topic Max has a Bug related to external textures paths in 3ds Max Forum

Max has a Bug related to external textures paths

alex.motion — Sat, 06 Jun 2020 12:15:23 GMT

Some time ago I came across that issue: after max crashed it didn't save paths that I wrote for textures

If I understand that correctly paths for project are Project based , and saved inside file named "max.mxp"

so that file holding all external paths.

But the problem is , when saving file it doesn't save new paths with saving function , it saves new paths only after successful exit , so that makes some paths disappear while max is quit abruptly.

to reproduce it: open max and open that mxp file in any text editor , 2021 max ends at "dir10"

add/wrote some external texture paths from "configure project paths" window and save project with Ctrl+S

now open that mxp file again , you will see nothing changed , though I made changes .

now exit max and check mxp again , after max is closed successfully it will finally add new paths .

It should add paths on every ctrl+s right ? otherwise you will have to manually and again rewrite all paths every time max will unexpectedly quit.

Re: Max has a Bug related to external textures paths

jon.bell — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 20:21:58 GMT

Hi Fantom,

Thanks for your note on this. At present, this seems like as-designed behavior. Max saves project and bitmap paths upon a successful exit, but doesn't automatically update and add new paths to the the .mxp file after every file save. (If it did, then loading a succession of scene files, each with different groups of file/folder paths, might fill up the 3dsmax.ini and .mxp files quickly -- those paths are limited to 1024 in total, although that's still a very large number.)

You can save these paths manually when you're in the Customize > Configure Projects > External Files menu, as the attached image shows.

However, if you want the .mxp file to be updated after every file save, then that's a feature request I strongly suggest you note on the Autodesk Max Ideas page. (I can also mention it to our developers as well.)

Please let us know if this helps!

Re: Max has a Bug related to external textures paths

alex.motion — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 05:52:15 GMT

Hello Jon !

Well , average projects have couple of dozens of paths so 1024 is more than enough .

No matter what , fact is fact, when max quits abruptly and it happens sometimes due to hardware or driver issues, or any other reasons related or not related to max directly, one have to search and enter those dozen paths manually again (or save as one more external file each time after couple of paths added) , that's the problem no matter it was "designed behavior" or not.

I know about "save as" and "merge paths" option , it's way more inconvenient than just make it to work normally

and logically to save them when save button is pressed.

paths are project based right ? so let them be saved for that project , why not ..

I don't believe in Autodesk Max Ideas page , think it's a good tool for distraction.

Some super needed features have many many votes for many years and still nothing happens.

just like one good example: grouping frame over materials in slate editor, to avoid mess which is always there if you have lots of mats created.

looks like a chance to have better max behavior is to directly address it to devs, if they will have a time sometime this or next year , tell them that this is very annoying to lost paths each time max crashes.

I think it's not a big problem to save sting of a text in file after hitting a save button.

thanks !