topic Re: Toolbox for Electronic components in 3ds Max Forum

Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 05:22:17 GMT

How to make a Toolbox for Electronic components?

Like this

or like this:

Thank you, very much !

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 05:21:35 GMT

this post can not be deleted
why I cant delete my posts? Really? Hahahaha

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 05:23:18 GMT

this post can not be deleted
why I cant delete my posts? Really? Hahahaha

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 06:10:58 GMT

Alright... I find something on youtube after all.

Great help from Autodesk forums !

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 06:45:53 GMT

I cant find my category !

I "Evaluate ALL" and it is not updating.

What Im missing?

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

hagen.deloss — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 14:33:02 GMT

Hi @teodoric8 ,

Appreciate you bringing your question to the forums! Heres how you can create a custom toolbar in 3ds Max.

Heres a video as well.

Let me know if this helps answer your question, or if I can provide additional help 😄

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 14:41:57 GMT

I watched that exact video in your link you provide, 1 week ago !

It did help to a point where I could not advance anymore because there are some hidden settings I do not know.
Most probably because my version of 3dsmax is obviously older.

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

hagen.deloss — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 16:37:00 GMT

What version of Max are you using?

I guess it all depends on what you are trying to save to the Toolbar? You can check out what the toolbar file looks like in the .cuix UI files, they are located here:C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2024 (version)\en-US\UI

Beyond that, you might need a programmer's help, as I haven't the foggiest clue how to edit that file correctly!!

Warm regards,

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 20:18:55 GMT

"What version of Max are you using? "

Im using 3dsmax7 on W7 OS.

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 20:14:38 GMT

Hi @hagen.deloss

I used your link: https://help.autodesk.com/view/3DSMAX/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-A2CF8BAA-7B52-40A8-8C40-803B1AB5FC05

you provided earlier and I did everything in it.

I managed to create a new menu, I added some default objects to it, and also a script that is automatically creating a box at xyz coordinates and size. Very interesting !!!!

Also, my old version of 3dsmax is using .*cui save file instead of the newer .*cuix (as mentioned in the tutorial)

So this lesson was a success, since I made everything they said on that page. As a test, of course.

Here is a screenshot:

But what I really need is to add an object that I created.

- Now I am asking you, where should I put my object in 3dsmax7 folder structure, to be loaded when the button is pressed? How do I make my object be like a default object in 3dsmax (like a cube for example), and load it every time max starts and also reachable by my new button ?

See if you can find a tutorial for this detail as well, or your knowledge will be better because Im using an older max.

Thank you very much !

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 20:42:10 GMT

Hi @hagen.deloss

I tried something different from the tutorial but it didnt work as I imagined....

Here is what I tried:

I opened the MAXScript Listener (with the pink bck text box in it)

And then I activated the Macro Recorder.

Then I manually goto File-Merge and load my object into scene and duplicate all it's properties as asked.

Then I copied the merged procedure from the (pink) listener and edited my script button code, and saved the script.

I clean the scene, and press my script button.

That error pops out. It means that it can not actually load/merge my specific file.

aaaah... what a shame. But I believe there is a way for this macro script to load a *.max file into scene from a specific root folder !!! I believe it exists, but I have no idea what the syntax is. So if you know it, please tell me.

This is me trying my best here, but if its another better way, do announce me.

Thank you.

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

hagen.deloss — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 17:54:41 GMT

@teodoric8

Thoroughly impressed by your progress! I feel like you are closer to an answer for sure, this is far beyond my 3ds Max knowledge, but i have messaged a few folks from QA to see if we can get some additional insight, i will keep you updated!

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 21:25:07 GMT

Excellent and thank you very much ! You are great !

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

hagen.deloss — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:52:41 GMT

Hi @teodoric8

After checking with some folks on my side, it doesn't look like there's a way to do this out of the box, and instead suggest there may be a workaround with custom scripts or plugins.

I might not be understanding your true intent, but would just importing an FBX of the object get you the result you want? You could probably turn that into a button on your shelf? Similar to the maxscript here in the documentation.

