selma: selection sets manager

8 votes
Version: 
0.01
Date Updated: 
03/21/2001

Selma - the selection sets manager - consists of two modules. The Selection Sets floater and the Quadmenu updater. The floater lists all selection sets - plus you can edit - remove - hide anda unhide selection sets by using this floater. The updater put your selection sets into your quadmenu - so if you are working in a large scene with many different objects - you can quickly select them using the quadmenu.

Additional Info: 

selection sets floater
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Selection Sets Floater lists all available selection sets.
Selecting an element in the selection sets listbox selects the selection set.

Typing a name in the textbox and pressing 'New' creates a new selection sets containing selected objects.

'Edit' opens up the standard Edit Named Selection sets dialog. Read your max's manual for information on how to use this dialog.
'Remove' deletes current selection set.
'Hide' hides every object in the current selection set. After you press it - the button will turns blue and the button text will changes to Unhide. Pressing 'Unhide' unhides any hidden object in the selection set.
'Update Floater' updates the listbox. Press this button after you make a new selection sets from the toolbar.
'Update Quadmenu' updates the quadmenu. You can also do this by using the 'Selma Update' macro.

quadmenu updater
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quadmenu updater puts your selection sets into your quadmenu.
When you are constructing a scene containing lots of objects or animating a really complex character - selecting object become really difficult. Thats when selection sets become a handy tool. Selma makes accessing selection sets a lot quicker by putting up to 20 selection sets into your quadmenu.

When Selma is installed - it creates two menu set: Selection Sets and Selection Sets 2. The menu contains 20 macroscript which selects selection set based on its index. However this macros desnt have any name yet. Selma Quadmenu Updater change the macro's name to its appropiate name.

installation steps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Copy Selma_Macros.mcr to [maxdirectory]uimacroscripts - Selma_Update.ms to [maxdirectory]stdplugsstdscript - Selma_Install.ms to [maxdirectory]scripts and all bitmaps to your ui icons directory.
2. Open max - and run Selma_Install.ms. Go to Utilities tab in the Command panel - click the MaxScript button. Selma Install should be listed in the drop-down list. Select it and press Install button.
3. Open 3ds max's Customize UI dialog - go to Quadmenu tab. 'Selection Sets' and 'Selection Sets 2' menus should be listed in the menu list (found at the bottom left of the ciustomize dialog. Put it into your favorite quadmenu. If you like - you can make it flat (RC --> Make Submenu Flat) so it doesnt branch.

Warning: Do not change the menu and the menu items name or order - or Selma Quadmenu updater will fail to update.

4. Put 'Selma Update' and 'Selection Set Floater' (icon: ) macro into your quadmenu or your your tool bar as well.
5. We are going to test wheter the installation is succesfull or not. First - make several selection sets. Then activate the quadmenu where you put the selection sets menu. Since 'Selma Update' is not initialized - the selection sets menu is empty. Run Selma Update (or press 'Update Quadmenu' in the Selection Sets Floater) and reactivate the quadmenu. Now your quadmenu should lists all your selection sets. Some menu item might says ''. It means there is no selection set at that index.
6. If no error message appears during step 1 to 5 - you have succesfully installs Selma. The Selection Sets Floater tools is pretty self-explanatory - so I dont need to explain how to use it.

Version Requirement: 
4
Video URL: