Itoo Software Forum

Author Topic: Feature Request: XRef Scene nodes as Areas/Surfaces  (Read 1507 times)

Shawn Olson

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 92
  • Wall Worm
    • Wall Worm
Feature Request: XRef Scene nodes as Areas/Surfaces
« on: December 03, 2016, 06:18:59 PM »
I want to propose a new function for adding the ability to use objects from an XRef Scene for Areas and Surfaces. I know it would be problematic on many levels but it's something that I'm sure could be accomplished. Off the top of my head the main challenge is giving a UI that allows user to pick the objects.

This feature would be very ideal in some of the things I'm working on where a landscape is controlled by another artist and I need to keep Forest in a separate scene.
Shawn Olson
Product Management Team @ Autodesk for 3ds Max
Developer of Wall Worm Tools

Michal Karmazín

  • iToo Software
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2447
Re: Feature Request: XRef Scene nodes as Areas/Surfaces
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2016, 01:32:49 PM »
Hi,

Two kinds of externally referenced files (XRefs): XRef Objects and XRef Scenes are handled by 3ds max in a different way:

Objects loaded in the master file via XRef Scenes cannot be selected nor modified, and do not appear in the Select From Scene dialog or Scene Explorer, the modifier stack, or the Track View. You can animate them in the current file only by using the Bind To Parent function in the XRef Scenes window.

We'll check if there is any possible workaround to bypass such limitation, but at first sight we don't think so.

Instead, XRef Objects can be easily used for these purposes.

Anyway, thanks for your suggestion, your feedback is very important to us.

Best regards,

Shawn Olson

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 92
  • Wall Worm
    • Wall Worm
Re: Feature Request: XRef Scene nodes as Areas/Surfaces
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2016, 08:54:44 PM »
While I know that standard Max selection tools won't allow selection access to xref scene nodes... they are accessible to MAXScript and to Max. I have some scripted functions for accessing them for querying the objects and getting their data, etc. I've made tools that give a user options for utilizing xref scene nodes, so I know it is possible to get and use the data. If you need sample scripts, I can provide them. I don't know what that means for an actual geometry plugin... but hopefully it is possible.
Shawn Olson
Product Management Team @ Autodesk for 3ds Max
Developer of Wall Worm Tools

Shawn Olson

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 92
  • Wall Worm
    • Wall Worm
Re: Feature Request: XRef Scene nodes as Areas/Surfaces
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2016, 07:12:31 PM »
I wanted to follow up on this thread to further clarify by responding to the note about XRef Objects. XRef Object nodes don't accommodate the scenario I'm focused on because the environments are entire layouts, not just objects. Using XRef Objects for this case would be missing the point because you'd have to xref all objects and lay them out identically to the source scene... which defeats the whole purpose. What I'm needing to do is detail scenes that others are actually working on (and layouts, designs are not finalized).

That is why I want to reference objects inside XRef Scenes.
« Last Edit: December 13, 2016, 01:52:55 PM by Shawn Olson »
Shawn Olson
Product Management Team @ Autodesk for 3ds Max
Developer of Wall Worm Tools