3dsmax 2019 comma/dot

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Again, new version give problem to use dot and not comma in numeric fields.

I have 2018 installed on same PC and no problem, I can use dots.

With 2019, sometimes it is dots, sometimes comma,.. in same session.

I was happy to see that plugins for 2019 were available very quickly, but this is a nightmare to have this numeric problem.

Thanks

WIn 7 - French -

[marc.pat]

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@attilaszabo wrote:

We fixed the decimal separator issue in the upcoming 3ds Max 2019.2, which is due to be released soon.

Sorry, I can't be more specific about the release date.

-Attila

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hello Any News about the new Update ? 

Sorry but I need to resolve the problem comma/dot in 3ds max 2019

Best regards.

[Marc_Auv]

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@marc.pat wrote:

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@attilaszabo wrote:

We fixed the decimal separator issue in the upcoming 3ds Max 2019.2, which is due to be released soon.

Sorry, I can't be more specific about the release date.

-Attila

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hello Any News about the new Update ? 

Sorry but I need to resolve the problem comma/dot in 3ds max 2019

Best regards.

---

'Soon', so could be in few weeks.

But if you really need to switch to max 2019, you could try to go to :
-> Control pannel | Regional settings (Region) then on Format choose 'international English (English Worldwilde | English global)

For most of the feature, it should work as a proper fix (still having some issue with FFX, and few other stuffs, but for most of features, it work as expected inside 3DSMAX) (for full fix, you should switch all windows setting to US or UK english, even the region location (+ regional settings for numbers, currency, etc), then everything should work, sometime US ppl need to remember that USA is not the world….)

[hagen.deloss]

Hi everyone,

I'm happy to keep this conversation updated, 3DS Max 2019 update 2 has resolved the comma/dot issue! Here is a full release notes for update 2. I believe this issue was listed as MAXX-44281.

I hope yall have updated and are making awesome things!!

[Marc_Auv]

@hagen.delossExcept it is not fully fixed.
Lot of Max UI return using wrong decimal serator (progress bar, render progress, etc...not a big issue since it's just feedback info to user), Calculator (CTRL+N) try to paste value using the wrong decimal separator, so we only have the integer of a decimal number ( for exemple '2.5/2' (with dot) in calculator, will try to paste '1,25' (with coma) so the user will only have 1.00 (with the dot, but loosing the decimal part) return in the spinner).

I more and more conviced that AD should force the 'Dot' decimal separator, like many other softwares (houdini, blender, nuke to name a few), no matter what windows settings are...That's the first time it take so long to fix the decimal separator issue (max 2019 is from february), and still not completly fixed :s.

At least 3dsMAX 2019.2 is now usable, but i do not have tested yet bifrost etc with 2019.2..

[attilaszabo]

Hi @Marc_Auv,

Thanks for highlighting further issues with decimal separators in 3ds Max.

In Max 2019.2, our goal was to the issue as reported in this forum thread, namely in input fields used for editing properties of scene elements.

In Max 2019.2 we didn't audited all of the Max code base to find all potential problems.

This would not be an easy task, and would require a larger investment than we could afford in the Max 2019.2 timeframe.

We are taking note of your reports, so please them coming and we'll work on improving this area of 3ds Max.

We have taken note of your post on the Ideas forum too.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-ideas/move-comma-dot-decimal-separator-to-3dsmax-preferences/...

Best regards,

-Attila

[Marc_Auv]

Hi, 

So I found this also affect MXS, when we create a rollout (using tool/edit rollout menu), everywhere where it use list (for exemple spinner #float), it will most of the time won't read the custum field value ([ 0, 100, 0.1 ]), but sometime (rarely but sometime), write it as a list 4 [0,100,0,1] instead of a list 3 with a decimal value, or most often skip the custum range  of the float value(so it will keep the default float range, we can not edit it), and will not allow to edit the scale of the spinner, not allowing user to enter scale to be 0,5 or 0.5 (so AND coma AND dot will not work)...

[Marc_Auv]

Seriously? This is still not fixed in 2019.3....come on….

[attilaszabo]

Hi Marc, 

What exactly is not fixed?

Even if we added support for specifying the comma character to be used Max's wise, there would still remain implementation challenges. For example, it would be very difficult to ensure that 3rd party plugins use it. This sounds simpler to do than it is, so we need to consider it carefully.

Best regards,

Attila Szabo

[Marc_Auv]

2019.2  fix, is just a partial fix.
Right now on 2019.2/.3 : 

In MXS : when we create a rollout (using tool/edit rollout menu), everywhere where it use list (for exemple spinner #float), it will most of the time won't read the custum field value ([ 0, 100, 0.1 ]), but sometime (rarely but sometime), write it as a list 4 [0,100,0,1] instead of a list 3 with a decimal value, or most often skip the custum range  of the float value(so it will keep the default float range, we can not edit it), and will not allow to edit the scale of the spinner, not allowing user to enter scale to be 0,5 or 0.5 (so AND coma AND dot will not work)...

