Main Menu Plugin Windows

The visibility of the various plugin windows may be toggled using these menu items.

Rendering and Export

This menu item provides access to the various ways of rendering with Maxwell.

Scene Data Management

This menu item provides access to commands used to import and export Scene data and Materials.

• Export Current State: saves all Scene Manager parameters to an .sxl file for sharing or for later use
• Import Saved State: prompts for the location of an .sxl file to import
• Relocate Paths: prompts for a new MXS Output location. When one is chosen, all files referenced in the current Scene (texture, .r2, .ior, etc.) are copied to a 'textures' folder next to the chosen location, and all applicable paths in the Scene are modified to reference the newly-copied files.

Animation Control

This menu item provides access to commands used to begin, end, and cancel animations, as well as for setting Motion Blur positions (see Motion Blur) for Cameras and objects.

Toolbars

The plugin's toolbars may be shown using Main Menu > Maxwell > Plugin Windows > Show All Toolbars. If the toolbars become corrupted, run the command: Maxwell_ToolbarReset.

Tools

• Material Editor
  • LMB: toggle the Material Editor
• Scene Materials Browser
  • LMB: toggle the Scene Materials Browser
• MXM Browser
  • LMB: toggle the MXM Browser
• Scene Manager
  • LMB: toggle the Scene Manager
  • RMB: show the Scene Manager Shortcuts flyout
• Wizards
  • LMB: show the Material Wizard
  • RMB: show the Export Wizard
• Log Viewer
  • LMB: toggle the Log Viewer

Scene Manager Shortcuts

• Scene Manager Pages
  • each button opens its related page in Each button opens its related page in the Scene Manager

Camera

• Camera LCD Readout
  • LMB: toggle the Camera LCD readout
• Camera Heads-Up Display
  • LMB: toggle the Camera heads-up display
• Auto-Focus to Objects
  • LMB: prompts for a selection of objects, which are then used to set the current Camera's focal distance and fStop It is recommended that the current Camera have Auto-Exposure enabled when using this command
• Pick Camera Focal Distance
  • LMB: start the Camera focal-distance-setting routine
• Pick Z-Clip Near Plane Distance
  • LMB: start the Camera Z-Clip near-plane-setting routine
• Pick Z-Clip Far Plane Distance
  • LMB: start the Camera Z-Clip far-plane-setting routine

Environments

• Background
  • LMB: enables the Image Based Background channel - set a valid path first
  • RMB: browse for an MXI/HDR map to be applied to the Background channel
• Illumination
  • LMB: enables Image Based Illumination channel - set a valid path first
  • RMB: browse for an MXI/HDR map to be applied to the Illumination channel
• Reflection
  • LMB: enables Image Based Reflection channel - set a valid path first
  • RMB: browse for an MXI/HDR map to be applied to the Reflection channel
• Refraction
  • LMB: enables Image Based Refraction channel  - set a valid path first
  • RMB: browse for an MXI/HDR map to be applied to the Refraction channel
• None
  • LMB: disables Image Based Environment display

Functions

• Select Objects and Apply the Current Maxwell Material
  • LMB: choose objects to apply the current Material to
• Apply the Current Maxwell Material to Selected Objects
  • LMB: applies the current Material to any pre-selected objects
• Select Objects with the Current Maxwell Material
  • LMB: select all objects which have the current Material applied
• Restore Viewport Materials
  • LMB: refreshes the state of the viewport materials

Rendering

• Render In Maxwell
  • LMB: export the Scene to an .mxs file and begin rendering in MXCL
  • RMB: export all selected objects to an .mxs file and begin rendering in MXCL
• Render Region
  • LMB: select a region to render, export the Scene to an .mxs, and begin rendering in MXCL
  • RMB: select a region to render, export all selected objects to an .mxs file, and begin rendering in MXCL
• Render Blow-up
  • LMB: select a region to render in Blow-up mode, export the Scene to an .mxs, and begin rendering in MXCL
  • RMB: select a region to render in Blow-up mode, export all selected objects to an .mxs file, and begin rendering in MXCL
• Write MXS and Open in Maxwell Studio
  • LMB: export the Scene to an .mxs file, and open in MXST
  • RMB: export all selected objects to an .mxs file, and open in MXST
• Write MXS
  • LMB: export the Scene to an .mxs file
  • RMB: export all selected objects to an .mxs file

Animation

• Begin Animation
  • LMB: sets up the animation loop, creates animation-output folders, resets the frame counter. Until the animation loop is ended or cancelled, MXS output will be redirected to the animation folders, and MXCL will not be started
• End Animation
  • LMB: ends the current animation loop (if there is one), and starts MXCL rendering any queued frames
• Cancel Animation
  • LMB: cancels the animation loop, if there is one in effect
• Motion Blur
  • LMB: Stores the current location of motion-blur-enabled objects. The stored location will be used to generate motion-blur when the Scene is rendered.
  • RMB: Stores the location of the current Camera, which will be used in the calculation of Camera-motion-blur when the Scene is rendered.

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