Sub-Div Modelling - Setting up "Meshtools" quad-menus with Max 4

Setting up meshtools on a quad-menu *really* helps increase your modelling speed in 3DS Max. Primarily 'cos you don't have to keep playing "hunt the function" off in a menu somewhere, but mainly for myself it means I can just hit "Ctrl+X" and bliss out modelling in expert mode with a big wide viewport and no distractions.

However, since it's a real pain to work out the different combinations of the meshtools and how they should be set up, here's a look at how I set up my own meshtools quad-menu in Max 4.

Assuming that you've got meshtools installed already, go into "Customize User Interface" from the 3DS Max menu and go to the "Quads" tab in the dialog that appears.

In the 'Category' dropdown select the 'Meshtools' category. Create a new quadset by clicking on the "New..." button, and call it "Meshtools."

You can give a key assignment too by typing something like "Meshtools [Ctrl+RMB]" as the name. This control key + right mouse button is just my particular preference - you've probably got something set to this combination already.

Then set up the four different menu quads as shown below, by dragging and dropping the items from the Meshtools list of tools into the quad window.

When you're done make sure you save your new quad-menu. It's a pain to have to do it twice!

Now when you go into any of the different sub-object modes on an editable poly object, the correct tools are accessible depending on whatever you've got selected (verts / edges / etc.).

Note: Alot of what is "Meshtools" got built into the *new* Editable Poly object in Max 5 but there's a couple of new things in the 'newest' version of Meshtools - included on the Max 5 CD.

When I get time I'll update here how I've frankensteined my quad-menus in Max 5...