Kelly L.

Murdock

Autodesk Maya 2017 ® ®

BASICS GUIDE

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 Chapter 1
Learning the Maya Interface
IN THIS CHAPTER
1.1 Work with menus.

1.2 Use the Status Line buttons.

1.3 Access the Shelf.

1.4 Explore the Channel Box and Layer Editor.

1.5 Identify the animation controls, the Command Line, and the Help Line.

1.6 Use the Toolbox and Quick Layout buttons.

1.7 Discover the Secret menus.

Maya is a program, created by Autodesk, used to model, animate, and render 3D scenes. 3D scenes created with
Maya have appeared in movies, television, advertisements, games, product visualizations, and on the Web. With
Maya, you can create and animate your own 3D scenes and render them as still images or as animation
sequences.

Several versions of Maya exist and the difference between them lies in the features that are included in each.
The commercial version of Maya includes everything you need to create and render 3D scenes and animations.
Maya is also available in the Media and Entertainment Collection, which pairs it with other Autodesk products
including MotionBuilder, Mudbox and 3ds Max. A freely available version of Maya called Maya LT is also
available. Maya LT is identical to the commercial version of Maya, except that all renderings include a
watermark, making it a great place to start if you want to learn Maya.

At first glance, the Maya interface can be a little daunting, with buttons, controls, and parameters everywhere,
but if you look closer you’ll realize that all of the controls are grouped into logical sets. Becoming familiar with
these various sets of controls makes the interface much easier to work with.

Along the top edge of the interface are the menus and a toolbar of buttons called the Status Line. The menus
will change depending on the mode that you’re working in. Below the Status Line is a tabbed row of buttons.
This row of buttons is called the Shelf, and it offers a convenient way to group sets of commands together. To
the right of the interface is a panel of parameters called the Channel Box. These parameters, known as
attributes, will change as different objects are selected. Under the Channel Box is the Layer Editor.

Along the bottom of the interface are the Time Slider, the Range Slider, and the animation controls, which are
used to specify and move between the different frames of an animation sequence; also at the bottom are the
Command Line, for entering textual commands, and the Help Line. Finally, the horizontal column of buttons
to the left of the interface is known as the Toolbox and the Quick Layout buttons. These buttons are used to
select and transform scene objects and to change the interface layout.

A key concept that you need to understand as you begin to work with the interface is that there are several ways
to access the same command. For example, you can create a sphere using the Create, Polygon Primitives,
Sphere menu command or by using the Polygon Sphere button in the Polygons shelf. This design is intentional,
allowing beginners an intuitive method for accessing a command, and giving advanced users an access method
that lets them work quicker as they learn the shortcuts.

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Chapter 1: Learning the Maya Interface

One of the quickest ways to access advanced-user commands is with the Secret menus. These context-specific
pop-up menus appear when you right-click in the interface. Another quick way to access commands is with
keyboard shortcuts, known as hotkeys.

Maya gives users the option to customize the interface. Using the customization features, you can create a
custom set of command icons, define keyboard shortcuts, and even alter menus. Many of the customization
options are included in the Window, Settings/Preferences menu.

Lesson 1.1: Work with Menus

The main menu commands are the first place you should look for commands when you’re new to Maya. The
commands are listed as text, making them easier to find until you learn what the various buttons do. Each menu
can include several submenus. Submenus are identified by a small, right-pointing arrow at the right end of the
menu.

Changing Menu Sets

The menus are dynamic and change depending on the menu set that is selected. You can change between the
menu sets using the drop-down list that is to the very left of the Status Line, as shown in Figure 1-1. The options
include Modeling, Rigging, Animation, FX, Rendering and an option to Customize the menu set drop-down list.

Tip
Each of the menu sets has an associated hotkey. These
hotkeys are F2 for Modeling, F3 for Rigging, F4 for
Animation, F5 for FX, and F6 for Rendering.
The first six menu commands, File, Edit, Modify, Create, Display, and Window, are available in all menu sets.

FIGURE 1-1
Menu set selection list

Viewing Keyboard Hotkeys

Several menu commands have a keyboard hotkey listed to the right of the menu, as shown in Figure 1-2.
Pressing these hotkeys on the keyboard executes the command. Hotkeys provide a quick and easy way to
execute a command, and learning to use them will make you much more efficient. You can customize hotkeys
using the Hotkey Editor, which you open with the Window, Settings/Preferences, Hotkeys menu command.

