Max Hotbox

I sent an email to Andreas. I mentioned that I would update the package and give credit to orig author(s). etc etc
--
We'll see what happens..

Hi . First Thx for this best Script.

But i try load it for 2014 max and i take this error.

-- called in anonymous codeblock; filename: C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2014\scripts\HotBox\MaxHotbox.mse; position: 239628; line: 6363

Can you fix this plz.

expire
Hey,

I just wanna know has anyone any solution for the expire problem, great script, except this problem I love this script so much

+

Hey,

I just wanna know has anyone any solution for the expire problem, great script, except this problem I love this script so much

I am using 3ds max 2012 x64. I had the expire problem to. I set my system date to one year ago and script installed. but there is other problems.

I'm getting the same "Expired" message when I start up 3ds max. Unless we can hack the .mse(I think) then there is nothing we can do. We'll just have to wait and see if the creator of the script will edit this.

"Max Hotbox Error - Can not find MaxHotbox.mse file "D:\Autodesk\3ds Max 2010\Scripts\max_hotbox\MaxHotbox.mse""
-- Error occurred during fileIn in
-- Error occurred in anonymous codeblock; filename: D:\Autodesk\3ds Max 2010\Scripts\max_hotbox\MaxHotbox.mse; position: 27348; line: 112
>> MAXScript FileIn Exception: -- Syntax error: at to, expected
-- In line: <<

This is what I got in MAXscript listener
And I use max2010 x64.
Wish you can fix it so we can use in other version of max.
thx

Hi! I have any idea how to solve troubles with running any scripts from hotbox. But that amazing script is expired. How can I use it again? Thank you!

Hum, got the same annoying message: Expired!!

Is there no solution out there or is it cause I try to run it under 2012?
Any hint is welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Huschi

Hope your still working on this, as its really helpfull in overcomming max's idiotic design. A few things tho..

1) Not always very stable (hotbox buttons vanish etc.). Restarting usually fix it tho.

2) The 'alt-tab window' gets flooded with icons. Abit anoying.

3) Expired? =D

Much luv!

I will try to work out gestures. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

I'm using max 2012 64bit (with services packs and hotfixes) and it works for me. I hope you will be able to solve this issue. Good hot box is something for what max users would kill.

Is there a possibility to remove this "Hot Box has expired" issue ? I have to change the date back to 2011 to make it work.

I really wish you could make it work. Potential is enormous.

Hi, I hope you are still working on this awesome script. Some feedback:

Why isn't there mouse position trigger like in movies on youtube ? This feature looks awesome.

Mousegesture doesn't work for me. I set up a script to apply front view with numpad1 + U mousegesture but it doesn't work.

There is a a problem with default turbo smooth modifier. In the script of this node you should delete one "modPanel.addModToSelection". You typed it twice.

For now thats all. I will try to give some feeback If you are still working on it and I hope you do! ;]

Happy new year!

EDIT:

ok I traced comments back and know why there is no mouseposition option. Couldn't make mousegesture to work though. Today it said that HotBox expired. I changed the date on my computer and it works fine. It would be cool to make it usable this year ;]

"Mousegesture doesn't work for me. I set up a script to apply front view with numpad1 + U mousegesture but it doesn't work."

Do the mousegestures dont work at all? Maybe try to setup a mousegesture by using the exlanation in the tutorial videos, that should work. Just to check if those would work.

"There is a a problem with default turbo smooth modifier. In the script of this node you should delete one "modPanel.addModToSelection". You typed it twice."

Ah okay, thank you. I did that script real quik to set up a first basic configuration for the hotbox. Improvements are always welcome!

"I hope you are still working on this awesome script."

Not right now sadly. The problems with Max2012 took away the motivation since it is a real deep problem, not a quick fix. For some people it works on 2012, for some not. It is confusing, for myself it did not worked.

It's very sad because some any scripts also working incorrect. I trying place "Power Switcher" scripts (http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/powerswitcher-enanced-viewport…) to Hot_Box buttons. When I start Power Switcher I can swith active viewport to Top View, Front View and so on. But when I place that code to to Hot_Box buttons that works, but inside active view, it is not switch active view, and Maximize option is not working anywhere.
Hot_box is a great idea, wich able to create your own portable(!!!) UI, but it needed to fix some features. It will be great...
Actually that was a great Idea to place viewport options to Hot_Box buttons. Hope U can try to solve that ;)

From listner and maxscript editor it works, but when I put this code to hotbox button it's not working.

