The menu bar is located directly under the main window’s title bar. The title of each menu indicates the purpose of the commands on the menu. Each menu uses standard Microsoft Windows conventions.
When you click a menu name, a number of commands are listed below it.
As an alternative to using your mouse (or other pointing device), each menu name includes an underlined character. Pressing that character key while holding down the Alt key opens the menu, unless that particular key combination is assigned to a keyboard shortcut. Some commands and subheadings in the open menu have an underlined character as well. While the menu is open, pressing that character key invokes the command. While navigating menus with the keyboard, you can also use the arrow keys to move the highlighting and the Enter key to activate a command or open a submenu.
An ellipsis (…) after a command name indicates that invoking the command opens a dialog.
A right-pointing triangle after a command name indicates that a submenu will appear.
If a command has a keyboard shortcut, the menu displays it to the right of the command name.
If a menu command is an on/off toggle, a check mark indicates its status: If a check mark is present, the command is active.
The Edit menu contains commands for selecting and editing objects in a scene.
The Tools menu displays dialogs that help you change or manage objects, especially collections of objects, in your 3ds Max scene.
The Group menu contains functions for grouping and ungrouping objects in the scene.
This menu contains commands for setting up and controlling viewports. For ease of use, some of the commands found on this menu also appear on the viewport label menus.
The Create menu provides a way to create geometry, lights, cameras, and helper objects. It is organized into various submenus.
The Modifiers menu provides a way to apply frequently used modifiers quickly. It is organized into submenus. The availability of items on this menu depends on the current selection. If a modifier doesn't apply to currently selected objects, it is unavailable in the menu.
The Animation menu provides a set of commands related to animation, constraints and controllers, and inverse-kinematics solvers. Also present here are controls for custom attributes and parameter wiring, as well as for creating, viewing, and renaming animation previews.
The Graph Editors menu gives you access to graphic sub-windows for managing a scene and its hierarchies and animation.
The Rendering menu contains commands for rendering scenes, setting up environmental and render effects, compositing scenes with Video Post, and accessing the RAM Player.
In 3ds Max Design, the Lighting Analysis menu provides commands for invoking the Lighting Analysis Assistant feature as well as adding light sources and lighting-analysis tools.
The Customize menu contains commands for customizing the 3ds Max user interface (UI).
MAXScript is the 3ds Max built-in scripting language. Its main interface, the MAXScript menu, contains commands for creating and working with scripts.
The Help menu provides access to the 3ds Max online help, and to other learning resources.
