PowerSwitcher : Enanced Viewport Switching (Update)
Summary:
PowerSwitcher remembers all available 3d views before switching to a new viewport - versus four in standard 3ds Max. Panning or Zoom All no longer required when you hit the limit of maximal four viewpositions saved.
Features new since V0.6:
- Changed behavior in unmaximized viewport mode: current viewport now is always set to the requested type ,
regardless if the requested type already exists in the layout. This is the same way the standard viewport switching works. - Cycling through viewport types still works in maximized view as previously though
- Features V0.5
- No longer interrupts animation playback when switching maximized viewports
- Provides new maximize-toggle macro which does NOT interrupt playback like the 3ds Max internal maximize toggle. Simply assign your preferred shortcut to it (default Alt+W) and never interrupt animation playback again when min/maximizing
Features V0.4 - Keeps memory for every possible viewport type, not just the usual 4 viewports,
- Provides quick Memorize/Recall macros for each viewport type
- Cycle through the existing viewports of requested type in an ordered manner
- Cycle to next camera/light in camera/light viewports per shortcut
- Experimental “BouncyTrigger” option , allowing “double tapping” of shortcut
The “BouncyTrigger” feature forces the current viewport to be changed, despite the type already exists in the layout.
Look for “enableBouncyTrigger=false” and set it to “true” to enable
Why i started to develop it:
Many people ( including me) always were unsatisfied with the way 3ds Max handles viewport switching. Even more people got upset after the general viewport switching logic completely changed with ( as far i remember ) Max 2010. Many even suspected a bug in the new Max release, as lots of threads on The Area and elsewhere show.
Just check the following links ( or google for “3ds max viewport switching” )
- The Area: do you like…
- The Area: viewport switching take 2
- The Area: no “memory” of ortho views
- The Area: viewport switch bug
There are other scripts around already, which restore the pre Max 2010 viewport switching, but this script goes further:
It keeps a memory for EVERY viewport type you used in a Max session, more than the previously possible maximium of 4 viewport types. This means you can switch from and to any viewport as much as you like. You will not loose your objects focus in the viewport any longer, if you decide to switch to a viewport you havent used previously.
Installation / Requirements:
- requires 3ds Max Version 2009 and higher
- Copy the script to “scripts/startup” folder
- Assign shortcut keys via Spacefrog Tools category in Customize User Interface Dialog
See the following screenshot for List of the available macros:

Feedback and quirks reporting are welcome !


Comments
thank you
thank you very much! best viewport switcher since native max's 2009
it is only not working when try to switch to perspective view from VrayCamera - always switch to default persp view (not stored one)
Thank you!
Very usefull tool! Thank you )
Behavior in unmaximized Viewport mode changed...
I changed the viewport switching behavior when you are in unmaximized mode, to make it easier to have more than one viewport of the same type ( eg. two top viewports). Now when the viewport is not maximized, the current viewport always switches to the requested type, even if this type already exists in another viewport of the current layout. In the previous versions the script simply switched to that other viewport in that case. This new behaviour works the same way like the standard 3ds Max viewport switching does...
But of course i still store the current viewports positioning/orinetation and zooming (standard 3ds Max switching looses every info in that case )
On the other hand, if you are in maxmized viewport mode, switching to an existing viewport type still cycles through the existing viewports of the requested type. Only if no such type exists in the layout, the current viewport is set to the requsted type...
hope that explanation makes sense ;-)
Tell me what you think about that change, and please report any issues ... ;-)
works fine
works fine...
@harumscarum
Sorry to hear that...
did you copy the script to your [MaxFolder]/scripts/startup folder ?
The script uses some global structures and functions, which have to be initialized on each Max's start, hence the need for the script to sit in the "startup" folder.
What happens for you when you type "SFPowerswitcher" in your Maxscript Listener ? The Output should look like the thing i attached in my screenshot, if you get "undefined" we got a problem, and the script does'nt get loaded during Max's launch...
(No subject)
not working after max's
not working after max's restart for me