Topics in this section

• New Script

  New Script opens a new MAXScript Editor window. Use this window for writing a new script.

• Open Script

  Open Script opens a common file open dialog for choosing an existing script. A new MAXScript Editor window then displays the selected script.

• Run Script

  Run Script opens a common file open dialog for choosing an existing script. MAXScript then reads and executes the selected script. Any output is printed to the Listener window.

• MAXScript Listener

  The MAXScript Listener window is an interactive interpreter for the MAXScript language. It is similar to a DOS command-prompt window. You enter MAXScript commands in this window, and when you press Enter they are executed immediately.

• Macro Recorder

  The MAXScript Macro Recorder captures many of the actions performed by the user, and generates the MAXScript commands that correspond to those actions. Output from Macro Recorder is displayed in the Macro Recorder pane of the MAXScript Listener window. Several filtering options are available that control what types of user actions are recorded, whether the generated MAXScript commands contain explicit object references or are selection-relative, and whether the generated MAXScript commands contain absolute or relative transforms and coordinates. These options are set using the MacroRecorder menu in the Listener window. The default option settings are specified in the MAXScript page of the 3ds Max Preferences dialog, as described in MAXScript Preferences. You can also make and change these settings by editing the [MAXScript] section of the 3dsmax.ini file.

• Visual MAXScript Utility (See MAXScript Help)

  Visual MAXScript is a powerful interface to the 3ds Max scripting language, making the MAXScript feature easier to learn and use. With Visual MAXScript, you can quickly create UI elements and layouts for scripting.

• MAXScript Debugger Dialog

  The MAXScript debugger implements the first half of a script development and debugging environment. It allows the main thread of 3ds Max to be suspended, the values of global and local variables to be examined and altered while the thread is not running, MAXScript commands to be executed from a command line, and the execution to be suspended using method calls from inside the MAXScript code. The debugger also lets you stop or continue the execution of the suspended code.

• Running Scripts from the Command Line

  3ds Max allows you to enter MAXScript commands directly on the command line. When you launch 3ds Max from a DOS command line, you can have it run a specified launch script. This can be useful for tasks such as unattended batch rendering.