I was able to reproduce the error, but could not find a solution. It's weird, other "max tool ..." commands work.

I used that command "max tool maximize", but it dosen't work. I has create button with "run script" option. In script body I was place "max tool maximize" code but button does not react. (Max 2012)

"max tool maximize" works in 2009 so far. Maybe first try to execute it from the maxscript listener or in a new independent script.

Hi! I trying to put some script to the button, but have a difficults here. I want to make a button with "maximize viewport" function, but it is not working. Can you test that? Thank you!

max tool maximize

Hi! Is there any option to save my settings to any file to port the script to other copy of 3dsmax? Thank you!

The script is portable, it needs no installation. You can either put on a USB stick and use it on different PCs or you just dublicate the Max Hotbox folder to get 2 identical scripts.

Does this script works for anyone on 3ds max 2012? I heard it works for some, but when I tried myself it didn't worked (used 2012 + service pack 2). Autodesk changed something about the .dll-import of 3ds max in version 2012.

It installed fine on max 2012 64bit for me.

Hi, thanks for sharing your amazing script!!!, I liked a function I saw in your first video, where you trigger an action by passing your mouse over a region but it seem it is no longer in this version...

I would like to trigger actions when I release the mouse button instead of clicking, and if it is possible that when you pass the mouse over an existing button, the button highlights so you know when you release the mouse button is the action you selected..

thanks

I removed the region event because it was very performance hungry since it checked all regions every time you moved the mouse. I can add it in the future and check by using an interval of time maybe.

The highlighting of buttons is already in the current code, it is just not activated/accessable yet. Also transparency needs to be added.

There are definitly some things on the todo-list for this script. But first things first, right now I first need to find a job and move there.

1. The Script is great I like it, have to test it out more, but I noticed that all the buttons from the HotBox show up as windows when you want to switch between softwares , pressing alt+Tab. why this? is there a way to get rid of it?

2. Also I notice that undo doesnt work after some functions, or some functions doesnt work properly. Sometime it crashes max.

Thanks

here is macros.ini
i hope you can find out what's wrong. i really want to use this great script.
thanks.

The problem seems to be maxscript based and occurs when the macros are loaded. Please send me an email at gg9943*yahoo.com (replace * with @) so we can try to solve it.

thank you for quick response, here it is:

[29. 9. 2011 9:31:33] Info: startup script
[29. 9. 2011 9:31:33] Info: load windowhook
[29. 9. 2011 9:31:34] Info: load windowops
[29. 9. 2011 9:31:35] Info: loading report
[29. 9. 2011 9:31:35] Warning: could not open file: D:\DOWNLOAD\max_hotbox\Report.txt
[29. 9. 2011 9:31:35] Info: loading settings
[29. 9. 2011 9:31:35] Info: settings loaded
[29. 9. 2011 9:31:35] Info: load macroreader
[29. 9. 2011 9:31:35] Info: load macros

Attach the file "...\Max Hotbox\Core\Macros.ini" here, so I can download it.

hi.. don't know what's wrong, but i'm trying to install script by drag&drop MaxHotbox.mse into 3dsmax and this is the output in maxscript listener:

-- Error occurred in startupScript(); filename: D:\DOWNLOAD\max_hotbox\MaxHotbox.mse; position: 135654; line: 526
-- Defined in encrypted script
-- called in anonymous codeblock; filename: D:\DOWNLOAD\max_hotbox\MaxHotbox.mse; position: 245506; line: 974
-- Defined in encrypted script
-- Error occurred during fileIn in
>> MAXScript FileIn Exception: -- No "map" function for OK <<

i'm using max 2011 64bit on windows 7 64bit

Post the content of the file "...\Max Hotbox\Core\Log.txt" here, after Max Hotbox crashed.

You have to fix this for max 2012, you have to, and i don't usually beg anyone but...

PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE

Give it a try, I heared it works even if there are some error messages appearing at startup.

i did give it a try but no avail, tried it with sp1 and hotfixes but nothing, lots of errors and nothing in there

It works in 3dsmax 2012 HF2 for me. It works perfectly for what I do (modeling). The only problems I have are...ghosting of the Hotbox buttons in startup of 3dsmax and it delays Max interface from loading quickly, but that is only like 3 seconds. Hotbox sometimes slows down the Graphite rollout time and occasional 3dsmax shutdown error (but I suspect the app exit might be Windows 7 issue).

