside on the Web, so an Internet connection is required. To get the tutorial scene files, visit http://www.autodesk.com/3dsmax-tutorials-scene-files-2016.
• MAXScript Help: Describes the MAXScript scripting language. If you're new to MAXScript, check out the “Learning MAXScript” chapter there.

  Access the MAXScript Help by choosing Help MAXScript Help.

• mental ray® Help: Documentation from NVIDIA® is available from Help menu Additional Help mental ray Help. Further PDFs describing more complex concepts are available from the cover page of the mental ray Help.
  Note: The Autodesk 3ds Max 2017 Help documents most mental ray components available in the 3ds Max user interface. This includes documentation for lights for mental ray and specific shadow types, controls for adding mental ray shaders to lights and cameras, mental ray materials, custom shaders for 3ds Max, and the mental ray renderer controls.
• Additional Backburner Files: Backburner lets you render on multiple computers over a network. Procedures for using Backburner from inside 3ds Max are documented in this Autodesk 3ds Max Help File (see "Network Rendering"). For further information on using and configuring Backburner go to the Help menu in Autodesk Backburner.