Does 3DSMAX 2024 has better import options and number of sides/vertex in objects can be increased?

[alexJ682T]

Hello. 

I have read "what's new", but have not found answers to these questions, maybe someone have better knowledge?

I'm currently using 3ds max 2022 and it has several severe issues:

1. Import issues - very often files can't be imported, or if they're imported, 3DS MAX reduces number of splines in them and adaptive/optimize does not help. Like you're importing a round spline, and you're getting a ngon object with 16 or 32 sides. Also, smooth curves are distorted. So are these fixed?

2. Low side/polygon count when creating tube/box/cylinder/sphere or whatsoever. With 2022 version, the limit for sides is 200. Has that changed since then?

3. Chamfer operator never works properly - it distorts objects, generates many false surfaces and so on. Any improvement there?

Thanks in advance! 

[RobH2]

Here's my opinion about your questions.

1) When you say 'Import' it sounds like you are importing different objects from other software. So often the problem is not that Max messes it up, it depends on how it was modeled, what file type it is and what settings you use with the particular importer that is triggered by the specific file type. I've alway found all Max versions do a pretty good job of importing from other programs if you set the right settings before you hit the final 'Import' button. It takes some trial and error and sometimes you have to go change the way the spline or mesh was made in the original "other" program to make it import more correctly in Max.

I haven't experimented to confirm that Max 2024 is any worse but might be better since some things may have been tweaked or bugs fixed. 

2) I just checked the limit for a Cylinder. There is a limit but it's now 3600 instead of 200. Sphere allows 3600 as well. Box is still 200 but if you do a Box at 1 segment and use a the Connect function, you can easily overcome that. 

3) The Chamfer function has gotten a lot of tweaks and improvement each of the last two Max releases. It's much better than it used to be. I find that it makes much nicer modifications to the mesh in Max 2024 than earlier Max versions. It may not be any different for the specific use you have for it, but I find that I get much nicer Chamfers now than I used to overall. 

[alexJ682T]

Thanks for the answers!

And no, issue is not with "other" software.

Just export something from MAX in say, .DXF and then import it back and see it by yourself.

Also, say I exported .DWG from Corel and opened it in Illustrator - all will be fine, but when trying to import same file to 3DS MAX 2022, I'm getting "Invalid file format" error.

Anyways, thanks for the answers, now I'm downloading trial of Max 2024 and will check all above by myself 🙂

[alexJ682T]

Just installed the trial of 2024 version. Number of sides in objects is increased, but issue with chamfer is still there - check the attached picture. Chamfer again creates "false" edge.

[alexJ682T]

Also, ProBoolean has exactly same issues with exactly same error.

[alexJ682T]

LOL, ProBoolean still crashes the app, the only difference you see that problem was detected and app will now close and if you want to save the file, but you can't hit any button - it will close by itself and no files will be saved.

[RobH2]

I'll try to replicate what you are doing. So, explain exactly what you are doing step by step or upolad the Max file with the object just before you export it and I'll try it. I do still have Max 2022 installed. 

[alexJ682T]

Thanks!

Here is the file itself and picture preview. All I need is to "cut out" these cylinders from the main body. Proboolean either crashes app directly, or crashes after it displays "check for intersection" or crashes after you press CTR+Z after that attempt. With "normal" Boolean, it seems to be working, but it actually makes the main object hollow (double walled) and thus, unusable. 

[RobH2]

When you say 'cutout from the main body' what do you mean? They don't fully intersect the eyepiece so nothing will cut out, it will just cut a groove. Do you want to remove the spokes inside the eyepiece and leave the bits that stick out? What you have does not match what you describe above so give some details and I'll test it. 

Edit: First observation is that your eyepiece has a lot of errors. If you clean it up and make it free of errors it might Boolean properly. See attachment. 

Edit-2: See attachment 'BooleanErrors2.png' as it shows there were 393 stray verts not attached to anything. 

Boolean functions aren't magic, they can overlook (and 2024 is vastly more tolerant) some model problems but they do depend on pretty clean geometry to work. I think if you clean up the eyepiece to make it without errors you'll have no issues doing the Boolean you need. 

[alexJ682T]

Yes I want to cut out the groove as you call it.

[RobH2]

I think I see what you wanted. If I got it wrong, you can fix it and do what you need. I've attached a file for you. 

Since the eyepiece has a lot of errors, you can use STL Check to find them. They are all in the upper portion. So here's what I did:

1. 'Slice' the eyepiece and cut the top off. 'Detach' it. 

2. Cap the open edges in the lower part that resulted from the 'Slice' using the 'Bridge' function. 

3. Do your Boolean. It worked perfectly.

4. Delete that 'Cap' you just made. 

5. Unhide the top part you detached and 'Attach' it back to the bottom part. 

6. 'Weld' the two halves together again. You have a new row of verts and more geometry, but it's already around 15K so it did't add that many more than what you had. 

A lot of the skill in using Max is to know when 'user error' is causing the problems and working around that. You are giving the 'Boolean' bad geometry and expecting it to fix it. It won't, that's the designer's job. So I always use 'STL Check' before doing a Boolean to make sure I'm giving Max a nice and clean mesh to work with. If your mesh is error-free, your Booleans will generally always work as expected. 

[alexJ682T]

Thanks.

Yes I know that this "eyepiece" has a lot of errors - I designed it that way to check whenever boolean error handling improved in 2024, compared to 2022. Since everything stays exactly the same, there are no improvements in that field, sad.

[RobH2]

Not true. The Boolean operations in Max 2024 are significantly better. Nothing sad about it. They will now work if the meshes are not manifold. We never had that capability. 

You can't blame Max for having to try to resolve bad geometry. While it's much more tolerant in 2024, it still can't correct significant errors. Your's has a lot. But, the Boolean I did for you only took 5-minutes. Getting proficient in Max often means finding a sufficient workaround, doing it, and moving on with the project. I did that for you, but in the future just know that Max can only do so much with a defective mesh. It's not far to blame Max for that. 🙂

[alexJ682T]

App still crashes and your unsaved data is lost. You call this improvement?

[RobH2]

You are missing the point. Yes, Boolean is massively improved but it still can't, and shouldn't have to overcome getting bad geometry thrown at it. I'll let this post go after this comment.

If you try to Boolean "bad" geometry you can expect poor results, data loss and problems. Improve your model, make it error-free and you'll be able to Boolean successfully. It's not Max's fault you don't want to fix your mesh or accept the workaround as an alternative to keep your project moving.

It appears you just want to blame Max but this issue is User related, not software related. 

[alexJ682T]

Go and try to crash say MS Word or Excel or any other software with that ease, which leads to data loss.