In MAterial Editor : spinner could switch randomly between coma or dot.

When we merge 3dsMAX file (randomly) OR reset 3dsMAX (randomly but very often): Go back to the coma/dot decimal separator issue
CTRL+N calculator : useless because will do not paste value after the decimal separator, since if we are using a modified windows setting ( default decimal separator is coma, changed to dot), so we need to type dot, but calculator (ctrl+N) will return a coma value, ALWAYS.

I'm not even talking about implementing it as preference, or forcing the dot (like blender, houdini, nuke, and many other, nobody complain, it just work, third party will know they need to use dot, no choice, it's consistant with MXS or python, or expression technique, and will be my preference personnally over the preference setting option)...just in 3dsMAX 2017+ or 2018+ (or any 3dsMAX non 2019), everything work as expected...not 2019….

That just a few of the problems, of the not complete fix about the decimal separator, but completly break 3dsMAX 2019 for production for people wanting to use dot decimal separator over coma on a coma system.

Problem on depending on windows 10 is, for 3dsMAX2019, we need to have windows 10 settings country + region + regional settings (not edited) to be exactly the same….so to have 3dsMAX 'US' friendly, we break windows (no cortona, no store, edge partially brokhen, not talking about update of windows wich depend of region too, or calendar, or time zone too, or just windows language) , so then we could use 3dsMAX2019 with a dot without any issue anywhere, not really a solution and with 2 Major release update on windows side per year….somehow, you really to 'trust' microsoft to no break anything on this soon (but i can understand that you are hesitating to do it because of third party plug-ins...).

Again, other version of 3dsMAX (even those having the issue on fresh release), are completly ok, just it's not the case 2019.3...still subsist too much problem with the decimal separator (I'm ok to edit my windows settings, then it work, I do this since i use 3dsMAX (and just for 3dsMAX),  just it need to work).

[attilaszabo]

Hi Marc,

I would like to log the remaining issues, and I have a few questions.

>>In MAterial Editor : spinner could switch randomly between coma or dot.
Are you referring to the Slate Material Editor? Do you know of any materials, or repro steps that work for you most of the time?

>>When we merge 3dsMAX file (randomly) OR reset 3dsMAX (randomly but very often): Go back to the coma/dot decimal separator issue

Let me make sure I understand this correctly: you are saying that when the user merges a file into Max 2019.2\2019.3, or when the user resets Max, the decimal separator used in Max starts not respecting the Windows regional settings for the decimal separator? Could you give me one concrete example of Max feature area where you encounter this often?

Thank you

[Marc_Auv]

Hi @attilaszabo, 

Problem is I tried really hard to find the pattern to reproduce the issues (and to report it, and to avoid it), problem is i do not really found the pattern to reproduce the issue just when this happen, this happen like previus to 2019.2.

-> For MXS, that's more easy : ALWAYS

->for CTRL+N calculator : ALWAYS too

->For reset , it happen very randomly (sometime never on a day/week, sometime it will happen every time i reset on a day until I fresh restart 3dsMAX (for material editor, or merging or reset, restarting 3dsMAX will make 3dsMAX behaviour return to 'normal' everytime)… 
Note : it never happen when opening a scene file, just 'File/reset'
Note #2 : I just try to avoid to File Reset 3dsMAX now.

For material editor, i only use slate, since it was release, so , yes it happen to me on slate material editor...always when entering value on keyboard on a float spinner of the material, but could happen at any time, on any material, completly random but when this happen, you will not be able to enter a value, until one is accepted (and always using dot, with some decimal value), when a value is accepted, the behaviour return to normal (yeah, that's weird)...
I mainly use Vray in production since few month, so when i tweak a material, when the issue appear, most of the time, since I'm tweaking material when the problem happen,  I have vray IPR turn ON too. (but not always) 

->Note :  closing slate material editor, then reopening it, fix the behaviour.

For merging, this happen ONLY when i try to merge part of file coming from 3dsMAX 2016 or previous… (and not always, as most of those issue, that's completly random when this happen, so it's really hard to isolate)...

For reset, I have to admit this made 2 weeks i did not have any issue, (but no max update during this period, so i'm probably just lucky), but when this happen 3dsMAX just react like previous to 2019.2 fix...

Restarting 3dsMAX 2019.2 will make 3dsMAX return to normal behavior.(since .3 is too fresh to complain about merging/reset/material editor issue, but calculator and MXS are still there and a lot of message, progress still displaying ',' instead of a dot for decimal value, so something tell me nothing really change).

With time I just avoid to use 'reset' (close max, reopen it), and when this happen, save my file, close 3dsMAX, then reopen it...

