topic Problem with very simple script in 3ds Max Programming Forum

Problem with very simple script

AgustinLanus — Tue, 04 May 2021 20:32:27 GMT

So I'm making this very simple UVW script which just applies a box UVW map with an inputted value, here it is in all of it's glory:

v = getKBValue prompt:"Enter object count:"

modPanel.addModToSelection (Uvwmap ())
$.modifiers[#UVW_Map].maptype = 4
$.modifiers[#UVW_Map].length = v
$.modifiers[#UVW_Map].width = v
$.modifiers[#UVW_Map].height = v

This works just fine from the script editor but when I make it a macro script so I can set a hotkey to it I can only use it once and then I get this error:

Does anyone know what may be happening?

Re: Problem with very simple script

AgustinLanus — Tue, 04 May 2021 21:26:10 GMT

Also if I try to run it with a hotkey on more than one object at the same time I get this error every time:

Which also doesn't appear when I run it from the script editor

Re: Problem with very simple script

denisT.MaxDoctor — Tue, 04 May 2021 22:47:08 GMT

In MXS, a single $ signifies the current selection. In the case where only one node is currently selected, it returns the actual node, but in the case of multiple selection, it returns a set of objects, which in general cannot provide access to the node's parameters (e.g. #modifiers in your particular case).

Therefore, it is the good practice to never use the $ character in max scripts, but only use it for quick and dirty typing in the Listener.

Instead of using $ use selection[1], which is always the first node selected, or undefined if nothing is selected.

The code in your case might look as:

( if isvalidnode (n = selection[1]) do ( m = n.modifiers[#UVW_Map] if m != undefined do ( m.maptype = 4 m.length = m.width = m.height = v ) ) )

Re: Problem with very simple script

denisT.MaxDoctor — Tue, 04 May 2021 23:01:00 GMT

If you want to add one (the same) instance of the UVW Map modifier to a multiple selection, the correct way to do it is:

( m = UVWMap maptype:4 length:v width:v height:v modPanel.addModToSelection m -- or addmodifier selection m )

Re: Problem with very simple script

AgustinLanus — Tue, 04 May 2021 23:01:28 GMT

That certainly looks a lot cleaner!

I'm probably missing something really basic as I barely understand maxscript yet but should I be getting "undefined" when I run that code as it is?
I just added v = getKBValue prompt:"Enter object count:" at the top to input the value

Re: Problem with very simple script

AgustinLanus — Tue, 04 May 2021 23:08:23 GMT

Yes! this does the trick to add the modifier to any amount of objects, so that's one down but for some reason I still get get errors when I run it with a hotkey every other use.
What's the correct way to make a script go from the script editor into a hotkey? I use the macroScriptCreator script to turn them into macroscripts which I can then easily access but that seems to be breaking something here.

Re: Problem with very simple script

denisT.MaxDoctor — Wed, 05 May 2021 00:45:23 GMT

I would do something more intuitive and visually more accessible ... Something like:

( result = false if selection.count > 0 do ( rollout type_a_number_Rollout "UVW size:" width:134 ( local value edittext text_input width:130 pos:[0,5] on text_input entered text do ( v = try(text as float) catch() if isnumber v then ( value = v destroydialog type_a_number_Rollout ) else ( text_input.text = "" setfocus text_input ) ) on type_a_number_Rollout open do setfocus text_input ) createdialog type_a_number_Rollout modal:on if isnumber (v = type_a_number_Rollout.value) do undo "Add UVW Modifier" on ( uvw_mod = uvwmap width:v length:v height:v addmodifier selection uvw_mod result = true ) ) format (if result then "SUCCEEDED!\n" else "FAILED!\n") result )

Re: Problem with very simple script

AgustinLanus — Wed, 05 May 2021 02:28:04 GMT

I love the idea of having that messagebox appear for the input but sadly for some reason that code isn't compiling for me, after typing a number and pressing enter I just get errors.