After removing Hotbox, 3dsmax loads interface quickly, no Graphite rollot delay and no shutdown error.

Once Hotbox starts up, it works quit well and saves me a great deal of time to hunt for tools in the Graphite tabs.

For all others that are having problems...try removing other scripts that might be interfering with Hotbox or worst re-install 3dsmax if you really want Hotbox. Additionally, I copied/pasted "MaxHotboxAutostart.ms" into the startup folder in the Script folder in root 3dmax app, so that might help for those that are having issues.

Andreas, in the customizing window when assigning 3dsmax Macro script to a button the macro names can't be read because the rollout window is too narrow. Could you, please, make the window wider.

Thanks Andreas!

Glad to hear it works in 3ds Max 2012 HF2! The delay on startup is due to the fact that Max Hotbox needs to build the hotbox tree. The bigger the tree the longer the wait :( I dunno about shutdown errors and Graphite delay, but I'm sorry to hear that.

Other scripts shouldn't interfer with Max Hotbox, might be but shouldn't. Copying "MaxHotboxAutostart.ms" into the startup folder of 3ds Max should not work. How you need to do it: leave it at its location in the Max Hotbox folder and drag and drop it into the viewport. It will then create a file "MaxHotboxAutostart.ms" on its own in the startup folder of 3ds Max that points to the current Max Hotbox folder. If you change the location of the Max Hotbox folder you need to run the script again.

About the customizing window: I guess you mean the sidebar on the right in the Max Hotbox Editor. I'm sorry if the sidebar is too small right now. As workaround: there are tooltips applied to the macro lists. Select a macro and put your mouse over the list, then a tooltip of the current selected macroname will appear.

Installation error? Very powerful script. I really like, unfortunately I can not use. I am using window SP2 Chinese system, 3DMAX 9 version of SP2; Microsoft. NET Framework 4. Prompt an error: Is the system really can not use the Chinese version? I hope you can resolve this error, and a detailed installation process and install the video in YOUTUBE; Thank you。 非常强大的脚本。我很喜欢，可惜我使用不了。我使用的是window SP2 中文系统 ，3DMAX 9版本SP2；Microsoft .NET Framework 4. 提示出错：http://www.scriptspot.com/files/00_2.jpg 难道中文版系统真的无法使用？希望你可以解决这个错误，并有详细的安装过程和安装视频在YOUTUBE；谢谢。

I think it may not be compatible with Chinese version of windows 7

My OS version is winXP sp2 64bit

I think so too, I can't think of a possible solution yet.

su37's OS language is CHINESE .
me too but 64bit
the error is same like su37

Did not produce this document
I don't find it

Which version of 3ds Max and .Net Framework do you use? Maybe try it on a different version.

I have already packing down into the c
But there are warning

see this:
-- Error occurred during fileIn in
-- Error occurred in anonymous codeblock; filename: C:\00\MaxHotbox.mse; position: 27348
>> MAXScript FileIn Exception: -- Syntax error: at to, expected
-- In line: <<

Post the content of the file "...\Max Hotbox\Core\Log.txt" after Max Hotbox crashed.

Please see :
-- Error occurred during fileIn in
-- Error occurred in anonymous codeblock; filename: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\桌面\00\MaxHotbox.mse; position: 27348
>> MAXScript FileIn Exception: -- Syntax error: at to, expected
-- In line: <<

Place the Max Hotbox at a path that does not contain special characters like "桌面". Place it at the folder "C:\Max Hotbox" for example.

Please see :
-- Error occurred during fileIn in
-- Error occurred in anonymous codeblock; filename: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\桌面\00\MaxHotbox.mse; position: 27348
>> MAXScript FileIn Exception: -- Syntax error: at to, expected
-- In line: <<

Very nice script!But some error program for me.
I use max2009 32bit.

Do the following:

- start Max Hotbox
- Max Hotbox crashes
- now get the "...\Max Hotbox\Core\Log.txt"

The logfile holds information about the startup and shutdown of the script, so I can see at which point it crashes. Post the content of the logfile here.

Since this is the second asian person reporting that bug, can it be that any special characters cause that problem? Maybe try and use Max Hotbox directly at any drive, without having it in a subfolder with special characters. For example put it into "C:\Max Hotbox".

