Wire Parameters

Select an object. > Animation menu > Wire Parameters > Wire Parameters

Select an object. > Right-click quad menu > Transform (lower-right) quadrant > Wire Parameters

Wire Parameters allow you to link any animatable parameters from one object to another in the viewport. This enables you to set up two-way links between specified object parameters, or to control one or more objects with a dummy object containing the desired parameters. Using wire parameters lets you set up object constraints directly without having to go to Track View and assign controllers.

Parameter wiring is accessed from the Animation menu or the quad menus. The Wire Parameters command is only available if there is a singly selected node in the viewport. Selecting the Wire Parameters command displays a hierarchical pop-up menu with levels and items corresponding to the animatable tracks that would be visible for that object in Track View.

When a parameter selection is made, a dashed line, similar to that displayed in the Select and Link mode, is drawn from the selected object. The cursor changes from an arrow to a cross whenever it is over a valid destination object. You can right-click at any time to cancel the parameter wiring.

You can either click empty space in the viewport (while the rubber-band connector is still being displayed) or on a destination node to display the Parameter Wiring dialog, which allows you to customize the relationship between two wired parameters. If you click empty space, the Parameter Wiring dialog will open showing the selected parameter in the left Tree View and a full scene in the right tree. Selecting a destination node (which can be the same as the originating node) displays a hierarchical pop-up menu for the destination object, allowing the user to choose the destination parameter. When a parameter is selected, the Parameter Wiring dialog is displayed.

Wire Parameters can be made either one-way or two-way between parameters. For one-way wires, one parameter is effectively slaved to the other and its value will change as the controlling parameter changes, according to a user-defined transfer expression. The controlling parameter can be animated and adjusted as needed using all the animating tools in 3ds max. Note that this includes making it a controlled parameter in another parameter-wiring set-up, so that you could potentially set up a chain of controlled parameters.

For two-way wiring, Wire controllers of the appropriate kind are assigned to each of the parameters and they are cross-linked so that changes to either parameter cause linked changes in the other.

Note: You should establish all object hierarchies before wiring parameters in a scene. If you change the hierarchy of an object that has a wired parameter, it will take on new parameters, which may introduce undesired results in your wired parameters.