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FIGURE 1-2
Hotkeys and option dialog boxes are displayed in the menus

Accessing Option Dialog Boxes

Several menus also include a small box icon to the right of the menu, also shown in Figure 1-2. These box icons
will open an Options dialog box for the selected command. These Options dialog boxes, such as the Group
Options dialog box shown in Figure 1-3, include parameters that you can change. They also include Apply
buttons that let you apply the command with the given parameters without closing the dialog box. The option
dialog box values are persistent. Any values that are changed will maintain their setting the next time the
command is used. You can reset an options dialog box to its default values using the Edit, Reset Settings menu
command in the dialog box menu.

FIGURE 1-3
Settings dialog box for Create, Polygon Primitives, Sphere

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Using Tear-Off Menus

At the very top of most menus is a double line called the tear-off menu. Clicking on this line makes the menu a
tear-off menu and displays it as a separate panel, like the one shown in Figure 1-4, that you can move about by
dragging on its title bar. Tear-off menus are convenient because they make the menu commands accessible with
one click, but you need the space to leave the tear-off menu open without covering something else.

Note
In an effort to make the tear-off menu smaller, the keyboard
hotkeys aren’t displayed on a tear-off menu.

FIGURE 1-4
Tear-off menu

Understanding Tools versus Actions

If you peruse the menus, you’ll see many commands that end in the word Tool. Tools, when selected, are active
until another tool is selected, but actions are only executed once. The last tool used is displayed at the bottom of
the Toolbox for easy re-selection. Double-clicking a tool’s button will open the Tool Settings dialog box, as
shown for the Move tool in Figure 1-5. You can also open the Tool Settings using the Show/Hide Tool Settings
button at the right end of the Status Line. Tool settings are also persistent and can be reset using the Reset Tool
button at the top of the Tool Settings interface.

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FIGURE 1-5
Tool Settings

Lesson 1.1-Tutorial 1: Use a Menu Command to Create a Polygon Sphere

1. Click on the Create menu, and then select the Polygon Primitives submenu and click on the Options
icon to the right of the Sphere menu to open the Polygon Sphere Options dialog box.
2. In the Polygon Sphere Options dialog box, click the Apply button.
A single sphere objects will appear at the origin in the Workspace.
3. Click the Close button to exit the dialog box.
4. Click on the Create menu, and then select the Polygon Primitives submenu and click on the Cone
menu command. A cone object is added to the scene overlapping the sphere.
5. Press the 5 key to see the objects as shaded objects, then press the F key to frame the objects. The
objects resemble a simple crystal ball, as shown in Figure 1-6.
6. Select File, Save Scene As and save the file as Crystal ball.mb.

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FIGURE 1-6
A simple crystal ball created with sphere and cone objects

Lesson 1.2: Use the Status Line Buttons

Directly below the menus are a long row of buttons that are collectively known as the Status Line. These
buttons are constant and cannot be changed, but you can hide them. The buttons are divided into groups that are
separated by a dividing bar. These button groups include, from left to right, the Menu Set list, File buttons, the
Selection Mode menu, Selection Mode buttons, Selection Mask buttons, Snapping buttons, History buttons,
Rendering buttons, the Transform fields, and the Show/Hide Editors buttons, as shown in Figure 1-7. Most of
these button groups are presented and discussed in the lesson that corresponds to their features.

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FIGURE 1-7
Status Line groups

Using Pop-up Help

When you first begin to use the Status Line buttons, it can be tricky to know which button does what, but you
can view the button’s title as a Pop-up Help by holding the mouse cursor over the top of the button, as shown
in Figure 1-8. Pop-up Help is available for all buttons in the entire interface.

Note
If Pop-up Help starts to get annoying, you can disable it or
set its Display Time using the Help panel in the Preferences
dialog box opened with the Window, Settings/Preferences,
Preferences menu command.

FIGURE 1-8
Pop-up Help

Watching for Cursor Clues

Another helpful visual clue is that the cursor changes when it is over any interface button that has an available
right-click pop-up menu. This new cursor displays a small menu icon under the cursor arrow, like the one
shown in Figure 1-9. When this icon appears, you can right-click to access an additional menu of options. The
cursor also changes when certain tools are used.

