Is there a Max 'diff'?

[rfryer]

In exploring settings for effects, I often change two or three at a time due to the fairly long try-and-see cycle. For documentation purposes, it would be nice to get a file 'diff' that I could save that associates the changes with the renderings. I mean - I create text files, but it's so easy to spin a dial or click a setting that I miss a lit of 'little' changes - - -

So - has anyone seen such a product - or tried to create one?

(Obviously this diff needs to know about Max to provide a usefully documented report - and I'm sure there are many areas that would be hard to describe in a text file - but all the same, settings, keys, numerifcal entries, etc. would be helpful. If you said that only a newbie would want this, I couldn't disagree - so it might be useful for only a short time during early learning - - - - )

[Maneswar_Cheemalapati]

I don't know of such a thing, but maybe someone else does.

However, perhaps the File Properties fields can help you to access the information outside Max... if you enter it into the Comments. Either that or the Summary Info panel may be useful for longer text entries that are descriptive, but I do't believe that is only accessible through Max.

You are using the file, save as feature to save files incrementally, along with your note taking, right? It would be great if there was a file diff... atleast for the common properties, even if object data was impossible to translate.

Hope that's somewhat helpful

[bthompson]

That sounds like a nice idea for a script, but I don't know of any that currently exist either. I wonder if turning on the maxscript macro recorder would be somewhat helpful for you. It would at least keep track of most of the settings that you might change between renders. You'd have to decypher it's output though.

[Tim_Wilbers]

Unitil you find something better, you can always save the file incrementally. (Save As +)

If you go to far or in the wrong direction, you can always Merge the settings from a previous file into the current scene (Merge in the Effects menu, not File > Merge).

[rfryer]

Thanks for the suggestions. Since filenames can be so long - and space is 'free' (as in cheaper than beer) I should try being more creative in naming saved changes -

And since no one has (yet) said 'this is a stupid idea' - maybe someone will decide to work on it! *grin*

Richard

[Maneswar_Cheemalapati]

I have tried to use the file name method with abbreviations but let me tell you that it becomes painful after just a short while because you start forgetting what everything means.

There isn't a heck of a lot that is stupid.. if someone wants it, they usually want it for a reasonably good reason, so our aim is to try to provide it rather than judge it as silly or worthless. But, to reassure you, your Diff request is not silly or worthless 🙂

Personally, I'd use File Properties and enter text in there so you can access it with a right click file and select properties through explorer. It's a bit slower, but it's more space to describe whatever it is you want.