Max Hotbox

586 votes
Version: 
[Open Beta]
Date Updated: 
07/18/2011
Author Name: 
Andreas Meissner

 

This script is in open beta phase, available for public.

Who creates the best interface for the users? The users theirselves! This tool is inspired by the Maya Hotbox. It is not ment to be a tool collection on its own, its idea is to provide ways to you for accessing and organizing functionality. Build your own interface, customize your workflow to your needs.

Additional Info: 
  • show/hide hotbox-layer, run macros, execute scripts, open files or just re-execute your last hotbox action
  • trigger actions by using buttons, hotkeys, mousegestures, ...
  • build your own interface and organize your scripts as you want with hotbox profiles and nested layers
  • independent, Max Hotbox hotkeys override/suppress 3ds Max hotkeys
  • portable, no installation
  • all macros of 3ds max can be assigned to hotbox-buttons
  • style your hotbox with transparent and multicolor buttons, dock and group them with each other
  • provides as much functionality as possible for custom userscripts

Requirements:

  • should work for 3ds Max 9 SP2 - 3ds Max 2011
  • works for 32bit and 64bit systems

How to start Max Hotbox:

  • download and unpack
  • drag and drop the "MaxHotbox.mse" file into your viewport
  • hold down Spacebar on 3ds Max mainwindow

Max Hotbox is already configured for some simple tasks like Extrude a Face or so, but it is ment to be configured by yourself. It would be nice if you could share your configuration of Max Hotbox with other users. Please also watch the tutorial videos about Max Hotbox on YouTube to become familiar with the tool. I hope you will get along.

How to autostart Max Hotbox on next 3ds Max startup:

  • drag and drop the "MaxHotboxAutostart.ms" file into your viewport

How to upgrade from a previous version:

  • download and unpack the new version
  • replace the "Profiles" folder of the new version with the folder from the old version
    (the "Profiles" folder contains your configuration of Max Hotbox)

Tutorialvideos:

Watch Videos about Max Hotbox on YouTube

 

Your feedback is very welcome.

 

Version Requirement: 
3ds Max 9 SP2 - 3ds Max 2011
Other Software Required: 
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 or higher
Video URL: 

Comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
real08121985's picture

Do the following:- start Max

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?

su37's picture

Very nice script!But some

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

AttachmentSize
00.jpg 28.06 KB
real08121985's picture

Update: When you're writing

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.

real08121985's picture

How to reproduce the error,

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.

crystal3d's picture

error after dragging the "ms" to viewport

THe script was unpacked gently

Also the time limitation puts me off alittle...

real08121985's picture

Added a small autostart

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.

real08121985's picture

"[18.07.2011 15:08:13] Info:

"[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.

chenx's picture

Thanks for your reply

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

The Log.txt file here

AttachmentSize
log.txt 2.14 KB
real08121985's picture

What 3ds Max version d you

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.

chenx's picture

Very nice script!But some error program for me.

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:)

AttachmentSize
eeeeeee.jpg 15.94 KB

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.