Change default version of 3ds Max that opens files when double clicking

[alexnode]

Hi all, 

 I am working on two projects in 2015 with a lot of plugins and don't want to migrate to 2016 yet. Two weeks ago i downloaded 2016 from my subscription and whenever i have time i open it to learn the MCG. All the default paths for opening max files changed to 2016. IS there any way to change that. I found some older links (2010) suggesting changing the registry but the registry keys are different now. I don't want to mess anything up. 

 I don't want to uninstall 2016 since i enjoy playing with it and test it for production.  

Any idea? I use windows 8.1 pro.

Thank you in Advance

[Laurent.Pallares]

Hi Alex,

Here is an Area blog post link that should help you to achieve desired request.

Yours sincerely,

[alexnode]

Thank you but the registry is different for windows 8.1 pro i can't find these entries. 

[Laurent.Pallares]

Hi,

We will check and review this article to include the steps for Windows 8.1 Pro

Best regards,

[alexnode]

Thank you, 

[Laurent.Pallares · Accepted solution]

• We have upgraded the area thread, and the solution provided for the windows 7.1 pro, also work with the 8.1 release:

1. Run
2. regedit
3. Browse to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\3dsmax\Shell\Open\Command
4. Double click on the (Default) entry
5. Edit the path so it points to the 3dsmax.exe you'd like to use by default

• To add an entry in the right-click menu:

1. browse to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\3dsmax\Shell,
2. create a new key with the name you'd like to appear in the right-click menu,
3. under that new key create a new key with the name command,
4. double click on the (Default) entry on this command key and enter the path to the 3dsmax.exe you'd like to use by default, make sure it's in quotes, add a space and add "%1" at the end.

• After you've added these you'll get something like this when you right-click on a (*.max) file, the right click will allow the new start option with the name you like with Windows 8.1

[alexnode]

Works really well Thank you ! I had this problem for years.

[RobH2]

I've had issues with this for years and it's good to see a potential solution. I made the change in Windows 10 but now when I click, instead of the wrong Max loading I get an error saying:

"The requested operation requires elevation". Windows 10 has nearly driven me crazy with its permissions issues. I like Win10 but its really restrictive no matter how much you open it up. 

Any idea how I can get around this? 

[julienh364Z9]

---

@RobH2 wrote:

I've had issues with this for years and it's good to see a potential solution. I made the change in Windows 10 but now when I click, instead of the wrong Max loading I get an error saying:

"The requested operation requires elevation". Windows 10 has nearly driven me crazy with its permissions issues. I like Win10 but its really restrictive no matter how much you open it up. 

Any idea how I can get around this? 

---

If anyone has that issue, I had that error today. "The requested operation requires elevation". would show up every time I would click on a .max file. I ended up solving it by disabling "Execute as administrator" in the default (the one opening the max files) 3dsMax.exe properties (compatibility tab).

[RobH2]

@julienh364Z9 , I haven't had the issue in a couple of years now. Sorry it's popped up for you and glad you have a workaround. I'll make note of this fix in case it happens again. 

[Anonymous]

I have change in HKEY ROOT but doesn't work.

So I right click at a 3dsmax file and choose property, at General tab I choose Open with and change to 3dsmax 2022, after that all 3dsmax files will be open with 3dsmax 2022.

[Waseem_Dabbas]

What if there is no such an option in the Registry Editor?

[RobH2]

In that case, add the key manually and reboot. Then I believe it will work. Laurent can back me up on that hopefully. 

I added a screenshot of mine as well. 

[Waseem_Dabbas]

That's work for me 👍

Thank you very much

[jamie_phipps]

Is this still really the only way to do this? I am working on studio hardware and I don't have the security permissions to edit the registry...

[RobH2]

I just tested the Registry edit and it worked. I haven't thought about this issue for over a year and just double-clicked a .max file to see what would happen. I got the pop-up asking what to use to launch .max files with, and it only had Max 2023 in the list. I'm glad that happened so I could test this again. 

I never double-click .max files to launch them; I am just in the habit of launching Max from an icon in my toolbar. Then I navigate from within Max to go get what I need to open. 

I tried the Registry edit method in my Message 13 above and it worked. I didn't even reboot as I had a backup running, but, when I double clicked a .max file again, Max 2026 immediately started launching. 

As we all know, the Registry is really the behind the scenes manager of our machines. It's not surprising that adding a Key solves the issues. Admittedly, it's a key that should be added automatically when a new version of Max is installed and for some of us, maybe it is added to the registry and for some of us for some reason, something inhibits it and it isn't. I don't know enough about installers to know for sure. I'm just thinking out loud. 

So if the addition of a Registry Key is the solution, it's not surprising as this doesn't seem like a hack, it just seems like adding something that just didn't get done as it should have automatically. There is always an administrator for studio computers. @jamie_phipps, even as it may be a pain, can't you reach out to your IT administrator, share this solution and have them log in and add it? 

I worked for a couple of year at an engineering firm and the most frustrating thing was being locked out of administrative activities. I had to contact IT every week for something. They finally realized that I had a lot of Windows knowledge and did give me higher permissions eventially but until I did, I had to file a request and wait for them to log in. Can't you do the same?

FYI, if you do get IT to add the Keys, or if you do it yourself, I had to create the folder hierarchy in the post, adding the relevant folders exactly as shown in the screenshot. The only folder that was there was 'shellex'. I added the full set, as shown in the screenshot. 

[jamie_phipps]

Yes, maybe, I don't know what policy on such things is, we have quite strict security because we work with other sutdios IPs, but I mostly just make the message to highlight that needing such a work around for a proffessional software is very incovenient and there should be a better method by now. Being locked to certain software versions for certain projects is very common, and having a striaght forward way to manage which one gets used, should be considered an essential feature.

[RobH2]

You are missing the point I think. This doesn't appear to be a workaround. It's just something that the OS should have done automatically and it didn't. Sometimes we have to go in and correct or repair things that the OS didn't complete. That's what the IT department is for. They do that kind of thing all day long. I don't think this is something to blame Max for. I think your Windows OS let you down and you just need to have that Registry Key manually added. 

It happened to me as well and the key restored things back to normal. If it were a bug or major flaw in Max there would be 1000s of people complaining about it. I think it's an isolated incident that hit us both and the few others here. I think something on our machines bumped into Max's installer and that Key didn't get inserted properly. That's all. In that case, we just go in and add them manually. Yes, it's a pain, but, it works. 

If you think Autodesk should consider an application or feature to choose what version of Max should be launched, I like the idea. It doesn't exist as far as I know. But you could add that to the 'Ideas' forum as they do look at those and implement some of them. 

[RobH2]

By the way, you might have missed a comment I made about how I work. I don't do it because I have an issue with Max or Windows, I do it becasue to me it is the best way to handle multiple installations of Max on my machine.

I don't always want Max 2026 to launch. So double-clicking a file would do that. I often know that I want an older version of Max. So I have a desktop and toolbar icon for each installation. I "always" just launch the Max I want and then drag in the file I need from Explorer, or I navigate to it and open it. Problem solved. No need to have IT add a Key. It just requires a little modification as to how you start working with Max. Just launch it and then you have the correct version ready to go. 

[jamie_phipps]

Yes, maybe I am not understanding. It restores the windows functionality to use "open with" to choose the max version?

It sounded like you are hard coding what version to use in the registry which would be a hack...