From which location did you started it when it crashed? Post the complete path, does it contain any special characters?

Update: When you're writing text into textboxes now, the Hotbox won't interfer with that. It should work for a variety of textboxes of 3ds Max for now. Max Hotbox is also silenced while you're working on the MAXScript Listener or Editor. I may remove that in the future, seeing how feedback goes.

Just download the new version and copy the old "Profiles" folder into the new version. This folder contains your configuration.

Yeah this must have been a really bad bug. Sorry that it took me so long to fix it. Right now I'm not frequently working with 3ds Max. But at this point I also want to encourage people to play around with Max Hotbox and find their own style. Many want to use it like the Maya Hotbox which is fine, but maybe think ahead, use mousegestures, use the mousebuttons 4 and 5 on the side of your mouse, add nested sublayers to buttons. It offers some cool new ways to work.

THe script was unpacked gently

Also the time limitation puts me off alittle...

How to reproduce the error, which steps did you take, which 3ds Max version do you use? You dragged "MaxHotboxAutostart.ms" into the viewport?

The time limitation is necessary in order to protect my work on this script. I think I will ask for a small amount of money in the future in order to use it since I spent 1 year creating it.

Added a small autostart script because a lot of people mentioned it. There is now a new file in the Max Hotbox folder called "MaxHotboxAutostart.ms". If you already use Max Hotbox then you should just copy this single file into your Max Hotbox folder so you can continue using your existent configuration. Just drag and drop this file into the viewport and Max Hotbox will automaticly start on next 3ds Max startup.

Note that the file has to be located in the Max Hotbox folder first before dragging it into the viewport. Also note that autostart function makes the location of Max Hotbox fixed. Max Hotbox was designed to be portable so you can drag it around between multiple workstations on an USB drive. If you change the location of Max Hotbox then you have to re-apply the autostartscript.

Sorry for the slow support, I'm not working on the script right now. I'm more busy with diploma and finding a job afterwards.

I use max2009&2011 64bit.
And...
Both versions have same error.

The Log.txt file here

"[18.07.2011 15:08:13] Info: load hotbox from file: C:\Documents and Settings\Andreas\Desktop\Copy of MaxHotbox\Profiles\Default\Hotbox\Hotbox.ini"

This is the logfile for my startup, but I need yours. Do the following:

- start Max Hotbox
- Max Hotbox crashes
- now get the "...\Max Hotbox\Core\Log.txt"

The logfile holds information about the startup and shutdown of the script, so I can see at which point it crashes.

Very nice script!But some error program for me.
Don't know why!I just drop the "MaxHotbox.mse" file to my viewport.
But...
Like this picture.

Sorry for my bad english:)

What 3ds Max version do you use? Maybe try the script on a different version too. Please also post the content of the file "...\Max Hotbox\Core\Log.txt" here.

I heared Max Hotbox also works with 3ds Max 2012 Servicepack 1. It may throw some errors at startup, but it seems worth a try. Upgrade 3ds Max 2012 with Servicepack 1 and Hotfix 2.

Fantastic plugin ! Absolutely love it.

The only thing that could possibly make it any better is if it was possible to simply just hover the cursor over the button (without the need to click it).

1.Press spacebar
2.Position cursor over button (without clicking)
3.Release spacebar (starts script/macro)

Would make it EVEN faster to work with :)

Love how customizable it is, thank you !

Thanks to all betatesters for participating. Since there are no major bugreports, I guess the tool is ready for public. Some scripts might got some bugs, but these scripts are not part of the core functionality of Max Hotbox and can be easily edited by the users theirselfes. Max Hotbox will work until december 2011, then it will expire and has to be extended. I hope it is useful for you and supports your work.

If you want to support me and my diploma then please attend the survey in the descreption above and send it to gg9943*yahoo.com (replace * with @), every mail would help me alot.

Betaphase has now been started, there are around 10 people so far who are attending. If still people want to join, then they are welcome.

