[Closed] Installing Additional Help docs in Max
Hi Everyone.
I’m having a few problems with an installer I’m writing.
It’s a maxscript installer that tries to copy a help.pdf file to #Maxroot/help/help.pdf, and then modifies the plugin.ini file so that the help file comes up in the Help – Additional help menu from within 3dsMax.
This is all fine on most PC’s but when I try to install it on a windows 7 machine using User Account Controls the script fails.
It gets to
sf = c:\whatever\location\of\source\file\help.pdf
tf = #maxroot + "help\\"
CopyFile sf tf
and fails; CopyFile returns false.
So, here’s several questions.
- Is there a way to make windows Account Control prompt for Admin mode like it does for every other program wanting to modify things in the programs directory.
- Am I putting the help file in a the “wrong” location. I could just put it anywhere but that seams to be where other additional help files are located.
Also, this tutorial (which uses a nullsoft installer) suggests putting it in that location
http://www.scriptspot.com/files/Creating%20Installers%20for%20MAXScripts.pdf
Incidentally, should I be adding the additional help entry to
Maxroot\plugin.ini
or
C:\Users\Adam\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\2010 – 32bit\enu\Plugin.UserSettings.ini
Both seam to work but I’m sure one is more the correct way of doing things.
I’m leaning towards copying the help file to
C:\Users\Adam\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\2010 – 32bit\enu\help\help.pdf
and modifying
C:\Users\Adam\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\2010 – 32bit\enu\Plugin.UserSettings.ini
Because I don’t think either of these will require UAC access but I just wanted to see what others thought before going ahead with this.
Thanks in advance.
Adam
Hi Adam,
I’m working on the same sort of problem right now. There’s absolutely no way around UAC. So the only real solution is to work with the appdata directory, as I am rebuilding my tool to do the same. UAC does only allow certified programs to do copy operations, and guess where you can buy a certificate to make that happen.
-Johan
Thanks Johan.
If thats the case I’m just going to create a help directory in that appdata dir.
I think I am having the same problem (apologies for bumping if it is not)
If I put a script in the scripts folder, Max will report errors that suggest lack of permissions:
MAXScript FileIn Exception
– Runtime error: Copy error on file: C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2010\scripts\RPManagerBonusTools\messagebox.ms
Can this be solved with appdata dirs or how?
Windows 7 is indeed a nightmare with permissions, the fact that programs do not inherit permissions from the user running them alone is… confusing.
If not relevant, I will make my own thread