State Sets errors

[Anonymous]

I have been running into this problem often, and have just been dealing with it by redoing my state sets...

I keep getting this error after I save and quit 3DS MAX. I open my file and this is what I am greeted with:

System.ApplicationException: Reference target handle wasn't initialized for Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.StateSets.Rendering.RenderElement, can't retrieve instance
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.ReferenceTarget.RestoreReferenceTargetFromAnchor()
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.ReferenceTarget.set_Enabled(Boolean value)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.InsertChildThreadUnsafe(Int32 index, Entity entity, Boolean autoGenerated, Boolean broadcastEvent)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.AddChild(Entity entity, Boolean autoGenerated, Boolean broadcastEvent)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.ChildAddWithConfiguration(Entity parentConfiguration, Entity child, Boolean autoGenerated)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.GenerateCustomChildren(Entity target)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.GenerateChildrenForTarget(Entity target)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.get_Children()
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.StateSets.Rendering.State.get_AutomaticName()
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.get_Identifiers()
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Layout.Configuration.FindConfigurationFor(Entity target, String generateChildrenMethod)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.GetLayoutConfiguration(String childGenerationMethod)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.ChildAddWithConfiguration(Entity parentConfiguration, Entity child, Boolean autoGenerated)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.GenerateCustomChildren(Entity target)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.GenerateChildrenForTarget(Entity target)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.Entity.get_Children()
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.StateSets.StateSet.FindPaths(StateSet targetStateSet, List`1 currentPath, List`1 destination)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.StateSets.StateSet.GetAllPaths()
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.StateSets.StateSet.get_IsInstanced()
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Views.Tree.Autodesk.Max.StateSets.IObjectNodeControlMaintainable.InsertNode(Int32 index, IEditableNodeContainer parentContainer, Entity child)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.ObjectNodeControlMaintainer.UpdateFromEntityMain(IEditableNodeContainer nodeContainer)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.ObjectNodeControlMaintainer.UpdateFromEntityMain(IEditableNodeContainer nodeContainer)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Views.Tree.AssignEntity(View entity)
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Entities.View.ValidateView()
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.MainFrame.UpdateViewsFromEntity()
   at Autodesk.Max.StateSets.Plugin.Global_FilePostOpen(IntPtr obj, IntPtr info)

I don't know if there is a work around, of if i shouldn't close my file until I am done with my project and hope there are no revisions to be done..

[Anonymous]

       Hi, I know this is old ... but I faced a similar problem with the States Sets recently and I believe this has to do with the on / off states between different render elements when I stopped doing that, and I just limited myself to enable or disable render elements ... 3ds max has stopped crashing. Unfortunately, that means rendering many junk files, but at least I solved my problem.

       State Sets are incredibly buggy and slow in complex scenes and I do not believe Autodesk will solve this problem.

[josephriehl]

I know this is old but in case anyone else comes across this, i was able to at least restore the states by right clicking "State sets" (Where the state sets typically appear in the box) and hitting refresh.