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FIGURE 1-9
Cursor indicating a right-click pop-up menu

Expanding and Collapsing Icon Button Groups

Each button group in the Status Line is divided by a vertical line with a small rectangle through its center. This
divider is called the Show/Hide Bar, and if you click on it, and then all buttons included in that section will be
hidden. Click again to make the buttons reappear. Figure 1-10 shows several collapsed and expanded button
sets.

FIGURE 1-10
Expanded and collapsed button sets

Opening and Saving a Scene

To the right of the Menu Set selection list is a set of buttons that you can use to create a new scene, open an
existing scene, or save the current scene. Both the Open and Save buttons will open a file dialog box, as shown
in Figure 1-11, in which you can select the directory and file name. When saved, the file name will appear on
the title bar.

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FIGURE 1-11
File dialog box for Windows

Opening Editors
At the right side of the Status Line are several Sidebar buttons, shown in Figure 1-12, that don’t belong to a
button group and that are always visible. These Sidebar buttons are used to show and hide dialog boxes and
sidebar panels that appear to the right of the view panel. The main ones to focus on right now are the Attribute
Editor, Tool Settings, and Channel Box. There are also buttons for accessing the Modeling Toolkit and the
Character Controls. The Attribute Editor lists all the attributes for the selected object, the Tool Settings will list
all the configurable settings for the selected tool and the Channel Box is a subset of attributes that can be
animated, known as being keyable.

Note
In the Interface panel of the Preferences dialog box, you
can select to have each of the editors open as a separate
window instead of the main window.

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FIGURE 1-12
Sidebar buttons

Showing and Hiding Interface Elements

You can also make any interface element into a floating toolbar by clicking on the dotted double line at the top
(or to the left) of the interface element, as shown for the Status Line in Figure 1-13, and dragging it away from
the interface. If you drag the element back on top of the interface, a blue line will appear where it will be
dropped back into the interface. You can also close or hide a floating element by clicking on the upper right
corner of the element. Use the Windows, UI Elements menu command to make any hidden interface elements
visible again.

FIGURE 1-13
Hide interface element bar

Lesson 1.2-Tutorial 1: Open a File

1. Move the mouse over the Status Line buttons at the left end until the Pop-up Help reads Open a
scene.
2. Click on this button.
A file dialog box appears, similar to the one shown in Figure 1-11.
3. Locate the directory where the Skateboard.mb file is located.
4. Click on the Skateboard.mb file name and click the Open button.
The saved file is then loaded into Maya, as shown in Figure 1-14.

Note
Before Maya opens a file, it gives you a chance to save the
current file.

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FIGURE 1-14
Opened skateboard file

Lesson 1.2-Tutorial 2: Save a File

1. Click on the Create menu, and then select the Polygon Primitives submenu and click on the Sphere
menu to add a sphere to the skateboard scene.
2. Move the mouse over the Status Line buttons at the left end until the Pop-up Help reads Save the
current scene.
3. Click on this button.
This file is automatically saved replacing the existing file. When saved, the file name appears
in the title bar.

Note
You can save the scenes with a new file name using the File,
Save As menu command.

Lesson 1.2-Tutorial 3: Maximize the Workspace Interface

1. Click and drag on the dotted double line on the left end of the Status Line and move it away from
the interface.
The Status Line becomes a floating control.
2. Click and drag the dashed double lines for the Shelf, and the Toolbox to make each of these
interface elements floating controls.
3. Click and drag on the dashed double lines for the controls at the bottom of the interface to make
them floating also. Then close all the floating controls.

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All interface elements will now be floating, maximizing the Workspace, as shown in Figure
1-15.

Tip
A quicker way to maximize the Workspace is with the Windows,
UI Elements, Hide All UI Elements menu command.

FIGURE 1-15
A maximized Workspace interface

4. Select the Windows, Workspaces, Reset Workspace to Factory Default menu command.
All the standard interface elements reappear.

Lesson 1.3: Access the Shelf

The Shelf is like a toolbar on steroids. It includes several tabbed panels of buttons. To select a different set of
buttons, just click on one of the tabs and the buttons in its set will appear. Figure 1-16 shows the buttons for the
Polygons tab.

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FIGURE 1-16
The Shelf

Using the Shelf Menu

At the left end of the Shelf are two menu icons. The top one looks like a mini-tab and you can use it to select a
Shelf tab from a menu. The bottom menu icon is a star. You can use it to hide all of the Shelf tabs, open the
Shelf Editor, create and delete shelves, load a custom shelf, and save all shelves. You can save some interface
space by hiding the Shelf tabs. To do this, select Shelf Tabs menu command from the Shelf menu to toggle the
option off.

