Notes rollout for materials

[Morne]

Hi Guys

It would be nice if we can get a "Notes" rollout in the VRayMtl.

Often we create super duper complex materials that work only in specific cases. Sometimes months later we re-use the material but cant remember how to get the result we had before. Often this is down to objects only having 1 UV channel, or no objects added to distancetex etc.
If we can add notes for ourself directly in the material, we could type something like "Need 3 uv channels on channel 1 ,3 and 4. Add ref object for distancetex" etc

[^Lele^]

I agree, but would want it across any node type in max.

In the while, this creates a simple plugin material for the vrayMtl which will save the text in the max file.
The only issue is you need to drag the plugin file along and have it start with max, for the notes to be available.
Should the plugin material not be available, the delegate (i.e. the base vrayMtl) is going to be used in its place, no setting will be lost.

plugin material nVrayMtl
name:"Noted V-Ray Material"
classID:#(695425,446581)  --generate one you like with genClassID()
extends:vrayMtl replaceUI:false version:1
(
parameters main rollout:Params
(
matNotes type:#string default:"" ui:matNotes
)
rollout params "Glass Parameters" width:320 height:120
(
label 'lbl1' "Material Notes: " pos:[8,8] width:76 height:13 fieldwidth:45 align:#left
editText 'matNotes' "" pos:[0,24] width:312 height:88 align:#left
)
on create do
(
--empty
)
)

[fixeighted]

This is a great idea! Thanks Lele for the code. Would love it to be more integrated,
so maybe that is somewhere down the road, from either A'desk or otherwise
Meanwhile I guess there is this also http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/sc...cene-notes-pro

[Morne]

I agree, but would want it across any node type in max.

In the while, this creates a simple plugin material for the vrayMtl which will save the text in the max file.
The only issue is you need to drag the plugin file along and have it start with max, for the notes to be available.
Should the plugin material not be available, the delegate (i.e. the base vrayMtl) is going to be used in its place, no setting will be lost.

plugin material nVrayMtl
name:"Noted V-Ray Material"
classID:#(695425,446581) --generate one you like with genClassID()
extends:vrayMtl replaceUI:false version:1
(
parameters main rollout:Params
(
matNotes type:#string default:"" ui:matNotes
)
rollout params "Glass Parameters" width:320 height:120
(
label 'lbl1' "Material Notes: " pos:[8,8] width:76 height:13 fieldwidth:45 align:#left
editText 'matNotes' "" pos:[0,24] width:312 height:88 align:#left
)
on create do
(
--empty
)
)

^Lele^ could you give some more instruction please. Do I save that as a regular ms file and stick it into C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2021\scripts\Startup ?

[^Lele^]

Yes, that'd work.

[Vizioen]

I just add just some info in the name of the material, but sometimes it can get quite long. On another note, if you use Pulze scene manager you can add notes to setups.

[^Lele^]

I dream of a proper shotgun integration, now that it's all under one roof.
Notes added to Max nodes can link to the relevant Shotgun section where the comments were made (i.e.: Shotgun note: "This is too red", material note, with link to that "This is too red").
I am utterly unsure Max could do this, although seeing how one can pop custom attributes on nigh any type of node, perhaps there are ways.