I’m working on a scripted modifier plugin that uses custom structs to extend the available data about nodes. this idea works well, but I have to recreate the data everytime I reopen a maxscene. Specifically I’m wondering how to save a multidimensional array within a scene file, or how to extend new types of parameters in scripted plugins.
Scripted plugins are what they are and you can’t extend the data types. You can’t store multi dimensional arrays but you could break the data up into the bits that you can store types for and then put it back together when it first loads in the scene.
Another way that I have used in the past for complex data is storing it all in a string or better yet an XML formated string so that you can read it in with dotNet and get at the data as nodes. YOu then have to convert that data from string values to what ever you need how ever.
Yes serializing, is what I do too with multidimensional arrays.
-Johan
it works if the array is not of max objects (nodes, materials, modifiers, controllers, etc.).
my solution is persistent global and persistent callback for #filePostOpen…
but i always trying to organize my data for a plug-in to be able to store it in its parameter block. and i have never had a situation when i couldn’t do it.
thanks for the replies, most of them were over my head. xml seems the most reasonable to me, but I’ve avoided learning it thus far. maybe I can break it up into persistant arrays. my script lets the user create multiarrays by selecting scene nodes and materials then automatically creates new meshs by mixing and matching elements from the array, but the created multiarray right now isn’t being saved with the scene. would anyone have suggestions for a work around or a better way of storing user created arrays?
first of all please show why you need multi-array… can you use two arrays – one for nodes and other for materials?
they are nested, each materialID has an array of potential materials or mesh that get assigned to those faces. And if a a mesh is assigned the the process repeats itself on that meshes assigned materialID as well. the only way I could think to keep its recursive ability was to have one custom struct per mesh that holds all the assigned data, the structs that need to be processed are kept in an array that is extended for each level of recursion. the script is large (300+ lines), but I can post it if you think it would help
ok… you can make:
#array of ids
and
#array of multimaterials, and use multimaterial as array of potential materials of id
there is another solution:
#make scripted modifier A that extends empty modifier … make it hidden… the modifier will have two parameters: id and tab of materials
#make another scripted modifier B that has two parameters: node and tab of modifiers A…
using these two modifiers you can handle any depth of recursion. and data will be stored in param block, and save with file…
probably the merging will be supported as well
denisT: I like your hidden modifier solution. I’m going to try that out for tomorrow. I’ll tell everyone how it goes when I get it working.
haha. I was being a dolt. Serialization was the right answer all along, I should have listened in the first place. its pretty easy to convert multidimensional arrays using stringTabs, I’m sure there are other ways to go about this, but serializing is a simple solution that works well with scripted modifiers.
Anyway thanks everyone for helping me learn how to go about scripting plugins.