Uh...
I fully UVmap, rig everything, export the ****ing model complete with all the POF data, then move on to draw the texture.
I preview with PCS2 if needed but I don't do it too often.
I find that 3DSmax's viewport kinda sucks for previewing textures cause it makes everything have utterly **** resolution and I don't want to bother fiddling with the settings so it isn't so, as it would probably negatively impact perfomance when not trying to preview textures (it lags enough with detailed things, really)... To view it properly in Max I need to render it anyway, and a render can't be rotated like it can in PCS2. So it's best to finish everything with one program, close it, and go to the next, cause that reduces the number of windows cluttering everything, and makes sure that nothing eve gets ****ed up by accident. PCS2 can't screw up geometry or UVmapping while previewing your texture.
It's just a matter of preference.
You may bring up the fact that my UVmaps and textures suck, and that I'm a noob. Fair enough, I learned how to model, UVmap, and texture in a span of two days, self-taught following like, two online text tutorials. So I don't exactly know the conventions of the trade, nor do I give two flying ****s about that ****. I do what works for me.
Though its fairly easy to figure out what's what, just like, apply one of those "textures" with all the rainbow colors and regions and numbers and **** and look at how it looks like when applied. Simple.
Sorry for going on this rant, but that post rubbed me the wrong way. I don't quite know why.