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Workspaces

The Workspaces feature lets you switch quickly among any number of different
interface setups. It can restore custom arrangements of toolbars, menus, viewport layout
presets, and so on.

Worskspace Selector > Workspaces drop-down list

For the purposes of this feature, a workspace is defined as the interface setup, including any
combination of toolbars, menus and quad menus, viewport layout presets, the ribbon, hotkeys,
and the workspace Scene Explorer (see following). You can define as many different workspaces
as you want using the Manage Workspace window, found in the Worskpace Selector.

Note: Viewport setup, while part of the scene, is not part of the workspace definition. That
aspect of the interface is handled separately by the Viewport Layouts feature. However, you can
use workspaces to save and restore Viewport Layout presets.

Workspace Scene Explorers

Each workspace includes its own exclusive Scene Explorer. By default, each workspace Scene
Explorer is open and docked. Other features of the workspace Scene Explorer include:

Each workspace automatically saves the state of its Scene Explorer when you switch to
another workspace, and restores the Scene Explorer as saved when you return.
You can float the docked Scene Explorer by dragging its top edge, or by right-clicking the
top edge and choosing Float from the right-click menu. To dock it when floating, drag it into
place or right-click the top edge and choose Dock Top/Bottom/Left/Right.
Each workspace Scene Explorer has the same name as its workspace. For example, the
Scene Explorer for the default workspace is named "Workspace: Default".
The name of the workspace Scene Explorer is not editable directly, but you can change it by
renaming the workspace.
To close the workspace Scene Explorer: If docked, first float it, and then click its Close
button (X) in the top-right corner.
To reopen the workspace Scene Explorer if it is closed:
Default menu Tools menu Saved Scene Explorers [name of Scene Explorer]

Alternatively, you can replace any open Scene Explorer with the workspace Scene Explorer by
choosing it from the drop-down list on the View toolbar.

Tip: If you delete a workspace Scene Explorer (for instance, with Manage Scene Explorer), you
can get it back by resetting the software or by quitting and restarting.

For more information about the Scene Explorer feature, see Scene Explorer.

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Workspace states and default states

A workspace stores the current state of the interface with regard to toolbars, menus, and so on.
For example, in the case of toolbars, the workspace can define the active/inactive status of each
toolbar as well as the positions of the active toolbars. When you switch to another workspace
and back again, each workspace is restored as you left it. The specific restored property types
depend on the Active Workspace Properties settings. For example, say you disable loading
toolbars for a workspace, switch to a second workspace that has a different toolbar setup, and
then switch back to first workspace. In that case, the second workspace's toolbar setup remains,
because the first workspace is not explicitly loading any toolbar setup.

All workspaces persist between sessions. Also, 3ds Max remembers which workspace was active
at the end of the previous session and restores it to active status.

Each workspace also has a default state, defined initially by its condition when created. You can
overwrite a workspace's default state with its current setup by selecting Save Default State from
the Workspace Selector. You can then cause a workspace to revert to its default state at any time
with the Reset To Default State (in the Workspace Selector) or the Restore To Default State
function (in the Manage Workspaces dialog). So, for example, say you activate the Alt Menu and
Toolbar workspace, add and move some toolbars, and then quit. Upon restarting 3ds Max, the Alt
Menu and Toolbar workspace is active and the toolbars are as you left them. However, if you
then invoke the Restore To Default State command, the toolbars revert to their original state, or
a previously saved default state.

Available workspaces
3ds Max has several workspaces preconfigured for you to use.

Workspace
Description
name

Alt Menu and

Uses alternate menu system.
Toolbar
Main toolbar is modular, with several docked to the left.
Scene Explorer is docked below Command Panel.

Design
Commonly used features and learning resources are on the ribbon.
Standard
Ideal for novice users.

Main Toolbar -
Main toolbar is modular, so you can float and dock groups of tools.
modular
Viewport layout tab is removed.

Modular-mini
Uses alternate menu system.
Main toolbar is modular, with several groups of tools hidden.
Viewport layout tab is removed.

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Workspace
Description
name

Default
Default layout on startup.

Interface
The Workspace Selector is a two-part drop-down list on the main interface.

The upper part lists the available workspaces. To change the active workspace, simply choose its
name from the list.
Note: All included workspaces use the default menu system and horizontal ribbon except for Alt
Menu and Toolbar, which docks several toolbars to the left of the viewports, uses the alternate
menu system.

The lower part of the list contains two commands:

Manage Workspaces
Opens the Manage Workspaces dialog (see following) for working with workspaces.

Reset To Default State

Loads the saved definition of the workspace, based on the Active workspace properties
settings.

Manage Workspaces dialog

Choosing the Manage Workspaces command opens this dialog, where you can switch, add, edit,
and delete workspaces.

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Current Workspaces
Lists currently available workspaces. To switch to a different workspace, click its name in the
list. This is the same as using the Workspace Selector.
To delete a workspace from the list, click the red X button to the right of its name in the list.
You can delete only inactive workspaces other than the default workspace.

Save as New Workspace

Creates a new workspace that is a copy of the active workspace, adding it to the Workspace
Selector.
Clicking this button opens the Create New Workspace dialog:

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The read-only Active Workspace parameter shows the name of the active workspace: the one
being copied. The New Workspace parameter shows the name for the new workspace, which, by
default, is the name of the active workspace with " - Copy" appended. To change the name,
click in the Name field and enter a new name. To create the new workspace and add its name to
the drop-down list, click OK. Or, if you change your mind, click Cancel.

After you create a new workspace, it automatically becomes the active workspace. Any
subsequent changes you make to the workspace are saved to that workspace.

Save Default State

Saves the current state of the active workspace as the default state. If you change the
workspace subsequently and then use Restore/Reset To Default State, this default state is
restored.
If you don't use Save Default State, the default state of the workspace is its state as created.

Restore to Default State

Loads the saved definition of the workspace, based on the active workspace properties (see
following). For details, see Workspace States and Default States, preceding.

Active workspace properties

Use these switches to specify the categories of properties that are loaded from the saved
workspace definition when you access the workspace. For any inactive property categories, the
switched-to workspace inherits the active settings from the previous workspace.

Name
Displays and lets you edit the name of the workspace.

Toolbars
Loads properties for all items on the Customize Display Right-Click menu, including which
items are open, their positions, and any customization applied to the toolbars.

Menus and Quad menus

Loads menu and quad menu contents from the workspace definition. This includes the active
menu system: Standard or Enhanced.

Viewport Tab Presets

Loads any Viewport Layouts presets present in the workspace definition.
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Ribbon
Loads the ribbon contents.

Hotkeys
Loads custom keyboard shortcuts from the workspace definition.

Run MaxScript
Use this to run one or two MAXScript scripts: one when loading the workspace and another
when exiting the workspace (that is, when loading a different workspace). Click the ellipsis (...)
button for On Load and/or On Exit to specify a script for each.

Parent topic: 3ds Max Interface Overview

Related Reference
The Design Standard Workspace

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