Using Walkthrough Navigation

Using Walkthrough Navigation

Walkthrough navigation lets you move through a viewport by pressing a set of shortcut keys, including the arrow keys, much as you can navigate a 3D world in many video games.

When you enter the walkthrough navigation mode, the cursor changes to a hollow circle that shows a directional arrow while you are pressing one of the directional keys (forward, back, left, or right).
This feature is available for perspective and camera viewports. It is not available for orthographic views or for spotlight viewports.

Animating a Walkthrough

When you use walkthrough navigation in a Camera viewport, you can animate the camera walkthrough using either Auto Key or Set Key. In either case, to get an animated camera you have to change the frame number manually (the easiest way is to use the Time Slider), and in the case of Set Key, you have to change the frame number and click Set Keys.

TipSelect the camera before you animate it. If the camera isn't selected, its keys won't appear in the Track Bar.

Procedures

To begin using walkthrough navigation, do one of the following:

1. Press the Up Arrow key.
2.  Click the Walk Through button to turn it on.This button is found on the Pan/Truck And Walkthrough flyout.

To stop using walkthrough navigation, do one of the following:

1. Right-click.
2. Activate a different viewport.
3. Change the active viewport to a different type.
4. Turn on a different viewport navigation tool (such as Zoom or Pan).
5. Turn on Select Object or one of the transform tools.

NoteYou do not exit walkthrough mode when you select an object or change the viewport shading type (between shaded and wireframe, for example).

Interface

The Walk Through button is the only graphical element of the interface to walkthrough navigation. The other features are provided by mouse actions or by keyboard shortcuts. The following table shows the keyboard actions:

 Command                                                                               Shortcut 

 Accelerate Toggle                                                                      Q 

 Back                                                                                           S, Down Arrow 

 Decelerate Toggle                                                                      Z 

Decrease Rotation Sensitivity   

 Decrease Step Size                                                                     [ 

 Down                                                                                           C, Shift+Down Arrow 

 Forward                                                                                       W, Up Arrow 

 Increase Rotation Sensitivity   

 Increase Step Size                                                                       ] 

 Invert Vertical Rotation Toggle  

 Left                                                                                              A, Left Arrow 

 Level                                                                                            Shift+Spacebar 

 Lock Horizontal Rotation   

 Lock Vertical Rotation                                                               Spacebar 

 Reset Step Size                                                                          Alt+[ 

 Right                                                                                           D, Right Arrow 

 Up                                                                                                E, Shift+Up Arrow

Forward, Backward, and Sideways Movement

For movement, you can use either the arrow keys, or letters at the left of the keyboard pad.

TipWhen you are in a Perspective viewport, you can use Undo View Change and Redo View Change (Shift+Z, Shift+Y) to undo or redo your navigation. However, when you are in a Camera viewport, walkthrough animation transforms the camera object, so you must use Edit  Undo and Edit  Redo (Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Y).Holding down any of these keys causes the motion to be continuous.

Forward

W or the Up Arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint forward.

NoteIf you are not already in walkthrough navigation mode, pressing Up Arrow enters it.

Back

S or Down Arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint backward.
When you are in a camera viewport, Forward and Back are equivalent to dollying in or out.

Left

A or Left Arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint to the left.

Right

D or Right Arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint to the right.
When you are in a camera viewport, Left and Right are equivalent to trucking left or right.

Up

E or Shift+Up Arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint up.

Down

C or Shift+Down Arrow. Moves the camera or the viewpoint down.

Acceleration and Deceleration

Accelerate Toggle and Decelerate Toggle

Pressing Accelerate (Q) causes motion to be quicker. Pressing Decelerate (Z) causes movement to be slower. These controls are toggles: pressing the key a second time restores the default motion rate (and pressing the alternate key turns off the first). They are especially useful when you are navigating by holding down keys.
The acceleration and deceleration toggles are independent of the step size.

Adjusting Step Size

Increase Step Size and Decrease Step Size

Pressing Increase Step Size (]) increases the motion increments when you move the camera or viewpoint. Pressing Decrease Step Size ([) reduces them. You can press either of these shortcuts repeatedly, to increase the effect. Changing the step size is apparent when you navigate either by single clicks, or by holding down keys. Step size changes are useful for adjusting movement to the scale of the scene. They are saved with the MAX file.

Reset Step Size

Pressing Reset Step Size (Alt+[) restores the step size to its default value.
The step size is independent of acceleration or deceleration.

Rotation (Tilting)

Tilt View

Click+drag to tilt the camera or viewpoint.
When you are in a camera viewport, Tilt View is equivalent to panning the camera.

Increase Rotation Sensitivity and Decrease Rotation Sensitivity

Pressing Increase Rotation Sensitivity (no default key) increases the motion increments when you use Tilt View. Pressing Decrease Rotation Sensitivity (no default key) decreases them. You can press either of these shortcuts repeatedly, to increase the effect. They are useful for adjusting movement to the scale of the scene. They are saved with the MAX file.

Lock Horizontal Rotation

Pressing Lock Horizontal Rotation (no default key) locks the horizontal axis, so the camera or viewpoint tilts only vertically.

Lock Vertical Rotation

Pressing Lock Vertical Rotation (Spacebar) locks the vertical axis, so the camera or viewpoint tilts only horizontally.

Invert Vertical Rotation Toggle

Pressing Invert Vertical Rotation (no default key) inverts the tilt direction when you drag the mouse. When this toggle is off, dragging up causes scene objects to descend in the view, and dragging down causes them to rise (this is like tilting a physical camera). When this toggle is on, objects in the view move in the same direction you are dragging the mouse.

Level

Pressing Level (Shift+Spacebar) removes any tilt or roll the camera or viewpoint might have, making the view both level and vertical.