Q:  I have a big problem with the animation in 3D STUDIO MAX 2.

 There's my problem:
 
 I have a box that is supposed to move only between key 20 to 30.
 So I click on the button animate and it turn red.
 I go to the key 20
 I do nothing.
 I go to the key 30
 I move my box where i want.
 I click on the button animate (turn off)
 I start my animation
 My box start to move at the begin until the frame 30.
 But i wanted that the box move only between key 20 and 30.
 
 What should i do?
 
 Thanks
(6/6/98) a

A: First the explanation why it doesn't work when you do it. Then the right way.

An object that has no animation (keys) applied has static values.
When a key is created on a frame other than 0 by pressing Animate and CHANGING a value,
2 keys are created - the one on the current frame with the new value, and one on
frame 0 with the old static value. This wouldn't happen if there were keys
anywhere on the track - just a key on frame 20 would be created.

Now the right procedure:

-Select the object.
-Go to frame 20.
-Right-click the Time Slider - a dialog will appear. Uncheck the Rotation and Scale boxes and click OK
(This will create a key on frame 20 with the static position value. If you would just go
to frame 20 and do nothing as you did, no keys would be created at all.)
-Go to frame 30, press Animate and set the new position value by moving the box where you want.
(A second key will be generated with the new value on frame 30. Because there is a key on frame 20
already, no key will be created on frame 0.)
 

A workaround would be also doing what you did the old way, then opening the TrackView and moving
the key from frame 0 to frame 20. But this would'n be the way a professional would do it... :o)