If that doesn't meet your needs, i am at the limit of my knowledge, and Max7 might be too far back for our tech support folks to help with.

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 04:20:04 GMT

Ok. I see the FBX file is a Kaydara FiLMBOX file format.

FBX is short for FiLMBOX.

I made a simple export and import test in this format and .... it is changing the geometry, it is converting the Primitive meshes I have there into something else that have no properties anymore.

My idea is to work exclusively with *.max files. I want to Load from Script a *.max file.

I already dig into MAXScript Reference 7.0 (maxscript.chm) file and the example used there is not really that clear. It is explaining how to save some "nodes" but not a mesh. So I got stuck at this point.

I understand you are good at something other than this scripting, and I am in the same position as you.
My components have modeled 'editable mesh' from basic primitives and also some basic primitives that their properties are intact. Like a leg of a diode or resistor. I can use the 'height' property and change how long it is. (for example) This is why Im using a combination of these 2.
So the basic .max file is the perfect candidate for me to work with, and to somehow load it from script. Without prompts or errors. See if you can find a script example that does this.
Thank you.

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

wernienst — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 12:40:32 GMT

Ok, here is my simple attempt:

Create a directory and place all following files into it.

Put all components into one max file, e.g. test_Objects2013.max

Here we have 3 objects: WSphere, WBox and WCylinder

Create a macroscript file for each of them:

macroScript WSphere category:"WObjects2013" tooltip:"WSphere" buttontext:"WSphere" (
----------------------------------------------------
-- Load WSphere Object
----------------------------------------------------

testFile = maxFilePath + "test-Objects2013.max"
getMAXFileObjectNames testFile
mergeMAXFile testFile #("WSphere") #select
$.pos = [0,0,0]
max modify mode

max move
)

Save the script into this directory, too, then do Evaluate All. The macro will also placed into your Usermacros directory automatically. Now call Customize User Interface, Toolbars tab. Create a new toolbar and search for Category WObjects2013. All Objects should be listed. Move them as buttons to your toolbar.

Now close the Objects file, reset Max and create a new max file in this directory. If you click one of the buttons, that object will appear in the scene at the origin being selected, and Max changes to Modify/Move mode.

Ok, as I said, it's simple and there are a lot of caveats. I've tested it with Max 2013 and 2024 only. It works with single objects only, no groups or other hierarchical structures. And if there are a lot of components, it might be a very tedious job. However, there is a lot of room for extensions, e.g. adding a file selector, writing a script that does the macroscripting automatically etc...

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 13:54:51 GMT

Yes! Thank you very much !

It is another problem. For each object merged, this option window is popping in. And I have to "Yes to all" 5 times.

- Can we 'accept' it from code? -Whats the code for this ? I know Im rookie at this for now, but all your help matters to me and I learn faster this way.

And also, whats the code for adding my customized Icon ?

Thank you very much @wernienst !!!

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

wernienst — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 15:22:53 GMT

Well, you've put all objects into one single macroscript. But as I wrote, you need a separate macroscript file for each object. If it is a group, for the group header (group name) only. However, in this case you must comment out/delete the relocation command

--$.pos = [0,0,0]

otherwise all components will be placed at the origin. There are commands available dealing with group/parent-children assets from Max version 2020 up.

If you want to use objects multiple times, you may add the following options to suppress the Double Objects/Materials dialogs and rename objects/materials automatically:

mergeMAXFile testFile #("WSphere") #select #autoRenameDups #renameMtlDups

Currently, I have no experience how to add user icons, but it is possible.

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

wernienst — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 15:26:59 GMT

regarding your popup message window:

try add #alwaysReparent to the mergeMAXFile... line.

Re: Toolbox for Electronic components

teodoric8 — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 17:24:18 GMT

wernienst in reply to: teodoric8

‎08-04-2024 08:22 AM

"Well, you've put all objects into one single macroscript. But as I wrote, you need a separate macroscript file for each object".

Can I ask why? It does the job right now as I made it, with no visible problems. Will it create some issues on the long run ? Can you detail them for me? Thank you !