share ui/scripts on network

[themaxxer]

hello all

I don't find an answer for this... maybe because I don't understand the system how it would work.

we are 3 persons working here. the plugins are shared with new plugin.ini's in a network folder.
does this also work for scripts? can you share and load script on each machine without having them on each workstation separately?

what are the best ways to setup a flexible load/share system?
how do renderfarms do that?

thanks in advance

best regards
themaxxer

[DanielBrew]

Look in Customize > Configure System Paths. All your paths relating to scripts should be in there. I can't see there being any problems if you redirect these to a shared folder on your network. AFAIK the only scripts needed for a renderfarm are scripted plugins, like materials which should be in ..scripts\startup.

[themaxxer]

thanks for the pointer. but that doesn't work because it's loading (opening) every script at start up.

what i should have are additional pathes to define. but that only works for plugins not for scripts...

best regards
themaxxer

[MoonDoggie]

I have setup an autoupdating script for our studio.

Here is the "AutoUpdating.ms" script put in each user's <3dsmax>/stdplugs/stdscripts folder (which makes them run on every boot up)

(
    try (
    local filesMcr = getFiles "\\\\Library\Software\maxscript\AutoUpdating\*.mcr"
    local filesMs = getFiles "\\\\Library\Software\maxscript\AutoUpdating\*.ms"
    local filesMse = getFiles "\\\\Library\Software\maxscript\AutoUpdating\*.mse"
    
    join filesMs filesMCR
    join filesMs filesMse
    
    for f in filesMs do (
        filein f
    )
    
    format "AutoUpdating Scripts Current(% scripts)\n" (filesMs.count as string)    
    ) catch ( Print "AutoUpdating Scripts problem, check network connection..." )
)

Then whatever scripts I drop into this network path "\\Library\Software\maxscript\AutoUpdating\" (note that double backslashes in Maxscript "//" means "/" and "\\" means "\") it will automatically update everyone to the same script version or if I add a script they get it too.

Is this what you're looking for?

-Colin

[claude_tnt]

thanks for this colin........neat script.....

[themaxxer]

wow, colin thanks so much!!
does it work with mapped drives (M:/...) because I don't get it to work.

I have used UNC paths now, but it doesn't work, well some scripts are working.

not working are all soulburn scripts
relink bitmaps (yours)
hcgb
...and others

I think it's only for relatively simple scripts that haven't stored any path in the code... isn't it?

best regards
themaxxer

[MoonDoggie]

It does work with mapped drives (we use UNC so everyone doesn't have to have the same drive mapped to the same letter)

In the script change the lines to read something like:

"M://Scripts//Autoupdating//*.ms"
"M://Scripts//Autoupdating//*.mse"
"M://Scripts//Autoupdating//*.mcr"

Drop the script in your "<root 3dmax>/stdplugs/stdscripts/" folder (I named mine AutoUpdating.ms, but it doesn't matter).

Then anything you put in the folder called out in the script (M:\Scripts\Autoupdating\), you (and coworkers) 3dsmax will load them all at startup. (Note: if you have a script that isn't a macroscript, ie. it just runs when you run the .ms file, you probably don't want to put it in your autoupdating folder)

That's why I always create macroscripts for installing instead of just running them.

It's really great when I add a script to the folder and everyone has it immediately installed. Or when I release a fix for a problem with a script I've written everyone has it. (No more email spam and asking users to run the newest version).

Making sure everyone has it in the stdplugs/stdscripts folder is the biggest hurdle .

Hope this helps everyone,
Colin

[themaxxer]

hm, sorry for bothering you again, but it doesn't work for me...
not a single script is loading although I have made all the things you wrote.
all scripts are missing and I get this error:

what are the scripts in the .../enu/ui/macroscripts/?
are that copies of the scripts in /root3dsmax/ui/macroscripts?

I don't get it.

thanks for helping me.

best regards
themaxxer

[Sushidelic]

Worth more than a look
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=293684

[themaxxer]

Worth more than a look
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=293684

thank you very much!
it looks interesting.

best regards
themaxxer

[themaxxer]

@MoonDoggie

is it right that the scripts may not be inside another folder?
could it be wildcarded to load subfolders?

maybe this is my mistake?
I have tested it with relinkbitmaps and when max starts the script opens with max. is that right?

best regards
themaxxer

[MoonDoggie]

That CGTalk forum thread looks neat, but too complex for my taste . Here's the full setup in detail.

In this directory (every file in this directory will be executed by max at startup):
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max Design 2011\stdplugs\stdscripts

I have a file called "Autoupdating.ms"

which looks like this:

(
    try (
    local filesMcr = getFiles "\\\\Library\maxscript\AutoUpdating\*.mcr"
    local filesMs = getFiles "\\\\Library\maxscript\AutoUpdating\*.ms"
    local filesMse = getFiles "\\\\Library\maxscript\AutoUpdating\*.mse"
    
    join filesMs filesMCR
    join filesMs filesMse
    
    for f in filesMs do (
        filein f
    )
    
    format "AutoUpdating Scripts Current(% scripts)\n" (filesMs.count as string)    
    ) catch ( Print "AutoUpdating Scripts problem, check network connection..." )
)

Now, if you just do that, when you close and restart max and open the listener (MAXScript->Listener), you'll see this printed "AutoUpdating Scripts Current(0 scripts)". So we need to change the paths in the script to point to somewhere on our network.

\\\\Library\maxscript\AutoUpdating\*.mcr
\\\\Library\maxscript\AutoUpdating\*.ms
\\\\Library\maxscript\AutoUpdating\*.mse

Change these to a folder on your network

Drive letters can be used for instance, a directory on your W: drive called "Scripts"

W:\\Scripts\\AutoUpdate\\*.ms

a UNC path on your \\servername\Scripts\AutoUpdate

\\\\servername\\Scripts\\AutoUpdate\\*.ms

note: the double slashes mean single slashes to max because of reserved slashes for things like newline characters (\n)
note: the *.ms, *.mcr, *.mse - This is so when the script loads at runtime it gathers all of the ms, mcr, and mse files in the directory and runs them.

That's it. Hope that works!
-Colin

[themaxxer]

thank you very much for the explanation colin.

it work if the script file is in the "AutoUpdate" folder and not in a subfolder...

- is it right that the scripts in the autoupdate folder opens if max starts? is there a way to load them without open it?
- can I add subfolders in the autoupdate folder or can it be made with wildcards?

thank you so much, also for your patience.

best regards
themaxxer

[MoonDoggie]

It can be expanded to work with wildcards, but does not currently work with wildcards OR subdirectories. There is not a way that I know of to make them load without opening on max start. The best way to do it would be to take the scripts that automatically load when you run them would be to turn them into macro scripts (the kind that install and let you drag the button onto your interface)

To convert a file that autoloads to a macroscript add this at the front

macroScript <UniqueName> category:"My Scripts" tooltip:"MY TOOLTIP" (

and add this at the end

)

Change <UniqueName> to anything you like, it must be one word, not multiple words. Change "My Scripts" to whatever you like, this is the category that your button will be draggable under the Customize User Interface screen.

-Colin