[Closed] garbage collection error

first of all:
#1 how much initial heap allocation memory for max scripts do you have?
#2 do you open bitmaps during the script run?
#3 do you free opened bitmaps before loading new file?
#4 do you reset max file before loading the new one?

Thanks for the reply.

#1 how much initial heap allocation memory for max scripts do you have?

print heapSize
23373864L

#2 do you open bitmaps during the script run?

I’m not sure if bitmaps are being “opened” or not. To fetch the bitmap I’m using:

skinDiff = bitmapTexture filename:(maxFilePath+nnn+"color.tga")

Is that considered “opening” a bitmap? I don’t see a bitmap selection dialog open when the script runs. I think it’s just using the path and filename info I give it to go directly to the file.

#3 do you free opened bitmaps before loading new file?

Again, I’m not sure what is considered “opening” a bitmap, but no I’m not doing anything specifically to free bitmaps. According to the docs, gc does this among other things.

#4 do you reset max file before loading the new one?

I have tried this and I still get the garbage collection error.

I’ll give that a shot, thank you!

I had the same error some time ago… I haven’t any bitmap stuff in the scene. It allways happens if i use “reset max”. It was depending on which scene was open.

Solution: startup a fresh max, merge all objects from the problematic scene.

Is this a general tip? I use it on almost all scripts at the end…

Apologies for the necro thread, but I’m still having GC problems and I believe I’ve narrowed the problem down to SME.

Similar threads I’ve found:
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=929019
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=98&t=357942

This is the code I have:

 fn stripMats =
 (
 	-- Remove material assignments on all objects in the scene
 	for obj in objects do
 	(
 		obj.material = null
 	)
 	-- COMPACT MATERIAL EDITOR
 	matEditor.mode = #basic -- Sets ME to compact mode
 	actionMan.executeAction 0 "50048" -- Tools: Material Editor
 	actionMan.executeAction 2 "40293" -- Material Editor: Cycle 3X2, 5X3, 6X4 Sample Slots
 	actionMan.executeAction 2 "40293" -- Material Editor: Cycle 3X2, 5X3, 6X4 Sample Slots
 	matEditor.Close()
 	macros.run "Medit Tools" "clear_medit_slots"
 	--freeSceneBitmaps() -- Clears all scene bitmaps out of memory
 	--saveMaxFile (maxFilePath+maxFileName)
 	
 	-- SLATE MATERIAL EDITOR (SME)
 	matEditor.mode = #advanced
 	sme.deleteView 1 false -- Delete current slate in SME
 	newView = sme.getView(sme.createView "Character Materials") -- Make a new slate in SME
 	--actionMan.executeAction 0 "40130" -- Redraw all views
 	--max select none
 	--freeSceneBitmaps() -- Clears all scene bitmaps out of memory
 	--saveMaxFile (maxFilePath+maxFileName)
 )
 

I’ve tried running each half of the function alacarte and I’m almost certain it’s the SME stuff that’s causing GC problem. I have set my initial heap allocation to 128MB under Preferences, but that hasn’t helped at all. You can also see that I’ve been commenting out (essentially removing) things as a process of elimination to try to narrow the problem down. Even with the above things commented out I still get GC errors any time I reset the scene or try to open a new scene.

My workstation has 12GB of RAM, so memory shouldn’t be an issue.