how do you turn off and turn on object and fade them into an animation.  do I have to put each on a layer? and turn layers on? thanks

3ds Max 2010
I7 Sandy Bridge @ 4.5
GPU: FireGL 8700
Soundcard: built in
PSU: 850 Antec

acad-gatsu, I think you are misunderstanding his question?  :-}

For fading objects in and out, you need to set up a “visibility track”.  If you are using mental ray Arch+Design material, I believe you have to do it a different way...search these forums for several posts on it.

Alternatively, you might investigate doing multiple render passes (one with the object visible, and one with it hidden) and then doing a dissolve transition in “post” (in a video editing program like Adobe Premiere).  I have found this is usually the better way to do it.

--3ds Max Design 2009 64bit, Direct3D 9, Win Vista Premium 64, 3ghz quadcore Xeon, Quadro FX1700--

If you are using mental ray Arch+Design material, I believe you have to do it a different way...search these forums for several posts on it.

That bug has been partially fixed in 2010. Visibillity now works in mr if you use either a standard or A&D material, other materials, or no material won’t work.

Not sure if this is what you want but you can fade objects in and out of a scene by right clicking the object > object properties and using the visable value fade the object in and out, make sure you use key framing whilst doing this.

Amelia

3D Studio Max 2011
Windows XP Pro
2.40GHz
8GB RAM

thanks for help

3ds Max 2010
I7 Sandy Bridge @ 4.5
GPU: FireGL 8700
Soundcard: built in
PSU: 850 Antec

And that is another way of creating a Visibility Track in Track View.
A Visibility Track may be adde to an Object in Track View by selecting (highlighting the object track) then choose Tracks - Visibility Track - Add, from the Track View menu

make sure you set the Object Properties (right click object) render dialogue to By Object, not By Layer, or it wont work.

3ds Max Design 2009 SP1 - Dell Precision 370 - 3 GB Ram - ATI FireGL V3100 - XP-SP3 (yes, it’s a pig)

any way of getting this to work with groups in 2010?  Preliminary testing doesn’t work (objects with “by object” and “inherit visibility” in a group, with group helper object’s visibility track animated.

it renders as before, going from full 1.0 to 0.0 in one frame (last of the animated track).

Intel q9550 OC 3.4
ATI Firepro v4800
6GB Ram
Win7 Pro x64
Max Design 2011 x64/Composite newb… I also use Blender.

Groups are big part of my workflow in scanline.  dealing with thousands of objects.  (process engineering plant animation).  Not only do they help in selecting core parts of each plant, but being able to animate the visibility of a group was huge in fading machines etc in and out for clarity/highlight.  What else can I use, aside from selection sets I suppose.
EDIT: nevermind.  moronic user error.  I had a Pro Materials not an A&D mat on the objects I was testing. It works.

Intel q9550 OC 3.4
ATI Firepro v4800
6GB Ram
Win7 Pro x64
Max Design 2011 x64/Composite newb… I also use Blender.

I find layers more useful than selection sets. The thing with groups is, they have always been a problem in Max when it comes to animation. There are Containers new to 2010, but that’s one feature I have yet to look into, so can’t tell you if that is the answer.

You could also fade the material opacity in the material editor