topic Re: Trouble with Dist script in 3ds Max Programming Forum

Trouble with Dist script

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:21:12 GMT

I found a tool that we need in order to build certain types of models at our workplace, it is called Dist.

URL - http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/dist

I cannot get it to work inside 3ds max 2009. I know this is an old script so could there be a problem with versions as this script was written for max 6 or am I just doing something wrong?

Thanks,
Clay

Re: Trouble with Dist script

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:22:04 GMT

Hey Clay,

It looks like that script uses an installer, so I don't think it's very easy to troubleshoot.

If you need the distance between two points though, you can either use an ExposeTM helper or the distance method. I'm not sure about the length of an edge, but if you can get the co-ordinates of the two points that define the edge you can use vector subtraction and the length method.
Both distance and length are documented under
Value > Basic Data Values > Point2 Values
in the maxScript reference.

Cheers
Kenji

Re: Trouble with Dist script

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:06:45 GMT

I am not familier with the ExposeTM helper but I looked at it and it seems like you have to set it up every time you use it.

That tool is exactly what I need, the ability to quickly measure the distance between 2 points or the length of an edge. We are building 50 - 100 thousand poly models that cannot have a polygon with more than 150 units (mm). You could imagine if while building the model you had to stop constantly to set up a tool just to measure a few faces.

Does that script work with Max 2009? I have not used many scripts and I am probably messing something up.

Oh yes, I probably need to tell you that I have been using max for only 2 months now.

Re: Trouble with Dist script

paulneale — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:50:26 GMT

What you need to do instead is use a distance function and pass it two point three values.

distance

Claycw wrote:
> I am not familier with the ExposeTM helper but I looked at it and it seems like you have to set it up every time you use it.
>
> That tool is exactly what I need, the ability to quickly measure the distance between 2 points or the length of an edge. We are building 50 - 100 thousand poly models that cannot have a polygon with more than 150 units (mm). You could imagine if while building the model you had to stop constantly to set up a tool just to measure a few faces.
>
> Does that script work with Max 2009? I have not used many scripts and I am probably messing something up.
>
> Oh yes, I probably need to tell you that I have been using max for only 2 months now.

Re: Trouble with Dist script

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:18:07 GMT

Are you talking about writing a script? I am new to the software and have no experince in programing. On top of that we are very pushed for time at the moment.

How hard would it be to write a script that displayed distance of edge lenths and point to point in the Statistics readout? This would be the ideal fix for the work that we are trying to use the software for. It really is a case of having to know the size of what we are working on down to the edge lengths at all times without having to set up a tool every time we move away from the area we were working on.

Re: Trouble with Dist script

paulneale — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:34:49 GMT

Well if you are new to it then using the ExTm helper is probably the best way to go for you. Sounds
like you are in need of a company to do scripting for you;)

Claycw wrote:
> Are you talking about writing a script? I am new to the software and have no experince in programing. On top of that we are very pushed for time at the moment.
>
> How hard would it be to write a script that displayed distance of edge lenths and point to point in the Statistics readout? This would be the ideal fix for the work that we are trying to use the software for. It really is a case of having to know the size of what we are working on down to the edge lengths at all times without having to set up a tool every time we move away from the area we were working on.

Re: Trouble with Dist script

joegunn3d — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 09:09:23 GMT

This maybe useful for you. Just run the script and when your in editpoly at the vertex level select 2 verts and push the button. So you can just leave the floater up while u work and just click a button over & over.

I didn't see any access to viewport statistic which would be great if you could customize that in max for getting extra info displayed.

hope this is helpful

17870_9ztsSQgZ2IYch8ppp1x4.zip

Re: Trouble with Dist script

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:11:15 GMT

Thanks, this works great.

Re: Trouble with Dist script

joegunn3d — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:07:24 GMT

NP Claycw