Script Navigator

This tool simply helps organize, run, and edit your maxScripts more quickly.
Quickly create menus of your favorite scripts. Then place this menu anywhere you choose in the max.

In the newest version. To change the currently selected name in the list. Just type in the top text box and press enter. Note that the .ms file name remains unchanged if you do this.

Instructions to download all my scripts are here.

Video introduction to the Script Navigator

 

Adding a toolbar button for the script navigator.

You can also add a button to any 3dsMax toolbar using:-
‘customize user interface’ > toolbars

Find the Script Navigator action. The click and drag where it needs to go.

 

Editing Script Navigator Directories

The tool generates a new text file for each tab in the menu. It’s simply a list of paths written in plain text. The Script Navigator edits these files for you. But, if you wish, you can edit the text files by hand. They are located in a subfolder of your 3dsMax user scripts directory

Your user scripts directory is called Additional Scripts your 3dsMax system paths.

To locate this folder go to the menubar and chose:
.. Customise > Configure System Paths > select the ‘System’ tab >  ‘Additional Scripts’ path

The Script Navigator path files are located in

user scripts…\KenzorsScripts\common\Script Navigator Directories

Control Shapes for technical animators

This is part of my script library. It simply allows you to load and save shapes as text files. It’s useful for technical animators to quickly create shapes. This functionality can also be simply added to your own MaxScripts with a few lines of code.

Max exr motion blur setup

3dsMax EXR motion vectors.

The best option is to use the Motion vector G-buffer in 3dsMax.

X : positive is Right – Negative is Left
Y: positive is Down – Negative is Up

In Fusion

3dsMax EXR Motion vector in Fusion

 

Using the G-buffer fusion in is simple.

In the Loader chose the G-buffer channels for the X and Y velocity.

 

Then flip the Y channel in the VectorMotionBlur tool to point the vectors in the correct direction.

 

In Autodeck Composite (toxik)

The Toxik blur tool is actually very cool. The fact that DOF and motion blur are packaged together in one tool is a real advantage over Eyeon Fusion.

This video covers motion vectors in 3dsMax and Autodeck Composite (toxik). But the information can be generically applied. There’s a couple of issues which he fixes in his next video

VideoTip #18 – How to use a Motion Vector pass from MAX’s Scanline renderer!

There’s also a longer in depth look at motion vectors and some fixes if the tools don’t quite behave as they should do.

VideoTip#21 – In-depth view of Motion Vectors from MAX to Composite!

 

Dumb 3dsMax Tip of the day … lock the camera

Lock 3dsMax CameraSo I’m in 3dsMax. I’ve painstakingly animated a scene for hours and instinctively middle mouse drag to change view. I’ve now accidentally animated the camera… but I don’t notice until an hour later…. arg

Lock the camera before animating your shot.

Select the camera (and Target). Go to the hierarchy panel > link info > locks , and check all the boxes for movement rotation and scale.

and with a bit of MaxScript…

This will lock the transform of the current object selection:-

setTransformLockFlags selection #all

This will lock the transform of all cameras in the scene:-

setTransformLockFlags cameras #all