Scale XYZ Controller

Command entry:Main toolbar

(Curve Editor (Open))

Select a scale track in the Track View hierarchy

Track View menu bar

Controller menu

Assign

Scale XYZ

Command entry:Graph Editors

Track View - Curve Editor

Select a scale track in the Track View hierarchy

Track View menu bar

Controller menu

Assign

Scale XYZ

The Scale XYZ controller has independent float controllers for each scale axis of an object's transform. With three separate tracks for scale, you can create scale keys for each axis independently, change interpolation settings for a single axis, or assign a controller on an axis. For example, after applying a Scale XYZ controller, you could apply a Noise or Waveform controller to an axis to animate that axis independently.

The Scale XYZ controller assigns three keys (one for each axis), by default. In previous versions of 3ds Max, you had to edit the keys manually in order to create explicit axis keys. However, there are now actions available from the Customize User Interface dialog that let you create explicit axis keys.

TipOpen Track View to view and edit the three scale tracks.

Procedures

Example: To assign the Scale XYZ controller to an object:

In the Top viewport, create a sphere.
Right-click the sphere and from the quad menu, choose Curve Editor.
The Track View - Curve Editor opens with the sphere as the first item in the hierarchy.
In the Track View hierarchy, click the Scale track.
From the Track View menus, choose Controller Assign and select Scale XYZ from the Assign Controller dialog.
Three tracks are displayed and are available to control the object's scale.
In the Track View hierarchy, click the Z Scale track, click Controller Assign from the Track View menus, and then choose Noise Float from the dialog.
The Noise Controller dialog automatically displays.
Click (Play Animation). The sphere changes scale along the Z axis, controlled by the Noise controller.

Interface

After applying the Scale XYZ controller to an object, Scale XYZ parameters appear in a rollout on the Motion panel.

Scale Axis: Adjusts an axis using controls in the Motion panel Key Info rollout.

An axis should already have a key to adjust. To create keys, either turn on Auto Key and scale the object, or click Scale in the Create Key group on the PRS Parameters rollout.