3DS Max looking for plugins in another version folder

[GlitchVFX]

Hi All,

I'm having an issue with 3DS Max 2024 that I cannot solve, so I'm hoping someone here can help.

I've started a new project for someone, but they want me to use 3DS Max 2024, so I've had to reinstall it on my PC. The problem I'm getting is that Max 2024 is trying to load plugins from Max 2025. I get an "Error Loading Plug-In DLL box with error code 126.

I've tried to fix it in the Plugin Manager by unchecking the path to additional plugins that points to the Max 2025 Plugins folder. This doesn't work, as there's no way to save it, so it just pops up again the next time I restart.

I've no idea why it's looking for Max 2025 plugins, but it's really frustrating me. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Andy

[MartinBeh]

With the exception of a few versions of 3ds Max, every single release of 3ds Max requires its own version of plugins.

This is due to the different C++ compilers used for each release as well as possibly changes to the 3ds Max SDK.

Take a look at the "Visual Studio Version" column in the section "Version history" on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodesk_3ds_Max to find which releases share the compiler version and hence might be able to share plugins (e.g. 2023 and 2024, or 2025 and 2026). Note that breaking changes in the SDK will still require a recompile of plugins by the plugin developers.

[GlitchVFX]

Thanks, Martin. I was hoping there'd be some way of unchecking the search for additional plugins in the Max 2025 folder. The three causing issues were Tyflow Pro, Tyflow Render and one from Anima. 

Since I need to be using Max 2024 for the duration of this project, I've removed the troublesome plugins from the Max 2025 folder. Max 2024 starts up without the error warnings now. Not the fix I was hoping for, but it gets me out of a hole 😁

All the best,

Andy

[MartinBeh]

I realize I misread your initial question, sorry for that! - the question is not about being able to run 2025 plugins in 2024, it is about 2024 trying to load them even though you do not want them...

Maybe those plugins mark themselves as being compatible with more 3ds Max versions than they really are - there is a PackageContents.xml file in each of the C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins\... subfolders that declares what each plugin needs etc.

In there, there is a section

 <EnvironmentVariables>
<RuntimeRequirements OS="Win64" Platform="3ds Max" SeriesMin="2026.0.0" SeriesMax="2026.0.0." /> 

and those SeriesMin and SeriesMax values might be off for your plugins?

[GlitchVFX]

Hi Martin,

Sorry for my delay in responding.

There doesn't appear to be a subfolder in that location for Tyflow, so there's no PackageContents.xml file to check.

For now, I've removed the problem plugins from the Max 2025 plugins folder so I can continue to work in Max 2024 for the duration of my current project. After that, I'll add them back in and continue to use Max 2025 as before. This reminds me that due to a lack of 3D work over the summer, I haven't gotten around to installing Max 2026 yet! 😄

Many thanks,

Andy