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Open wing03.gmax or continue with the current file you have open now. The completed file for this section wing04.gmax

Smoothing Groups need to be tweaked just a bit before they are removed. Select the wing at the "Element" sub-object level. Click on the wing to make it active. Scroll down to the Surface Properties section and change the "Auto Smooth" entry box from 45 to 50. Click "Auto Smooth". Deselect the wing now.

Select the Transform Move tool, hold down the Shift key and left click the wing. When the "Clone Options" dialog opens, choose "Copy" and rename the wing to "temp". Select OK. Press short cut "H" to open the "Select Objects" dialog and choose "temp" select OK. Now, right click in the viewport to open the Quad menu. Choose "Hide Unselected". This will leave only the copy of the wing "temp". The reason for doing this is so the Smoothing Groups can be removed from the wing. It's best to work this way when UVW Planar maps are applied. In the modifier stack, choose the "Element" sub-object level again and left click the wing. Turn on "Active Shading" short cut "F2". In the modifier stack, scroll down to "Surface Properties" rollout "Smoothing Groups" section and select "Clear All" button. Save the work as "My_wing04.gmax"

Before Smoothing Group is removed


After Smoothing Group is removed


A tool needs to be assembled that can offer assistance applying UVW maps. The "Script Listener Window" will help to do that. Start by opening "Customize > Customize User Interface".


The "Customize User Interface" dialog opens. Select Toolbars tab, New. Give the New Toolbar a name and select OK. Close the Customize User Interface by clicking the X in the upper right hand corner



A small Toolbar will appear. Place the mouse over the right side of the Toolbar. When the mouse changes, drag the Toolbar out just a little. As the new tools are created they will be added to the Toolbar.


There are going to be two new tools created. One tool will add Mesh Select modifiers to the stack. The other tool will add UVW map modifiers also. Open the "Maxscript Listener Window" short cut "F11". Drag the window down out of the way for a moment. Change to a top view short cut "T". If the wing is still selected at one of the sub-object levels, turn that off by clicking on the sub-object level. Be sure to leave the wing selected though.
Now arrange the Maxscript Listener Window and the New Toolbar so both can be seen.


The tools are going to be built by allowing the Listener window to capture certain events performed on the Modifier Stack. The first event is adding the Mesh Select modifier.
Open the "MacroRecorder" menu and select Enable in the MAXScript Listener.



Move back to the Modifier List; drop down and choose Mesh Select from the Selections Modifier section. Once the modifier has been added to the Modifier Stack choose the polygon sub-object level.

Note that the Listener Window has captured the two steps just performed. Use the mouse to select all the information in the Listener Window's top view.


Now left click the Listener information and drag and drop into the new Toolbar anywhere. A generic icon will appear in the Toolbar. This is the first tool. Right click the new icon to open a set of sub-menus. Choose "Edit Button Appearance". Tick to turn on "Text Button" and name the tool "Mesh It". Select OK. Now the tool is ready for use.

Pull the Listener Window down out of the way for a moment.

Move back to the Mesh Select modifier in the stack. Delete it. Now's a good time to try the "Mesh It" tool. Select it. The results should be that a new Mesh Select modifier has been placed back into the stack and it's polygon sub-object level is already selected. Locate the "Select Material ID" section in Mesh Select Parameters rollout. Change the ID entry box to 1. Press select. The top half ailerons and flaps should be selected at the polygon sub-object level. Use Active Shading if needed to see.


Pull the Listener Window back in to view so that it and the new Toolbar are visible together. The Listener Window has been busy collecting information about activity in Gmax. This information needs to be cleaned out. Click in the top half of the Listener Window to select it. Select the Edit menu "Clear All".

The second tool will help with UVW mapping. From the Modifier List, add one UVW Map modifier to the stack. In the UVW Map Parameters rollout. Scroll down to Alignment section. Select "View Align" and "Fit" also. Now move up in the Parameters rollout and change both the Length and Width to 300. Now select all the new information in the Listener window. Drag and Drop it into the Toolbar. Change the icon to have a text label as done earlier for the Mesh It tool. Name the second tool UVW.


Both tools are complete now. Close the Listener Window and save the work as My_wing04.gmax
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