Using the State Template Feature

Use the State Template feature to create a preset state with specific settings. You can modify a template any time. The following procedure shows an example of creating and working with a state template.

1. Create a simple scene with two cameras in different positions pointed toward an object at the center of the scene.
2. Set the main viewport to Perspective view.
3. Open State Sets and add a state () so the list contains two states.
4. Click to enable the new state as current.
5. Click to start recording.
6. Set the main viewport to Camera001.
7. On the bottom-right of the interface, click to open the Time Configuration dialog.
8. In the Animation group, set Start Time to 20 and End Time to 50, and click OK.

   The active time segment is set to frames 20 through 50. The main viewport shows the view from Camera001 and the track bar shows frames 20–50.

9. Stop recording by clicking , and then disable the state by clicking .

   The main viewport now shows the Perspective view and the track bar shows the default animation range: frames 0–100.

10. In the states list, right-click State02 and choose Rename. Change the name of the state to Cam1+Frames 20-50. Press Enter when done.
11. Right-click the renamed state and choose Create Template.
12. Press Delete to delete the state.

    The list now contains only State01 and the Objects state.

13. On the State Sets dialog, chooseStates > Add State Template.
14. From the drop-down list, choose Cam1+Frames 20-50.

    A new state named State02 appears in the list.

15. Enable State02.

    As before, when you created the state, the main viewport shows the Camera001 view and the track bar shows frames 20–50.

16. Save the scene, then exit 3ds Max and restart.
17. Open State Sets and add the Cam1+Frames 20-50 template.

    The newly-created template is now available in all subsequent sessions.

18. Enable the new state.

    Even without any cameras in the scene, the state is enabled and the track bar shows frames 20–50. This is because state templates store the recorded aspects of the scene setup but not the scene contents.

19. Open the scene you saved in step 16.

    The States list reverts to its status as saved in the scene file.

20. Add the template again and then enable the state.

    The scene is updated correctly.

21. Disable the state, then delete Camera001.
22. Enable the state again.

    As Camera001 is no longer available, the state automatically uses the other available camera instead.

23. Disable the state, then add two more cameras, leaving the last one (Camera004) selected.
24. Enable the state again.

    This time the state automatically uses the selected camera instead of Camera001.

    For best results, all scene contents saved in a template should exist in the scene before enabling a state created with the same template. If an item doesn't exist however, State Sets will attempt to substitute it automatically.