xref scene not visible

[PaulBagnall8675]

In Max 2016, if I isolated an object, any object, obviously any x-ref scene was not visible. But if I went to the x-ref scene dialogue, I would just untick the Display Option 'visible' to off, then tick it back on again, and the xref scene would be visible in the isolated space.

Now I am 2017, this doesn't work. In fact I cannot get the xref to display in isolation at all. Even when an object it is bound to is isolated, it still doesn't follow it into the isolated space. Even if I completely renew the path from the ... box at the bottom of the dialog.

I didn't realise how much I used and valued the ability to switch an x-ref on and off in isolation until it didn't work.

Is there some setting I can use to make it display?

[Alfred.DeFlaminis · Accepted solution]

Hello @PaulBagnall8675,

I wanted to touch base with you here.  I know that Jon Bell has also been working this issue from the other side of tech support, and I wanted to follow up in this thread in the case that you weren't receiving his emails due to spam filters or anything.  The following is quoted from his email and is related to your issue.

• "I did some digging into this issue, and the behavior you're describing was actually introduced in a fix for another XRef rendering/display issue. The workflow you're describing as preferable was present in 3ds Max 2015 and 2016, but not in 2017. However, to make an old joke, this isn't a bug, but a feature. Here's what one of our developers said about this fix:
  
  "This behavior is different than in Max 2016 and 2015: While in Isolate mode, re-enabling the Visible checkbox no longer forces those scene XRefs to appear in the viewport. In 2017, they will still not be visible in the viewport (nor in the renderer) while in Isolate mode. This is fine as they will not be rendered anymore in this state anyway.
  
  "If XRef visibility is modified to Visible while in Isolate mode, XRef will not always appear when Isolate mode is exited. The user must toggle something in the XRef Scene dialog to get all of the XRef Visibility states to appear as expected in the viewport. This should be a minor issue, as the user shouldn’t really be changing the Visibility state of XRefs while in Isolate mode."
  
  In short, this behavior was changed because making it work in Max 2017 as it did before ended up breaking that earlier XRef visibility fix, which was deemed more important to retain.
   
  Please let me know if this information helps, and if you have any other questions I'll be happy to assist you.
  I look forward to hearing from you soon."

I realize this is a bit of a downer for your workflow.  A workaround might be to also xref the scene in as objects and then simply removing them at the end before rendering, but I do realize that's not the greatest of workflows.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best Regards,

[greg.steel]

Please, Please, Please fix this........ It is not a "feature" it is a consequence.

We use this function all the whilst aligning objects in large complicated scenes. There is no practical workaround just a lot of wasted time and frustration.

"This should be a minor issue, as the user shouldn’t really be changing the Visibility state of XRefs while in Isolate mode."This should be a minor issue, as the user shouldn’t really be changing the Visibility state of XRefs while in Isolate mode."

Why should we not be doing this it was a great way to interact with xrefs. You cant make assumption on peoples workflows.!!!!!!!!!!!! Sort it out

[greg.steel]

And don't mark something as solved when it clearly isn't you have just passed the buck

[PaulBagnall8675]

Not sure who that message is for. Myself or Autodesk.

Autodesk were in fact very helpful. They talked it through and got a
programmer to work out a script for me with instructions on how to add it as
a button to the ribbon.

[PaulBagnall8675]

Not sure who that message is for. Myself or Autodesk.

Autodesk were in fact very helpful. They talked it through and got a
programmer to work out a script for me with instructions on how to add it as
a button to the ribbon.

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @greg.steel,

I am always happy to help people but I need you to understand I am not in charge of development.  This issue is logged in the tracker and development is aware of it.  I know that venting helps sometimes but you're venting at the wrong person.  I'm the guy trying to help.  

Maybe you can help me understand your workflow a bit better.  You are aligning objects in isolate mode and you need to hide the XRef visibility in the XRef manager as part of your process?  Seems odd to me, maybe I can help you find a better way.  

Best Regards,

[abstract.realities]

This is rediculous.  This is needed as much as the ability to turn Xrefs on and off.  You try aligning and scaling an xref bound to a point helper in a complex scene. Come on really! fix this

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @abstract.realities,

Right now this is working as intended based on notes I've seen in the tracker.   If you want to be able to control XRef Scene visibility in Isolate mode, use XRef objects or submit a Feature Request.  This won't be 'fixed' because it's not considered a bug so we need to take a different avenue if you want this addressed by submitting the Feature Request.  If you do submit one, please post the link here so others can easily vote on it.  I'll be your first vote.

Best Regards,

[andr0n0ss7]

HI all,

Just adding my 2 cents:

I struggled with xreffed objects not showing up in my scene a lot.

I googled a lot, to no avail, until the second day I remembered that I have xreffed an object with vray material assigned to it, while my renderer was mental ray.

So it is just one other thing to remember to check before xreffing and expecting the result to show up in your renders.:)

[PaulBagnall8675]

It was only when isolating an object that I couldn't then make visible/invisible at will. Something I was doing all the time. Now can't.
The guys at Autodesk wrote me a little script and sequence to follow and install. Which did work, with occasional bad consequences if you didn't strictly follow the steps. It was super useful, and he accepted that it was bad that this ability had been written out. Sadly I now don't have the macro or script or whatever it was, as I've upped to 2019, and no longer have the instructions how to write it. I thought they might actually put the ability back into newer versions (I was on 2017), but sadly not.