Autodesk 12812-051462-9011 User Guide 3 - Page 1854

dialog, click the Add button and then use the Add Custom Dependencies file browser to open dependent files. The Custom Dependencies function lets you associate files that aren't true scene dependencies. A true dependent file is required for rendering, animation, exporting, etc. A custom dependency might be reference art work, a text file with scene documentation or tasks to accomplish, custom scripts, etc. Basically, any collection of files that should "travel along" with the scene. One potential use for a custom dependency is as a way to perform simple project management. For example, you could add a file called GameTitle-A.txt as a custom dependency to any scene file associated with GameTitle-A. You could then instruct the provider client, such as Vault Explorer, to display all files that are dependent on GameTitle-A.txt, which would give you a list of files associated with that project. Refresh Reloads the asset listing from the local scene and updates the window contents. Paths menu The tools on this menu help you resolve file-path issues such as missing files. They include functionality also available in the Bitmap/Photometric Path Editor Utility on page 7141, but their integration into the Asset Tracking dialog helps speed the workflow of managing scene assets. Highlight Editable Assets Highlights all assets whose paths can be affected by the remaining commands on this menu. For example, if your scene materials use bitmaps from a number of different folders, you could copy all the bitmaps to a common directory within your working folder, use Highlight Editable Assets to highlight all the bitmap assets, and then use Set Path (see following) to designate the common directory. Set Path Opens a dialog for editing the scene's record of the highlighted asset's or assets' path and, in the case of a single asset, the file name. Both versions of the dialog include drop-down history lists for reverting to a previous path or file name. The primary function for this command is to change the path pointed to by 3ds Max for existing assets whose locations have changed. However, for output files such as rendered images and render elements, you can also use Set Path to create and use new output directories. If you change an output path to one that doesn't exist, you're prompted to confirm that you want to create the folder(s). if you confirm, the output paths are changed in all appropriate locations, such as the Render Setup dialog. Asset Tracking | 7109