Creating and Deleting Shelves

The Shelf menu can also be used to create and delete shelves. The New Shelf menu command will open a
simple dialog box, as shown in Figure 1-17, in which you can name the new shelf. The new empty shelf will
then appear at the right end of the tabs. Selecting the Delete Shelf menu command will delete the currently
selected shelf.

FIGURE 1-17
Create New Shelf dialog box

Adding Icons and Menu Commands to a Shelf

You can add buttons from any shelf to another shelf by selecting the button and dragging it with the middle
mouse button onto the tab of the shelf that you wish to add it to. Menu commands can also be added to the
current shelf by clicking on the menu command with the Ctrl/Command and Shift keys held down. You can
delete a shelf icon by selecting it and choosing the Delete Shelf menu from the Shelf menu.

Note
Maya uses all three mouse buttons. If you are using a two-
button mouse with a scroll wheel, the scroll wheel acts as
the middle mouse button. If your two-button mouse doesn’t
have a scroll wheel, you can use the Ctrl/Command (command)
key and the left mouse button as the middle mouse button.
For a Macintosh one-button mouse, the command key and the
mouse button act as the middle mouse button and the Option
key and the mouse button act as the right mouse button.

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Adding Layouts and Scripts to a Shelf

You can add custom layouts to a shelf. Just pick the shelf you want to hold the custom layout and then choose
Panel Editor from the Panels menu, located at the top of the viewport. In the Layouts tab, shown in Figure 1-18,
select the custom layout that you want to add to the current shelf and click the Add To Shelf button. You can
drag scripts from the Script Editor with the middle mouse button and drop them into a shelf. Scripts appear on
the Shelf as a button labeled ‘MEL’, which stands for Maya Expression Language, Maya’s scripting language.

FIGURE 1-18
Panel Editor

Using the Shelf Editor

The Shelves menu includes an option that will open the Shelf Editor dialog box. Using this editor, shown in
Figure 1-19, you can reorder and rename the tabs and shelves, edit the icons within each shelf, and change the
settings for the shelves.

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FIGURE 1-19
Shelf Editor

Lesson 1.3-Tutorial 1: Create a New Shelf

1. Click on the Shelf menu and select New Shelf.
The Create New Shelf dialog box appears.
2. Type the name MyShelf for the new shelf and click OK.
A new tab with the typed name appears at the right end of the Shelf.
Lesson 1.3-Tutorial 2: Populate a New Shelf
1. Select the MyShelf tab to make it active.
2. Hold down the Shift and Ctrl/Command keys and select Create, NURBS Primitives, Sphere.
A sphere icon is added to the new shelf.
3. Repeat Step 2 with other primitive objects found in the Create menu.
Each of the selected menu commands appears on the new shelf, as shown in Figure 1-20.
4. Select the Panels, Panel Editor panel menu command.

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The Panel Editor dialog box appears.

5. Select the Layout tab and choose the Four View option. Then, click the Add to Shelf button and
then the Close button.
When the Four View option is selected, the view window changes to show four separate
views. After clicking the Add to Shelf button, a new icon appears in the current shelf.
6. Locate the Move tool in the Toolbox and drag the icon with the middle mouse button to the new
shelf.
Dragging an icon with the middle mouse button adds the icon to the current shelf. Figure
1-20 shows the new shelf.
7. Select Save All Shelves from the Shelf menu.

FIGURE 1-20
A custom shelf of menu commands

Lesson 1.4: Explore the Channel Box and Layer Editor

When an object is selected, its keyable attributes (or channels) appear within the Channel Box, shown in Figure
1-21, to the right of the interface. Each attribute has a value associated with it. These values are often numbers,
but they can be a state like on or off, or a color. You can change these values by selecting the channel’s value,
entering a different value, and pressing the Enter key.

Tip
Drag on the left edge of the Channel Box to increase or
decrease the Channel Box width.

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FIGURE 1-21
The Channel Box

Selecting Attributes
You can select a single attribute by clicking on its title. When selected, the attribute title will be highlighted.
Holding down the Ctrl/Command key while clicking on several attributes will allow you to select multiple
attributes at once; you can also drag the mouse over several attributes to select them.

