Hi folks,

I have just downloaded the trial version of 3ds Max, so I am completely new to this application.
This question is about how to configure the interface, the GUI, on my hardware setup which consist of several monitors.
Please note: I am used to 3d apps, like Carrara. And I am also a programmer. And I have already used multiple monitors several years now, so this question is not about how to configure my Windows, or how to configure my graphics card.

Currently I have 3 monitors, and the question goes like this:
How do I tear loose the various GUI elements (make the windows float) so that I can reposition them on my monitors? For example, I want the viewports on one screen, the track view on the second screen, and the object properties panel spread out on the third screen. This is the way I I am used to work in other applications, now that I have multiple monitors.

Having searched and googled and read the help and watched several tutorials - I am as wise as when I started, I just can’t figer out how to do this. Any help and advice will be much appreciated! Thanks in advance,

ingvarai

Any toolbar you can get to float you can drag to any monitor, you can put the main Max interface on any monitor (thus viewports),
I’m not aware of a way to float the properties panel but you can expand it by dragging it out.
Many have requested further customization such as the ability to put various viewports on various monitors.
You may already know you can create your own toolbars in the Custom User Interface Panel.

Max 2012
Windows 7 64 SP1

Don Gray 09 November 2008 10:54 PM

I’m not aware of a way to float the properties panel but you can expand it by dragging it out.

If you’re referring to the command panel, you can either double click in any empty space up top around the buttons, or click and drag in the same space to make it float.

And to further clarify, any panel that has the two vertical lines on the left of the panel can be dragged by those lines to make it float.

3ds Max 2009 SP1, 2010 SP1
Maya 2012
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Dual Intel Xeon E5520, 6 GB Ram
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 OC

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Not sure I had seen the command panel undocked or I had forgotten, thanks.

Max 2012
Windows 7 64 SP1

Thanks all for your answers!
Basically, as far as I understand now, this application does not support docking / undocking.  Being able to dock and undock ( to keep portions of the workspace floating) is a feature that saw the light of day almost 10 years ago. I started to program my apps with those feature already then. I must say I am quite a bit puzzled by the fact that 3d Max does not support this, in 2008. Given the kind of users this app probably has, considering it costing more than my current car, i doubt many develop using only one monitor (?).

I just don’t see how anyon can work efficiently without seeing the full secreen workspace AND the full screen track view, at the same time. In Carrara, which costs a fraction of the 3Ds Max price, one can do this, albeit it otherwise having an awkward Mac kind of user interface, awkward to us Windows useers who have are used to right clicking to access an object’s properties etc.

Nuff said - I do not understand it, I really do not get why it does not employ docking / undocking everywhere. All in all, the GUI looks somewhat old fashion, a bit stale to me, and hey man, at this level, AND at this price..
Ok, I had my look, downloaded the 900 Mb Trial, and saw what I saw :-)

ingvarai