3Ds Max How Disable "Menu" Hotkeys ?

Earanak · Jun 2014

Version 3Ds Max 2014 SP5 x64 ENG

When i hold ALT-Button, 3Ds Max (Underline/Select) menu items

How (Remove/Disable) these Hotkeys ?

ALT + F - File
ALT + E - Edit
ALT + T - Tools
ALT + V - Views
ALT + C - Create
ALT + M - Modifiers
ALT + R - Rendering
ALT + U - Customize
ALT + H - Help
ALT + SHIFT + A - Animation
ALT + SHIFT + D - Graph Editors
ALT + SHIFT + X - MAXScript

Memory · Jun 2014

I've had this problem too starting in 3ds Max 2014, never before that. Does anyone know a workaround for this? The problem is really annoying.

Mark Dygert · Jun 2014

"That's the greatest thing EVAR! You'll never need an option to disable it!
...or so their thinking must have gone? It's kind of a really old throwback to before mice? Who uses it, who asked for it? Why? It seems very "programmery".

I don't think you can disable it at least not easily. They don't make any mention of being able to disable it in the help doc:
http://docs.autodesk.com/3DSMAX/16/ENU/3ds-Max-Help/index.html?url=files/GUID-2B5EE43F-F86F-42C9-82C7-48BAFC0EE9F4.htm,topicNumber=d30e302646,hash=GUID-F4AE08AD-B6DD-445E-A46A-C7D5D5A5DDA4

It probably became standard when they rolled out the "enhanced menu" option? I noticed it because I actually use an "alt quad menu" and those flash on and off when I do.

I think alt does the same thing in windows so maybe its a windows feature and can be disabled deep in the bowels of windows somewhere?

Earanak · Jun 2014

3Ds Max 2014 Help Site wrote:

As an alternative to using a mouse or other pointing device, most menu names includes an underlined character when you hold down the Alt key. Pressing Alt + that character key opens the menu, unless that particular key combination is assigned to a keyboard shortcut.

I assign custom hotkeys for :
[ALT+F / ALT+E / ALT+T / ALT+V / ALT+C / ALT+R]

And... From time to time - 3Ds Max ignore custom hotkeys and open Menu :poly118:
"Keyboard Shortcut Override Toggle" Has no effect on this problem

Kimon · Jun 2014

I don't mean to offend anyone but seriously, 2014 is pretty terrible. 2012 is waaaay superior in every way imo tbh.

spacefrog · Jun 2014

Kimon wrote: »

I don't mean to offend anyone but seriously, 2014 is pretty terrible. 2012 is waaaay superior in every way imo tbh.

Thats totally the wrong way ... Max 2014 is GREAT
Max 2012 ... not so ... ;-)

Earanak · Jun 2014

For Example — i bind "Extrude With Options" on (ALT+E) :
1.) Edit Poly - All Commands - Extrude Settings - ALT+E
2.) Editable Poly - All Commands - Extrude Settings - ALT+E
3.) Main UI - All Commands - Extrude Options - ALT+E

But Again... From time to time - 3Ds Max open "Edit Menu"

P.S.
I am Maya-User, and I want customize 3Ds Max for comfortable Hotkeys. But this сonflict is killing me

Mark Dygert · Jun 2014

Yep, I think you have to give up on using the Alt key, for now.

These are the same people that thought using the biggest most accessible key on the keyboard should be used to lock things. What genius thought that one up? I rebind that to "Maximize Viewport Toggle", so I can jump between views. Thankfully now you don't have to click the view to make it active, just hover over it.

Using the Maya navigation is the same way, it has some fatal flaws too. Selection doesn't work quite right and things like the brush hotkeys break with Maya Nav turned on (they also use alt). It's like they put in enough effort so they can check it off their list but never really test it so it just falls apart.

monster · Jun 2014

To fix this go to Customize User Interface > Menus. In the right panel right click on "Edit" and pick Edit Menu Item Name and change "&Edit" to "Edit".

The & symbol lets you choose which hotkey is used for ALT menu selection. For example changing it to "E&dit" will make Alt+D open the Edit menu.

Memory · Jun 2014

monster - awesome, that seems to work well. It was a big problem that seemed like my hotkeys would 'lose focus' if for some reason I were to just tap alt when navigating the viewport, and then hit a hotkey but my focus was on the menu bar. So outrageous.

@Kimon - Unfortunately in my industry (not games but similar,) there is a sweeping misconception by the people that make the decisions that latest software = best software. You should see their idea of a 'graphic artist' computer. LOL

Earanak · Jun 2014

Wonderful ! That's what I need ! Work Fine for Me

monster, Many Thanks !

stabbington · Jun 2014

monster - YES! Months of random nuisance finally over, all because of some freaking ampersands. Thank you!

Paquette_e · Mar 2015

Sorry to post in an old thread, but I have the same problem in Max 2015 and the solution of monster does not seem to work.

MilesS · Aug 2015

I got you man! It's a windows function that affects every program photoshop etc. you have to disable the alt menu selection for the alt key, by applying this script in windows. If you follow this link it should give you the instructions. after the script is applied the alt key still works but doesn't activate the menu at all

here is the link to the forum with the instructions: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13934711/make-autohotkey-ignore-alt-as-menu-key

this is the script that you need:
~LAlt Up:: return

JonahH_M · Feb 2017

I've tried all of the solutions posted in this thread and none of them have worked on Windows 10 with Max 2016

If anyone has any other ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Swordslayer · Feb 2017

@JonahH_M do you use the Enhanced menus? If you do, switch to classic menus instead?

JonahH_M · Feb 2017

@Swordslayer nope, classic menus. I was hoping the AutoHotkey solution would fix it but no luck unfortunately. It seems to be an issue at the Windows level because I can't get rid of it in Photoshop either.

It seems '~LAlt Up:: return' prevents the default behavior of Alt then a key press but doesn't prevent the menus from activating if the keys are pressed at the same time. It's an improvement but I'd like to disable it all together.

JonahH_M · Feb 2017

Earanak said:

3Ds Max 2014 Help Site wrote:

As an alternative to using a mouse or other pointing device, most menu names includes an underlined character when you hold down the Alt key. Pressing Alt + that character key opens the menu, unless that particular key combination is assigned to a keyboard shortcut.

I assign custom hotkeys for :
[ALT+F / ALT+E / ALT+T / ALT+V / ALT+C / ALT+R]

And... From time to time - 3Ds Max ignore custom hotkeys and open Menu :poly118:
"Keyboard Shortcut Override Toggle" Has no effect on this problem

It should read; unless that particular key combination is assigned to a keyboard shortcut in the Main UI group. And even then only sometimes.

MarkedOne8 · Apr 2020

If anyone is still encountering this issue, I've made a video tutorial.
https://youtu.be/R-endE055MM

3Ds Max  How Disable "Menu" Hotkeys ?

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3Ds Max How Disable "Menu" Hotkeys ?