Using Channel Sliders

You can interactively change attribute values by selecting an attribute in the Channel Box and then dragging
with the middle mouse button in the view panel.

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Tip
You can also enter += and a number to add that amount to the
current value. For example, typing +=2 in an attribute field
for a Radius value of 5.0 changes it to 7.0. You can also
use -=, *= and /= to subtract, multiply and divide relative
values.

Locking Attributes
Locked attributes cannot be changed. You can lock an attribute by selecting it and choosing the Lock Selected
menu command from the Channels menu. Locked attributes will have a gray rectangle to the left of the channel
value, as shown in Figure 1-22. Unlock any locked attributes using the Channels, Unlock Selected menu
command.

FIGURE 1-22
Locked attributes in the Channel Box

Adding and Deleting Layers

The Layer Editor, shown in Figure 1-23, divides the scene elements up into layers, making them easy to show
and hide. Clicking the Create a New Layer button in the Layer Editor creates a new layer. You can give each
layer a name, display type, playback option and color. Delete layers using the Layers menu. Deleting a layer
does not delete its objects. At the top of the Layer Editor are options for creating Display and Animation layers.

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FIGURE 1-23
Layer Editor

Adding Objects to a Layer

You can add selected objects to a layer by right clicking on that layer and selecting Add Selected Objects from
the pop-up menu. You can also use the Layers menu to select all objects in a layer and to remove objects from a
layer. Objects assume the layer color when unselected.

Hiding All Layer Objects

You can hide Layer objects by clicking the first column in the Layer Editor. This column sets the visibility for
the layer objects and is a simple toggle button that you can turn on or off. The letter V appears when the layer
objects are visible and the column is empty when the layer objects are hidden. The second column toggles the
playback of the layer objects on or off. The letter, 'P' appears when playback is enabled.

Freezing All Layer Objects

The third column can be set to Normal, Template or Reference. The letter T appears in this column when the
layer is a template. Template layers cannot be selected or moved while they are templates. References are proxy
objects that stand in for complex objects. The fourth column is the layer color. Double-clicking on this column
(or on the layer name) opens the Edit Layer dialog box, shown in Figure 1-24, where you can select a new
color, change the layer’s attributes, or change the layer’s name.

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FIGURE 1-24
Edit Layer dialog box

Lesson 1.4-Tutorial 1: Change Channel Box Attributes

1. Select File, Open Scene. Locate and open the Translated Rocket.mb file.
This file includes a simple rocket centered about the grid origin. All attributes for the rocket
object are displayed in the Channel Box.
2. Enter a 5 in the Translate X attribute and press the Enter key.
The rocket object is moved five units along the X-axis.
3. Click on the Translate Y attribute in the Channel Box and drag upward in the Workspace with the
middle mouse button.
The rocket object is moved along the Y-axis a distance equal to the amount that the mouse
was dragged and the attribute value is changed, as shown in Figure 1-25.
4. Select File, Save Scene As and save the file as Translated rocket.mb.

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FIGURE 1-25
Translated rocket

Lesson 1.4-Tutorial 2: Create and Rename a New Layer

1. Click the Create a new layer button in the Layer Editor.
A new layer appears in the Layer Editor.
2. Double-click on the layer to open the Edit Layer dialog box.
3. Type in a name for the new layer and click the Save button.
Lesson 1.4-Tutorial 3: Add Objects to a New Layer
1. Select Create, Polygon Primitives, Sphere to create a sphere object.
2. Select the Edit, Select All menu command to select all of the objects.
3. In the Layer Editor, right click on the new layer and select Add Selected Objects from the pop-up
menu.
All objects are added to the new layer.
4. In the Layer Editor, click on the first column in which the V is displayed.
All objects on the layer are hidden.

Lesson 1.5: Identify the Animation Controls, the Command

Line, and the Help Line
At the bottom of the interface are several interface controls that are used to move through the various animation
frames. Below these is a Command Line where you can type in commands to be executed. At the very bottom
of the interface is a Help Line where context-specific information is displayed.

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Selecting an Animation Frame

All current animation frames are displayed on the Time Slider at the bottom of the interface, as shown in Figure
1-26. You move between the different frames by dragging the black time marker or by entering the frame
number in the field to the right of the Time Slider.