But Like i'm telling upper, calculator/MXS 'Tool | Edit rollout' always facing the issue (100% reproductible, just test it)...and a lot of message or progress, still using coma instead of dot, so it's not completly fix inside 3dsMAX (this on 2018.4 or previous version, with all update installed, will NEVER happen)
-> Exemple of 'message using coma instead of dot :

File Size on Cache thinckingParticle
Memory used (P & V) on render progress dialog (no matter the renderer, sometime it switch from dot to coma to dot to coma)-> scanline, Vray, quicksilver, ART, finalRender 4, Arnold for sure.

that's just message feedback message, so it's ok for those one but this show this is not well fixed inside 2019 (2018 and previous, again, do NOT do this)
If this happen on a FumeFX console during simulation, it will crash 3dsMAX2019 to desktop (specially visible with 'old' FFX5.0.1 since you will crash to desktop really quickly due to this (same on 2018 will be ok), this happen less (near never, but this happen to me one time), with 5.0.2)--> so even third party are affected, even if you are using windows settings  (ok this one was too easy, my apologies)
Exr meta data (extra infos ) could be affected too.
etc.etc.

Just try to compare decimal separator on a modified regional setting system between max2018.4 and 2019.3, you will see differences 🙂

When this will happen to me next time, i will try to record screen, but when this behavior happen , that's more than annoying

My 2 cents : but I seriously doubt about having option to use coma rule (coma decimal separator, semilicon list separator, semilicon too as 'end-of-code' separator), this is just non sens , since it give two rules on max side (MXS/Python/OSL use dot rule, most of 'non AD' package force to use dot rule, export file use dot rule, Bat/batch/cmd use dot rule, powershell use dot rule, expression technique use dot rule, coma rule for just GUI is just non sens...it break user experience, not even talking about pain to have it working properly this year 🙂 ) 

[Marc_Auv]

@attilaszabo

I found one easy step to reproduce issue with coma/dot decimal inside slate material editor.

On a modifed region settings windows (default coma decimal seaprator, changed to be 'dot'):

1.Fresh open 3dsMAX2019.3, open slate material editor.
2.Create a simple bezier float controller

3. Type as value : '.7' or '0.7', multiple time -> 90% of the time it will fail changing decimal seaprator from '.' to ',' to '.'

4. worst, is if it's an animated float, sometime (this mean very often) after having validated the value (so everything should be OK, isn't it?) , if you click anywhere inside 3dsMAX or slate editor, or just stop auto key, it will return to zero (so everything is to re-set)...

I'd just tried multiple time, here, on multiple machine, and multiple guys also affected by the decimal separator issue, the step is perfectly reproductible .

Note : same issue could happen randomly on tP, FFX, inside a material parameter dialog, 3dsMAX viewport caddies spinners, etc..., just the step is less easy to reproduce everytime (that's very random as the time it will take to return to normal, so you keep typing until the value is  accepted…) (2019.2 fix only fix for most of common part and command pannel, and bifrost files, everywhere else, that's russian roulette)..

[s.nanook]

Hi there.

I suffered similar problems, but I think  I found a solution in the page below.

https://superuser.com/questions/1285747/how-to-change-number-format-for-all-userswindows-10

Note: You have to use the registry editor solution ; that is:

(press (win+r) then type regedit to open registry editor.)
 find the value

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International]

"sDecimal"="."

change it to ","

to be safe change every "." to ","

My problem was caused by win10.

I'm still testing it but it seems to work for now.

[attilaszabo]

I just wanted to let everyone know that we think we identified the root cause of the problem, and we are working on ensuring that 3ds Max uses reliably the decimal separator specified by the Windows regional settings.

Once we achieved that, we will consider the request to expose a 3ds Max specific decimal separator setting that works independently from Windows settings. 

Thank you to all of you who took the time to report this issue. 

Best regards,

Attila Szabo

Technical Product Owner, 

Autodesk 3ds Max

[RGhost77]

By the way, I'm recently found that AutoCAD Importer setting not properly works. In UI I set dot, but ini saves comma... so last saved settings ignored because this conflict. (3ds max 2019.3)

[attilaszabo]

Hi @Anonymous, thanks for reporting this, we'll look into it.

Attila

[hagen.deloss]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to update this thread on the newest fixes to this issue that have been added to 3ds Max 2020 update 1, they are listed below.

• Render settings dialog now respects decimal separator set in Window's Language and Regional settings. MAXX-48271
• The calculator's numerical field now respects the decimal separator set in Window's Language and Regional settings. Note: the calculator can be accessed by pressing Ctrl+N in a numerical field. MAXX-47850

For the full list of issues fixed in 3ds Max 2020 Update 1 see this link.

Thanks to everyone in this conversation that helped thoroughly document these issues! If you have further notes or issues to comment on, please do.  I really appreciate the diligence and sense of community shown by everyone contributing here 😄 

[Anonymous]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N12QpF3yTsA

Solution