What's New in MAXScript in 3ds Max 2021 and Updates

This topic will give you a quick overview of the MAXScript language changes and improvements in 3ds Max 2021 and updates. For details on each feature, please follow the links to the respective documentation pages.

Note:

New additions to MAXScript in 3ds Max 2021 are marked with NEW in 3ds Max 2021:... throughout the MAXScript Reference. The word NEW links back to this page.

New in MAXScript in 3ds Max 2021.1 Update

Callback Management	New functions allow you to enable or disable some callback types: Time change callbacks: `timeCallbacksEnabled()`, `enableTimeCallbacks()`, `disableTimeCallbacks()` Viewport redraw callbacks: `redrawViewsCallbacksEnabled()`, `enableRedrawViewsCallbacks()`, `disableRedrawViewsCallbacks()` Selection filter callbacks: `selectFilterCallbacksEnabled()`, `enableSelectFilterCallbacks()`, `disableSelectFilterCallbacks()` Display filter callbacks:`displayFilterCallbacksEnabled()`, `enableDisplayFilterCallbacks()`, `disableDisplayFilterCallbacks()`
Bake To Texture	The BakeToTexture : UtilityPlugin interface has new members to support additional features: `alwaysSkipExistingFiles` `getOutputTo()`/ `setOutputTo()` `getNewMaterial()` `getTargetMaterialSlots()` `clearShellKeepBaked()` / `clearShellKeepOriginal()` The BakeToTextureMap interface has new members: `UDIMEnabled` `UDIMFilePattern` `getTargetMapSlot()` `setTargetMapSlot()` The callback that can be registered with BakeToTexture.bake() is now called after every successful baked file is saved, now that the Bake To Texture feature supports formats with multiple files (such as animated maps or UDIM tiles).
Default Parameter Management	A new interface allows you to define defaults for parameters: `DefaultParamInterface`.
Controlling UI Focus and Foreground	The `setFocus()` function can now take a rollout's HWND property. A new `setForegroundWindow()` function is similar to `setFocus()`, but also brings the specified UI component to the foreground.
New Assert Functions	New assert functions are provided for debugging: `assert_array_equal()`, `assert_matchpattern()`, and `assert_bitarray_equal()`. The new `assert_float_equal()` is identical to `assert_float()`, but has a more meaningful name.
New createPreview() option	The `createPreview()` function has a new useMPCamEffect option that enables the display of multipass camera effects in the animation preview.
New FBX Importer option	The new "PostSamplingKeyReducer" option for the FBX Importer controls whether animation keys are reduced post-conversion.
BigMatrix row values	The value of a BigMatrix row can now be set directly to an array of float values.
Previously Undocumented Items	The `registerDisplayFilterCallback()` function is now documented under Adding Selection and Display Filters These functions for displaying registered callbacks are now documented: `showregisteredTimeCallbacks()` `showregisteredSelectFilterCallbacks()` `showregisteredDisplayFilterCallbacks()` `showregisteredRedrawViewsCallbacks()` The dspSpaceWarps option for the `createPreview()` function is now documented.

New in MAXScript in 3ds Max 2021

Bake to Texture Support	The `BakeToTexture : UtilityClass` exposes the functionality of the new Bake to Texture feature.
MAXScript Editor Python Support	When in Python language mode, the MAXScript Editor now inserts four spaces instead of a tab character when you type Tab. This complies with PEP-0008
Plugin Package Manager Additions	The `PluginPackageManager` interface has new methods to return information about Scene Converter, OSL, and AMG paths: `GetSceneConverterFoldersCount()` `GetSceneConverterFolderFullPath()` `GetOSLFoldersCount()` `GetOSLFolderFullPath()` `GetAMGFoldersCount()` `GetAMGFolderFullPath()`
Callbacks Changes	The callbacks.addScript() method can now take a function as the second parameter. Previously this had to be a String, StringStream, or filename.
Weighted Normals Modifier	The new Weighted Normals modifier is exposed in the `Weighted_Normals : Modifier` class.
ATF-based Importers	Autodesk Translation Framework (ATF) based importer plug-ins have some extra features exposed to MAXScript, `.ImportHiddenObjects` and `.PreserveLayers`. This applies to: ATF_Alias_importer ATF_CATIA_V4_importer ATF_CATIA_V5_importer ATF_IGES_importer ATF_JT_importer ATF_ProE_importer ATF_SKETCHUP_Import ATF_Solidworks_importer ATF_STEP_importer ATF_UG_NX_importer
Scripted Plug-ins	Scripted plug-in parameters can now take an optional `localizedName` string, which is used (instead of the parameter name) when the parameter is displayed on a UI.
Rollout Visibility	Rollouts have a new `visible` property that controls whether they are visible when displayed in a dialog. Two new utility functions allow you to convert parameter type name values to their corresponding enum integer representation from the C++ SDK, and vice versa: `ParamTypeToTypeName()` and `TypeNameToParamType()`.
For Loop Index Variables	The `for` loop now can take optional index arguments to handle filtered and unfiltered list operation.
SME Material Library Methods	Several new methods have been added to the SME interface to expose functionality for working with material libraries: `OpenMtlLib()` `HasMtlLib()` `IsMtlLibModified()` `SaveMtlLib()` `SaveMtlLibAs()` `CloseMtlLib()`
edit_poly Modifier Chamfer Enhancements	Chamfer improvements to the `edit_poly` modfier are exposed in new properties: `edgeChamferMiteringType` (which replaces the now obsolete `edgeChamferType` and `edgeChamferQuadIntersections`) `chamferVertexDepth` `chamferVertexSegments` `chamferVertexSmooth` `chamferVertexSmoothThreshold` `chamferVertexSmoothType` `edgeChamferDepth` `edgeChamferEndBias` `edgeChamferMiteringType` `edgeChamferRadialBias`
Max Memory Heap Usage	The new `sysinfo.getMAXHeapUsed()` function returns the amount of heap memory 3ds Max is using.
Scripted Custom Attribute Loading Callbacks	New functions have been added to the `custAttributes` struct to help manage callbacks that can now be registered to alter definitions as they are loaded from a scene file: `custAttributes.registerDefLoadCallback()` `custAttributes.unRegisterDefLoadCallback()` `custAttributes.unRegisterAllDefLoadCallbacks()` `custAttributes.showregisteredDefLoadCallbacks()`
Documentation Changes	The active segment normalized time literal format has not been supported for several releases, and has been removed from the Time Values and Time Literals topics.
Deprecated and Removed Items	The `<ViewportViewSettingImpl>.DefaultLightsFollowCamera` property is removed from the NitrousGraphicsManager interface.
Previously Undocumented Items	Functions in the custAttributes struct used to manage how scripted custom attribute definitions are managed when there is a conflict with a loaded or merged scene are now documented under Handling Scripted Custom Attribute Definition Conflicts The `dspFrameNums` keyword argument has been added to the createPreview() method.