Max Hotbox
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.
- 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.
Comments
I heared Max Hotbox also
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.
Great !
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
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
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
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
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
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
2 new videos about conditions and buttons. You can find all videolinks also in the description above.
There is a first video
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.
Wow!
This looks awesome! I'm very excited about this one. Watching keenly...