With this test I want to proof my diploma theory. My theory is that the interaction with software can be categorized into 2 groups:
- the basic starting software (i.e. 3ds Max)
- the advanced customized software (3ds Max + scripts and plugins)

BUT the users who work with this software (i.e. 3ds Max Artists) can be categorized into 3 groups:
- the beginners who only got basic knowledge of the software
- the advanced users who customize their workflow by customizing the software with addons, plugins, macros, scripts, ...
- the professional user (or call it whatever you want) who wants to control every part of the software 100% and work with it as most efficient as they can

You see current software supports the first 2 groups of users, the beginners use the basic software and the advanced user customizes the software to improve his workflow. But the professional user might miss some functionality in the software and maybe even uses another software to solve his problems more efficient (for example you use another software than 3ds Max, just because its easier and more handy for this task).

So my theory is that the software should provide you ways to customize it 100% for the needs of the professional users. Many GUIs bind users to uncomfortable usage of the software or software developers are more interested in creating something shiny and good looking than listening to the needs of their customers. Another interesting thing is that professional users want to work with every version of the program in the same way, preferably even portable.

So this betatest is not about the script Max Hotbox. It is about to give the user (i.e. betatesters) the possibility to customize their workflow as much as possible. Software should provide the ability to customize it 100% already on its own. 3ds Max already got alot of ways to customize it like macros and maxscript and plugins. ButI think since 3ds Max is a software used by professionals to work efficient and time saving users want more. My diploma is about this 3rd category of software, to test if really users (if they reached the professional stage) should create the GUI or if at least there should be the possibility that they can.

Maybe this is helpful for the betatesters to know and maybe some people got some creative input for me on this.

Events to trigger actions seem to work fine now, heavy recoding has been done to the part of catching the events. Mousepositions have been removed because it was too much of an overhead to check the Conditionscript on every mousemove. Mouseclick and Mousewheel have been added. Also the way you configure the events has been simplified as you can see on the editorsidebar for actions in the videos.

Some videos have been uploaded to Youtube, also a practical example how to make an edgeloop or ring on a mesh by using Max Hotbox: click here to watch.

Thanks for your feedback santex!

waiting patiently :)
better not to rush out this masterpiece. i am really looking forward for new videos, if you have some spare time to produce any.. thank you

I did going back from doing finishing touches to working on the core functionality. Because of that it will take longer until the closed beta can be started.

The good thing is that these changes will make the mouse more accessable to trigger actions (left/middle/right-click, mousewheel-scrollup/scrolldown and the 2 extra buttons that many mouses got at one side to go forward and backward while browsing websites).

Besides Run Macro/Script/File there will be also another task added that can be executed: Run Last Action. So you can re-run whatever your last action was.

I'm sorry for the delay.

2 new videos about conditions and buttons. You can find all videolinks also in the description above.

There is a first video available here. I hope it is interesting and gives you some infos about how this tool works. Also the closed betaphase can start soon. Please read the description above for more infos. More videos coming soon.

This looks awesome! I'm very excited about this one. Watching keenly...

If this isn't even an available script shouldn't this be placed in the forums....

Totally true, sorry my bad.

Thank you, Ashutosh.

I worked on the menubar item today and uploaded a screenshot of it. You can disable/enabled gestures and hotkeys globally over there, this might be useful in some cases. I think I will start working on dialogs later this evening.

I am waiting!

Run Macro/Script/File works now. It was a long way to make macros work. Every macro got an ID and I thought I could use the "macros.run ID" method. But when I tested this on different versions of 3ds Max I recognized macro IDs are not precisly and can differ between 3ds Max versions. So I had to start from the beginning and using the approach "macros.run catgeory name" which makes it more safe that the macro the user wants to run is the same on every 3ds Max version.

I also added that the script will create a menuitem "Hotbox" in the 3ds Max menubar when the script starts, right before the "Help" menuitem. In this menu you can open the editor, disable/enable gestures and hotkeys, restart and shutdown the script. The menuitem "Hotbox" will be removed when the script is shutting down, so everything is kept portable.

Soon I gonna work on dialogs. I want to make it possible to add buttons and dialogs to layers. Buttons already work. Dialogs can be rollouts/rolloutfloaters/forms which position/visibility then gonna be affected by the layer they are attached to. So if you are using scripts which open rollouts, you can attach those rollouts to a Max Hotbox layer as a dialog. The rollout will then only be visible when the respective layer is also visible and the rollout position will also be stored.

So no more mess with many open rollouts which block your sight to your 3d scene. You make the rollouts visible when you need them. This also allows you to create custom buttons for Max Hotbox. So if you want to have a button that also has a numeric-field/checkbox/... attached to it: no problem. You can make your own buttons.