FIGURE 1-26
Time Slider

Setting an Animation Range

Below the Time Slider is the Range Slider, as shown in Figure 1-27. Using this slider, you can focus on a
specific range of animation frames. The Time Slider changes as the Range Slider is moved.

FIGURE 1-27
Range Slider

Playing an Animation
To the right of the animation frame value are several controls for playing, rewinding, and moving through the
animation frames, as shown in Figure 1-28. Using these buttons, you can jump to the animation start (or end),
step back (or forward) one frame, step back (or forward) one key, or play the animation forward (or backward).

FIGURE 1-28
Animation controls

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Accessing the Animation Preferences

Beneath the Go to End button is a button, shown in Figure 1-29, that will open the Preferences dialog box, as
shown in Figure 1-30. This dialog box includes all of the preferences for Maya, but when it is opened using this
button the Time Slider category is selected, allowing you to change the animation preferences.

FIGURE 1-29
Animation Preferences button

FIGURE 1-30
Preferences dialog box

Using the Command Line

In the Command Line, you can enter textual commands to be executed. All commands should end with a
semicolon. The results of these commands are displayed in the dark-colored Results line to the right of the
Command Line. To the right of the Results line is the Script Editor button, shown in Figure 1-31, that opens the
Script Editor, where you can enter more detailed scripts. More on the Script Editor is covered in Chapter 14,
“Using MEL Scripting.”

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Tip
All commands that are entered into the Command Line are
saved in a buffer. Using the Up and Down Arrow keys, you can
scroll back and forth through the existing commands.
Pressing the Enter key executes the listed command.

FIGURE 1-31
Script Editor button

Viewing the Help Line

At the very bottom of the interface is the Help Line, as shown in Figure 1-32. Within this line, Maya lists
instructions that it expects to happen next based on the selected tool or mode. If you’re stuck on what to do
next, take a look at the Help Line.

FIGURE 1-32
Help Line

Lesson 1.5-Tutorial 1: Play an Animation

1. Select File, Open Scene and open the Billiard balls.mb file.
This file includes a simple animated scene.
2. Click on the time marker in the Time Slider and drag it to the left.
The objects in the scene will move as the frames are increased. A frame of the animation
sequence is shown in Figure 1-33.

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FIGURE 1-33
Animated billiard table

3. Click the Play Forwards button

The entire animation sequence will play over and over.
4. Click the Stop button to pause the animation.
Lesson 1.5-Tutorial 2: Enter a Command
1. Select Create, Polygon Primitives, Sphere to create a sphere object.
2. Click on the view panel away from the sphere to deselect it.
3. In the Command Line, type, select pSphere1; and press the Enter key.
The sphere object is selected.
4. In the Command Line, type, move -z 10;.
The sphere is moved ten units along the z-axis.
5. Select File, Save Scene As and save the file as Command line sphere.mb.

Lesson 1.6: Use the Toolbox and Quick Layout Buttons

On the left side of the interface is a column of buttons collectively known as the Toolbox, as shown in Figure 1-
34. Below the Toolbox are several layout buttons known collectively as the Quick Layout buttons.

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FIGURE 1-34
Toolbox

Selecting Objects
The first three buttons in the Toolbox are used to select objects in the scene. These are the Select Objects tool,
the Lasso tool and the Paint Selection tool. The Select Object tool lets you select objects by clicking on objects
or by dragging a rectangular border. The Lasso tool lets you drag a freehand outline over the object you want to
select. The Paint Selection tool lets you drag or paint over components (such as vertices) to select them.

Holding down the Shift key while clicking on objects with the Select Objects tool will add objects to the
selection set. All selected objects will appear white except for the last object selected, which will appear light
green. This light green object is known as the key object.

Using the Transform Tools

The Toolbox also includes the Move, Rotate, and Scale tools. When any of these tools are selected, a
manipulator will appear at the center (pivot point) of the selected object. With these tools, you can transform the
selected object. Manipulator lets you transform the tool along a single axis or within a single plane, as shown
for the Move tool in Figure 1-35. You can also click on the transform values displayed near the manipulator and
enter new values using the keyboard.

Tip
Once a transform handle on one of the transform tools is
selected, it turns yellow. You can then drag the selected
handle using the middle mouse button.

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FIGURE 1-35
Universal Manipulator tool

Understanding Manipulators
Each of the transform manipulators has color-coded components that will let you constrain a transform to a
single axis—red is for the X-axis, green is for the Y-axis, and blue is for the Z-axis, as shown in Figure 1-36.
The selected manipulator axis will turn yellow and dragging will transform the object along the selected axis.

