This is very basic tutorial for the learner of 3ds max 2011.
Everyone learns about its viewport at the beginning. Because it is much described in every project of 3ds max 2011. The main view is called prospective view while the other four views are called orthographic views.
Here you also learn about how to navigate the all four viewport for our convenience. The concept of viewports is learn easily through a project. So open the file from open menu and choose the file. Here are two commands for you to learn this concept easily, one of them is view cube and other one is staring wheel. View cube make you ease to navigate the direction of the object while the staring wheel has variety of option to hold full control over the object.
You can bring the staring wheel by pressing shft+W. If view cube didn’t appear in your scene, then go to view menu and choose viewport configuration and then view cube. You can see all the views by clicking on its side and bring back to actual stage by clicking on home button. Don’t forget to reset the setting by right click on the view cube and configure it.
Using Zoom tool, you may bring the screen closer and farther as much you need. Another option of staring wheel is orbit which makes the view closer with actual direction. Rewind tool will show you the changing with thumbnail view. In other word you can say that it restore all your record. Through walk key you can move up and down you scene. So it was the basic introduction of viewports in 3ds max.