Also it is sure now that the minimum requirement will be 3ds Max 9 SP2 since the script is using DotNet and DotNet started in 3ds Max 9. I'm developing this script on 3ds Max 32bit, but first tests on 64bit systems worked fine (I used virtualized 64bit guest OS on 32bit hosts, both Windows XP).

I've found a bug and tryed the last few days to find the reason for it and to solve it. The script disables the macrorecorder, the macrorecorder won't show any output after you start the script. Of course a working macrorecorder is useful in general. For the Max Hotbox it is useful because if you like to bind certain max commands as scripts to Max Hotbox actions/buttons then you can just get the commands from the macrorecorder.

Reason for bug: The reason for that is the general behaviour of 3ds max, that the macrorecorder gets disabled as soon as an eventhandler is triggered that has been added to controls by using DotNet.addEventHandler(). I couldn't find a proper solution for this problem yet. There is a little workaround shown in this thread. But I will leave it for now, since the results were not that successful. I suppose also other scripts can have this behaviour.

Workaround: Open 3ds Max two times. One with the Max Hotbox to setup your Hotbox. The other one to get the output of the macrorecorder. Not very cool solution, but I hope the macrorecorder isn't that important in every day use for people.

Tomorrow I'm back to what actions execute in the end. I think the following will be enough to do everything you like. So if you click on a button, press a userdefined hotkey or make a mousegesture, the following things can happen:
a) Run Macro: Pick a macro from a list, ordered by categories like in 3ds Max Customize > Customize User Interface
b) Run Script: Write your own maxscript, it will be attached to the action and be executed if the action is triggered. This option gives you full control what happens.
c) Run File: Pick a file from your system, Max Hotbox will execute it.
d) Show previous Layer: Will open the previous open Max Hotbox Layer, if you like: the parent layer of the current one. So basicly you can realise a "back" button for your Hotbox if you opened the wrong layer.
e) Show next Layer: Will open the layer that is attached to this action in the treeview as childnode.

Thanks for your replies people. I'm glad you're looking forward to this script. If you got another cool idea what an action can do, tell me. I can't think of anything else that would be useful or which isn't already included by running a file or script.

Checking back here almost daily too :D

Cannot wait for this script to be released..
Checking back here almost daily :D

I'm starting to think about how to publish this script. I'm glad if this tool will be downloaded and can help people. But since I'm doing all this for my diploma thesis, comprehensive feedback and statistics are extremely important for me. I don't want to disturb the user in any way or spy, I just need info so I can write my thesis. Here are some random thoughts:

> The script will have an automatic report tool which will submit usage statistics to my website, so I can see how often you use the tool every day or whatever. If so this report tool would be removed after I'm done with my thesis. I'm not a big fan of such tools myself when I use programs.

> I'm starting a beta-phase and people apply for usage but have to give me feedback. It would be awesome if people could make even screen recordings of their usage of max hotbox or maybe a short video-comment (video uploaded on youtube or so, just something short), so I could include that as visual material in my diploma presentation.

I'm a fan of the second thought since I don't want to force the user to upload statistic reports and feel spy out. Maybe you guys got some ideas aswell, right now I think I will start a beta-phase when this tool is ready.

Personally i don't have any problem with the report.

Hotkeys and mousegestures work now. The keys you use will override the hotkeys of 3ds max. So if you assign "M" to your hotkey and press it within 3ds max, it won't open the material editor ("M" is the default hotkey to open the material editor in 3ds max), it will execute the respective hotbox-action instead.

The same applies for the custom key you can assign to trigger mouse gestures. The mousegestures are inspired by the FireGestures-Addon for the Firefox-Webbrowser. They work the same way: press the key(s) (ctrl/alt/shift/customkey) to initialize the gesture, make your gesture, release the key(s) to finalize the gesture.

Here is another screenshot of the latest build. The next thing to do is to handle the hotkey-events. Another cool thing that looks promising are some first tests with mousegestures. So probably you will be able to trigger actions with hotkeys and mousegestures.

This looks really great, I currently model with as much screen real estate as possible. All my modelling tools are currently floating tool-bars, which I toggle on and off with a single key press.
Primitive, but it's a method I've had to adapt, to avoid using the ribbon.
I have as much screen space as possible in my viewport and only have tools displayed when I need them.