FIGURE 1-36
Transform Manipulators

There are many other manipulators besides the transform manipulators. For example, when a spot light object is
selected, you can enable a manipulator that lets you alter its light properties such as its falloff cone, direction
and intensity by dragging in the view.

Beneath the Scale tool button in the Toolbox is another button that holds the last tool that was used. Remember
that any menu item or button that includes the word Tool in its name will remain active until another tool is
selected and will appear at the bottom of the Toolbox.

Note
The last slot in the Toolbox is reserved for tools selected
from the menus. The Toolbox tools will not occupy this slot.

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Switching Layouts
Beneath the Toolbox are several buttons, as shown in Figure 1-37, that allow you to quickly change the layout
of the Maya interface. The default layout options include Single Perspective View, Four View,
Perspective/Outliner, Perspective/Graph Editor, Hypershade/Perspective, and Perspective/Hypergraph/Graph.
The arrow button underneath these layout buttons presents a pop-up menu of additional layout options.

FIGURE 1-37
Quick Layout buttons

Customizing Layouts
You can change the layout that each button opens by right-clicking on the layout buttons and selecting the
layout from the pop-up menu. Selecting the Edit Layout menu command in the right-click pop-up menu opens
the Panel Editor.

Resizing and Editing View Panels

When multiple view panels are visible, you can resize the individual panels by dragging the dividers between
the panels. Only one view panel can be active at a time.

Tip
Using the Spacebar, you can toggle between making the active
view panel fill the entire Workspace and returning to the
previous layout. For example, if the Four View layout is
selected and the Top view panel is the active view panel,
pressing the Spacebar maximizes the Top view panel.
You can use the Panels menu command on the Panel menu to change the view for any panel. You can find the
Panels menu at the top of each view panel. The Panels, Saved Layouts, Edit Layouts menu command to open
the Panels dialog box, shown in Figure 1-38. With this dialog box you can create a new panel and edit custom
layouts.

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FIGURE 1-38
Panels dialog box

Using the Outliner

Beneath the layout buttons is a button to show/hide the Outliner. The Outliner pane, shown in Figure 1-39, lists
all the objects in the current scene by name. When working with small objects, it can often be easier to locate an
object by its name than by clicking on it. The Outliner is perfect for locating objects in this manner. Click on the
Show/Hide Outliner button and the Outliner appears to the left of the viewports. Any selected object in the
scene is also highlighted in the Outliner.

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FIGURE 1-39
Outliner pane

Accessing Help
At the bottom of the Toolbox and Layout buttons is a Maya logo button. This button opens the Maya Help files
in a web browser.

Lesson 1.6-Tutorial 1: Select an Object

1. Open the Five spheres.mb file.
This file includes five sphere objects.
2. Click on the Select tool and click on the center sphere.
The sphere in the scene turns light green and its attributes appear in the Channel Box.
3. Hold down the Shift key and click on the other spheres in the scene.
All spheres in the scene are selected and the last sphere clicked on will be light green, as
shown in Figure 1-40.

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FIGURE 1-40
Selected objects

Lesson 1.6-Tutorial 2: Transform an Object

1. Open the Five spheres.mb file again.
2. Click on the Select tool and click on the center sphere.
3. Click the Move tool in the Toolbox and drag the green (Y-axis) upward.
4. The sphere moves upward in the scene.
5. Click the Scale tool in the Toolbox and drag the red (X-axis) to the right.
6. The sphere is elongated along the X-axis, as shown in Figure 1-41.
7. Select File, Save Scene As and save the file as Elongated sphere.mb.

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FIGURE 1-41
Transformed objects

Lesson 1.6-Tutorial 3: Change the Interface Layout

1. Click and drag the Show/Hide Channel Box tab at the right end of the viewports away from the
interface.
2. Click on the Four Views button in the Quick Layout buttons.
The layout is changed to show four views, as shown in Figure 1-42.

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FIGURE 1-42
Four views

Lesson 1.7: Discover the Secret Menus

Once you get used to the menu commands, you can learn to work faster using the hidden menus. These menus
will pop-up different commands when you right-click on objects in the scene.

