You can download and install the SDK from this location. By default, the SDK is installed in the 3ds Max YYYY SDK folder, which is located alongside the 3ds Max YYYY installation folder (where YYYY is the release number). The 3ds Max YYYY SDK folder contains the following:

\help : This folder contains the gencid.exe file, which is a program that generates a random Class ID for your plug-in. See the topic about Generating Class IDs for more information.

\howto : This folder contains the explanatory sample code for the 3ds Max plug-ins. Each sample plug-in consists of a Visual Studio project and all of its code. These sample plug-ins are helpful for getting started because they are smaller and easier to understand than the sample plug-ins in the \samples folder. It also contains the 3dsMaxPluginWizard, a Visual Studio wizard which helps to create new 3ds Max plugin projects.

\include : This folder contains the header files for the core of 3ds Max, as well as separate folders for the following 3ds Max plug-in systems:

• \AssetManagement - Asset management classes
• \ATS - Asset tracking system headers
• \CATAPI - Character Animation Toolkit (CAT) classes
• \containers - Container class declarations
• \CS - Character studio
• \CustomFileStreamAPI - Custom File Stream API for OLE Structured Storage
• \DaylightSimulation - Daylight simulation system
• \geom - 3d math library, containing classes such as points, matrices, helper geometry data structures, bounding boxes and accompanying algorithms. It also contains useful math operations, such as mesh triangulation.
• \Graphics - APIs for using the Nitrous viewport display mode and the Quicksilver renderer
• \IGame - 3ds Max data exchange interface
• \ManagedServices - Headers for performing string conversion in C++/CLI
• \Materials - Headers for material-related APIs
• \maxscript - MAXScript SDK and implementation files
• \network - Network rendering related headers
• \NotificationAPI - Headers for working with the Notification API (mainly for interactive rendering)
• \ParticleFlow - Particle flow system headers
• \PluginPackageManager - Headers for working with the Plug-in Package system
• \PointCloud - Point Cloud headers
• \Populate - Populate system headers
• \Qt - 3ds Max Qt integration
• \Rendering - Old rendering API
• \RenderingAPI - New rendering API
• \Scene - Physical camera headers
• \SkinEngine - Framework and accompanying library for skin modifiers. It is used by skin, skinwrap, bonesdef, etc.
• \Util - Utility headers that are part of maxutil.lib
• \XRef - xref system related headers

\ProjectSettings : This folder contains the compiler and linker settings in the form of property sheets.

\samples : This folder contains the complete code for some of the 3ds Max standard plug-ins and the corresponding Visual Studio project file for each plug-in.

\plugin : The plug-ins in the \howto folder put their 64-bit binaries after compilation and linking in this folder.

\pdb : The symbols are generated to this folder.

\lib : This folder contains the library files (.LIB) needed for the 64-bit plug-ins.

\tools : This folder contains a tool that extracts resources into a .mui file (related to language pack ) automatically. This tool is invoked when third party plug-ins use 3ds Max property sheets.