I posted about this over at tech-artists.org but got no reply, so I’m trying my luck here.
One thing I have noticed with third-party UV-editing tools for 3ds Max is that every single one of them (TexTools, PolyTools3D, etc) use a separate window/toolbar docked to the native UV editor in Max, and I’m wondering why it’s like this? Is it simply impossible to do a proper integration with the 3ds Max UV editor? Talk me through the tech details!
is your question – why do you make a new UV dialog instead of adding new features to the built-in one?
I want a complete re-design. I want to remove old icons and containers and add my own ones.
You can make any sort of modifications, improvements to either the code or the UI of the Unwrap UVW modifier plugin, as the source code is distributed as part of the Max SDK. However, distributing such a plugin would be illegal.
Before 2012 version, 3ds Max was shipped with a scripted rollout as part of the Unwrap UVW modifier for many years. That script is still being shipped with Max although it is not functional.
Since Max 2012 the UI changed and there are a few new methods to work with it. Search for “Custom Toolbars and Floaters” in the MXS help.
So in other words, you would have to write your own Unwrap UVW-modifier if you were planning on creating a commercial product – or be forced to use the native UI and dock a toolbar to it?
Well, not always. You can use the methods in the topic I previously mentioned to modify part of the UI. However you can’t change the whole thing, just customize some.
If you wanted to change the whole Editor look, add and remove controls anywhere, modify the editor’s behavior, then yes you would have to write your own plugin. That also includes custom hotkeys assignment.
for max 2012+ i made a toolset dialog with UVW extension methods which appears every time when:
part #1 – a uvw unwrap modifier becomes current
part #2 – its built-in editor shows up (enables some features)
(the ui solution is similar to Vertex Pain modifier tools dialog)
but of course own UVW modifier would be cool