Accessing the Marking Menus

For quick access to many common commands, you can open a marking menu by right-clicking in the view
panel and holding the mouse button down until the menu appears. You can then move the cursor between the
different menu options and release the mouse button to select the desired menu command. Figure 1-43 shows
the marking menu for a polygon sphere object.

Tip
You can access a marking menu of selection options by
holding down the q key while clicking in the view panel. You
can access other custom marking menus in a similar manner
such as Move Tool options (w), Rotate Tool options (e),
Scale Tool options (r), and Polygon Brush options (o).

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FIGURE 1-43
Marking menu

Customizing Marking Menus

You can alter the contents of a marking menu, assign a hotkey to a marking menu, or add a marking menu to the
Hotbox using the Marking Menu Settings dialog box, shown in Figure 1-44. You access this dialog box using
the Window, Settings/Preferences, Marking Menus menu command.

FIGURE 1-44
Marking Menus Settings dialog box

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Using the Hotbox

The Hotbox, shown in Figure 1-45, is a complete set of customizable menus that you can access by pressing and
holding the Spacebar. Using the Hotbox Controls option in the Hotbox, you can select which menu commands
appear in the Hotbox.

FIGURE 1-45
Hotbox

Customizing the Hotbox

If you select the Hotbox Controls option from the Hotbox, you can select which menu sets to include in the
Hotbox. You can also select to Show or Hide all menus.

Lesson 1.7-Tutorial 1: Access a Marking Menu

1. Select Create, Polygon Primitives, Sphere to create a sphere object.
2. Click on the view panel away from the sphere to deselect it.
3. Right-click on the sphere and choose Select from the pop-up marking menu.
The sphere object is selected.
Lesson 1.7-Tutorial 2: Use the Hotbox
1. Move the cursor to the center of the view panel and press and hold the Spacebar.
The Hotbox appears centered around where the cursor is located, as shown in Figure 1-46.
2. Drag the cursor to the Create button and select the Polygon Primitives, Sphere command.
The sphere object appears in the view panel.
3. Release the Spacebar.

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FIGURE 1-46
The Hotbox

Chapter Summary
This chapter takes you through a tour of the Maya interface, covering the basic interface elements,
including the menus, the Status Line buttons, the Shelf, the Channel Box, the Layer Editor, the
Animation Controls, the Command Line, the Help Line, the Toolbox, and the Quick Layout buttons.
This chapter also explains how to work with these various interface elements and presents the marking
menus and the Hotbox as other ways to work with the interface.

What You Have Learned

In this chapter, you learned

* How to switch between the different menu sets.

* How to use keyboard hotkeys.
* How to access option dialog boxes from menus.
* How to tear off menus.
* The difference between tools and actions.
* How to use pop-up help to identify buttons.
* How to identify a change in the cursor denoting right-click menus.
* How to expand and contract button sets.
* How to open and save scene files.
* How to show and hide the different interface elements.
* How to use the Shelf.
* How to add and delete items from a Shelf.
* How to use parameters in the Channel Box.
* How to use the Layer Editor.
* How to work with the animation controls.
* How to use the Command and Help Lines.
* How to select and transform objects using the Toolbox tools.
* How to add soft modifications to objects with the Soft Modification tool.

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* How to switch between the different layouts.

* How to use and customize the marking menus and the Hotbox.

Key Terms From This Chapter

* Menu set. A dynamic set of menu options selected from a drop-down list at the top left of
the interface.
* Hotkey. A keyboard shortcut that executes a command when pressed.
* Option dialog box. A dialog box with additional options opened using the icon found to the
right of specific menu options.
* Tear-off menu. A panel of menu options that is removed to float freely from the interface.
* Status Line. A set of toolbar icons located at the top of the interface.
* Pop-up help. A small text title that appears when the cursor is held over the top of an icon.
* Shelf. A customizable set of buttons organized into separate groups.
* Channel Box. A panel of editable parameters that relate to the current selection.
* Layer. A selection of objects grouped together into a set that can be easily selected.
* Animation controls. A set of buttons used to control animation frames.
* Command Line. A text field where you can enter text commands.
* Help Line. A text field that presents the next action that is expected.
* Toolbox. A set of selection and transformation icons located to the left of the interface.
* Quick Layout buttons. A set of buttons for changing the interface layout.
* Marking menu. A dynamic set of menus accessible by right-clicking on an object.
* Hotbox. A comprehensive set of menu options accessible by pressing the Spacebar.

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