Definition tab toolbar

This toolbar provides a set of global tools for managing skeleton definitions such as saving and loading skeleton definitions to and from files, locking the current skeleton definition. It also offers tools for enabling and configuring mirror matching mode, and for applying and saving mapping templates.

Tool	Description
Create Character	Creates a blank skeleton definition.
Lock Character	Locks and unlocks the current skeleton definition.
Mirror Matching	Toggles mirror matching mode.
Load Skeleton Definition	Displays the Load Skeleton Definition window for applying a mapping template and mapping multiple bones automatically by name.
Save Skeleton Definition	Displays the Save Skeleton Definition window for saving a mapping template, which can be loaded at a later date.
Delete Character	Deletes the current skeleton definition.

Load Skeleton Definition window

Lets you select a naming template to automatically map multiple bones by name.

The Template drop-down list contains the following bone naming conventions. Select the naming template that you want to apply to the skeleton.

• HIK — Use with skeletons created using the HumanIK naming conventions.
• CAT — Use with biped skeletons created using the Character Animation Toolkit (CAT).
• Biped — Use with biped skeletons created in 3ds Max Biped.

Or select <Browse> to select your own saved naming template.

In the Match scope pane, choose whether you want to match bones based on a prefix convention, or match only selected bones.

Save Skeleton Definition window

Lets you extract a naming template based on the bone names in the current skeleton definition.

• Template Name — Enter a name for the template. This name is added to the list of templates in the Load Skeleton Definition window.
• Example Bone — Displays the name of the first valid bone in the current character hierarchy.
• Prefix — Enter any prefix string that you want to remove from the beginning of all bone names to be added in the template. This is useful if the bone names for the current character include a standard prefix meant to identify that specific character.