I look forward to the beta, there's some pretty cool features your developing.

I think it will be useful

I appreciate your support very much, soon there should be a first beta release.

Where is the DOWNLOAD link?

Please use your ability to read the description.

Sorrry, I just got so excited.

Ok my wish would be:
- Make the ui as condensed as possible. The Quads menu is so efficient with very little wasted room. This make for less mouse movement.
- If I remember you have to hold the mouse button down with maya. With quad it's just one click.
- Could you make the most used tools float to the top of the ui hierarchy
- Please make the cut tool unselect after a right click.
- Is it possible to make the poly select "grow & shrink" assigned to the mouse scroll wheel?
- Will you include the "Settings" menu button? That little button next to the tool that opens the sub menu of each tool.
- Can you override Max's popup placement so it's not center screen? 90% of the time I position my work in the middle of the screen. When I open a tool the popup is always on top of the work.
- can you do a "Stack" selection?

Great ! Expect so long
thank you

Thank you for your comment, I'm sorry that I'm answering late, but your help is very much appreciated. Regarding your questions: This Hotbox will be customizable as much as it can be, it will offer you the possibility to create the buttons yourself (button editor included), design them yourself (text, size, position, level in hierarchy), actions (how the button will react to events like left-middle-right-click + shift/alt/ctrl-pressed, each event can trigger a different behaviour of the button). Also it will be possible to write your own button/dialog-scripts and integrate them into the hotbox-tree/hierarchy. You see it's up to you what this hotbox will be capable of in the future. I will offer you as much possibilities and freedom as I can, you can define the look and functionality, everyone customized to their own needs.

I think it will be also possible to share hotbox configurations and designs. So if you are "lazy" you can just pick the configuration of another user and load it into your own copy of the script. Sorry again for the slow reply. I want to thank you all who replied and voted this script.

A little update, a tiny picture of the main-interface. It contains the editor, settings, info, a handle to move the dialog and a button to shutdown the script. You can choose a style for your Hotbox, this one is the "Cream" one. All other dialogs will appear in the same style. Styles can even have round corners and you can create them easily yourself.

Posted a video of a little button-test. This is the way how it could work if you switch to edit-mode to adjust the buttons to your needs (position, size, color, text and what actions will happen on the different events).

Hell , theres another user whom still use older version than me....
hahaha.

Im happy

please~~~~~~~~~~~
3dsmax 8.0 SP3

It can be possible that the Hotbox will run with 8-SP3. I just choose 9-SP2 as default requirement because I think it's a good version for MAXScript where most of the scripting functionality is available.

good idea , but where is the link ?

-como faço para baixar este script????

-Muito Obrigado.

so when will you finish it?

I can't answer that right now. I'm not yet even working on it. First I have to find a company to work with.

do you know max sdk !? like C ?

No, I tried to find my way into it, but it seems to be difficult to get used to the Max SDK. I really would like to learn it, though. Why are you asking?

check you're email :)

Is I'm the only one that don't catch the point of this post without download link?

I would download it :)! Any way to free up workspace (15 inch laptop is awful with 3ds max) would be very much appreciated.

Schöne Idee für ein Diplomprojekt, willst du dich beruflich auf MAXScript spezialisieren?

Gruß

Thanks for the comments so far :)

Yes I also encounter much inconvenient things about the max user-interface and so many ways to improve it. I guess with an interface which is customizable and that everyone builds by him-/herself, you get the way that's most convinient and efficient for you :)

I do maxscript for fun, it would be cool to do it also as part of my job later. It's nice to be creative in 3d and also logical in scripting, it's relaxing and refreshes myself. I do also modeling/texturing, cuting and 2d graphics :)

(I will keep it in english here so everyone understands :) hope that's ok)

yes I see your point and I totally agree with you about nowdays autodesk making UI that very slow, they look like child whom like eyes candy bar than its function, and eye candy bar is heavy for system. Damn I complain about it to autodesk and theyre making good excuse but not solving the problem.

and second , im not totally good script writter.

fajar: "This shows the idea of creating a Hotbox for 3ds Max (like in Maya) as my diploma project"

I like the idea, this is defently something we need these days, since Autodesk is making the worst slow down UI ever (clone of an Adobe/Office program) 🤑

I hope you finish this project, and good luck 😆

good idea , but where is the link ?