Toolbar

[npg]

I'm not a Max expert, but this issue seems to be related to the Workspace feature ( https://knowledge.autodesk.com/suppo...5E5F3-htm.html )

I found the Vantage toolbar in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Autodesk\3dsMax\2021 - 64bit\ENU\en-US\UI\MaxStartUI.cuix as well as in another .cuix file in the Workspaces subfolder. I suspect your 3ds Max is configured to default to a workspace that doesn't include this toolbar and it's a matter of changing Workspace settings.

[glorybound]

I still have to reinstall Vantage every time I want to use it. I did change the Workspace, which didn't help, and now I have to open my layer manager every time I launch MAX; it doesn't remember it.

[glorybound]

Still happening. I can't say every time I start MAX the toolbar is gone, but almost every time I go to use it, it is gone. Very frustrating.

[vasil.minkov]

Hello,

It is strange that re-installing Vantage makes any difference.
The link between Vantage and 3ds Max is implemented using a registry keys.
V-Ray for 3ds Max reads two keys at the following location:
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Cur rentVersion\Uninstall\Chaos Vantage"
The key names are:
"UninstallString" and "DisplayVersion".

V-Ray then checks Vantage versions and extracts Vantage installation path, usually:
"C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\Vantage"

And then tries to execute max scripts provided by the Vantage installation, usually:
"C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\Vantage\dcc_scripts\3dsMax"

Once the Vantage toolbar is gone, could you check the registry keys contents is valid and the vantage scripts exist at the expected location?

This is a screenshot of the regkeys on my machine:



And this is a screenshot of the vantage folder contents:



Best Regards,
Vasil Minkov

[glorybound]

Windows 7 is a 13-year-old operating system, WOW!. I'll follow this and let you know. Thank you! I think it is probably a Windows 11 rights issue.

[glorybound]

Going to use Vantage, so time to reinstall!

[npg]

It's not quite clear from the last screenshot: is the registry sub-tree we see there that of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall ? In my case I have not only Vantage, but also the license server, Cosmos and other Chaos subfolders there. We checked on a Windows 11 machine and "Chaos Vantage" exists there, so if there is an issue, it's not just the OS version...

Can you find uninstall registry keys for Vantage elsewhere in the registry (e.g. search for "vantage")?

[glorybound]

This is what I see. Nothing for Vantage. I am using MAX 2023 now and the same thing is happening.

[npg]

This is useful. I am able to reproduce the disappearance of the toolbar if I rename the Chaos Vantage entry. So the question is: does the installer fail to create it or something removes it later? I suspect that an anti-virus may be having a false positive and removing this from the registry. Could you check your antivirus logs?

Also, try running the installer from a console like this: vantage_1.7.2.exe -debug=2
and share the log file it creates at %TEMP%\installer_debug_<date-and-time>.log

Even if we can't find the cause, maybe there is a workaround: you could create the registry yourself. Add a "Chaos Vantage" key in Uninstall and then add a string value called UninstallString equal to (quotes are part of the value here)

"C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\Vantage/uninstall/installer.exe" -uninstall="C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\Vantage/uninstall/install.log" -uninstallApp="Chaos Vantage"

and also a string value DisplayVersion equal to 1.7.2. This assumes you're using the default install location of course.

[glorybound]

Could this be something? I don't have an administrator folder there.

[npg]

Could be something like this: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-m...r/td-p/9142012
See if there is an asset set to this path. But this looks unrelated to the original problem. Try the suggestions from my previous post.

[glorybound]

just an FYI. MAX 2023 is doing the same thing. I haven't had a chance to troubleshoot yet, but I will soon.

[glorybound]

Did what was suggested and I can't find the debug file

[glorybound]

is it the OneDrive crap Microsoft pushes on you?


C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\Vantage/uninstall/installer.xml
C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\Vantage/uninstall/backup.bin
NUMVARS 18
VAR DESKTOP_SHORTCUT 1
VAR REGISTRY_PROG_ID Chaos.Vantage
VAR STDROOT C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\Vantage
VAR DESKTOP_PATH C:\Users\white\OneDrive\Desktop
VAR REMOTE_LICENSE 0
VAR REVERT_INSTALL 1
VAR ASSOCIATE_VANTAGE 1
VAR FIREWALL_EXCEPTION 1
VAR INSTALL_TYPE 0
VAR PROGRAMFILES C:\Program Files
VAR APPDATALOCAL C:\Users\white\AppData\Local
VAR INSTALL_CGLS 1
VAR REVERT_UNINSTALL 0
VAR INSTALL_ERROR 0
VAR STARTMENUPROG C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
VAR PREVIOUSINSTALLATION 2
VAR COMMONFILES C:\Program Files\Common Files
VAR UNINSTALL_ERROR 0
DIR 3 C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\Vantage/qt_webengine/translations\
FILE CREATE C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\Vantage/qt_webengine/translations\zh-TW.pak
...
...
FIREWALL APP C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\Vantage\vantage.exe
FIREWALL PORT 30305 TCP;UDP Chaos License Port 05
FIREWALL PORT 30304 TCP Chaos License Port 04
FIREWALL PORT 20701 TCP;UDP Chaos Vantage Livelink Port 01
FIREWALL PORT 20702 TCP;UDP Chaos Vantage Livelink Port 02
REGVAL HKEY_CURRENT_USER Environment CHAOS_VANTAGE_SEND_FEEDBACK
REGVAL HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT [REGISTRY_PROG_ID]
REGKEY 2 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT Chaos.Vantage/DefaultIcon
REGVAL HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT Chaos.Vantage/DefaultIcon
REGKEY 3 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT Chaos.Vantage/shell/open/command
REGVAL HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT Chaos.Vantage/shell/open/command
REGVAL HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT .vantage

[npg]

So you ran

vantage_1.7.2.exe -debug=2

and there is no new log file in %TEMP% ? This is strange, it works here. The text you quoted is from a different log in a different location, used for a different purpose (to revert during uninstall).

The DESKTOP_PATH variable is filled from the registry value "Desktop" in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
It's used to place a shortcut there.