[Closed] Test plugin written on C# without reloading 3d MAX

Upto and including 2010 it is possible to unload a dll (except mxs dlx’s). It’s a convoluted task and not for the faint hearted requiring some custom tools for checking whether max is running and what version is running from visual studio. Then the tool (i use python with a custom extension) uses max’s com interface (peeking/hacking the resource entry as it goes) to save the current file, reset max, unload the dll (requires it’s own custom dlx!). you can now copy over the new dll, and reload it finally reload the saved file. Simples Since 2010 version they no longer export/make public the key function that lets you unload the dll. So I do all my primary dev in 2010.

here’s some of the python post build script i use (WinProcess is a custom c extension to python)

#***********************************************************************************************

#file:     UpdateMaxPluginEx.py
#purpose:  manage visual studio post build event for max plugins 
#started:  
#last ed:  
#usage:    UpdateMaxPluginEx.py [-p/--filepath <pluginname>] [-v/--version <int>] [-x/--x64] [-r/--restartmax] [-q/--quitmax]

#python ..\..\..\scripts\UpdateMaxPluginEx.py -p $(TargetPath)   -v 17 -q --x64
#***********************************************************************************************

import os;
import shutil;
import time;
import win32api;
#our custom extension
import WinProcess;
import win32com.client;
import sys;
import getopt;
import os.path;

from MaxOLE import *;

#*******************************************************************
# initialize stuff

supportedversions = [11,12,13,14,15,16,17];
max_functions = ["OLECommand","OLESaveMaxFile","OLELoadLastSavedFile","OLEResetMax","OLEQuitMax","OLEUnloadPlugin","OLELoadPlugin"];
mvStrToInt = {"3ds Max 2009":11,"3ds Max 2010":12,"3ds Max 2011":13,"3ds Max 2012":14,"3ds Max 2013":15,"3ds Max 2014":16,"3ds Max 2015":17};
mvIntToStr = {11:"2009",12:"2010",13:"2011",14:"2012",15:"2013",16:"2014",17:"2015"};
sleeptime = 3;
args = sys.argv;
version = 0;
archi = "x86";
restartMax = False;
quitMax = False;

MaxAppName = "3dsmax.exe";
MaxApp = "MAX.Application";
MaxAppKeys = CollectMaxAppKeys(MaxApp);
usageStr = "UpdateMaxPluginEx.py [-p/--filepath <pluginname>]  [-v/--version <int>] [-x/--x64] [-r/--restartmax] [-q/--quitmax]";

#****************************************************************
# Parse arguments, shouldn't really fuck up as it has very controlled usage
# but hey ho I may forget, I mean I will forget ! 

try:
    options, remainder = getopt.gnu_getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'p:v:xrq', ['filepath=', 'version','x64','restartmax','quitmax']);
except getopt.GetoptError, err:
        # print help information and exit:
        print str(err); 
        print usageStr;
        sys.exit(2);

# parse the args

for opt, arg in options:
    if opt in ('-p', '--filepath'): 
        sourcefile = arg;
    elif opt in ('-v', '--version'):
        version = int(arg);
    elif opt in ('-x', '--x64'):
        archi = "x64";    
    elif opt in ('-r', '--restartmax'):
        restartMax = True;
    elif opt in ('-q', '--quitmax'):
        quitMax = True;

if not version in supportedversions:
    print "Script Error: Unsupported version, exiting UpdateMaxPluginEx.py"
    sys.exit();

print ("* 3ds Max "+ mvIntToStr[version] + " " + archi + " ****");

pfiles = os.environ["ProgramFiles(x86)"];
if archi == "x64":
    pfiles = os.environ["ProgramFiles"];

# get the short plugin name generate the destination file

pluginName = os.path.basename(sourcefile);
destfile = pfiles + "\\Autodesk\\3ds Max " + mvIntToStr[version] + "\\plugins\\" + pluginName;
FullMaxAppName = pfiles + "\\Autodesk\\3ds Max " + mvIntToStr[version] + "\\3dsmax.exe"

print ("Running..." + os.path.basename(args[0]));
print ("Destination File... " + destfile);

#get current max that is running see if it's ours

print FullMaxAppName;
max_is_running = False;
winprocess_res = WinProcess.IsRunningEx(FullMaxAppName);
if winprocess_res == 1:
    max_is_running = True;
    #print max_app_path;
    #max_app_path_list = max_app_path.split(os.sep);
    #progfiles = max_app_path_list[0] + os.sep + max_app_path_list[1];

    #max_app_archi = "x86";
    #if progfiles == os.environ["ProgramFiles"]:
     #   max_app_archi = "x64";

    #max_app_version = mvStrToInt[max_app_path_list[3]];
   # print max_app_version;
   # print max_app_archi;
    #if max_app_version == version and max_app_archi == archi:
     #   max_is_running = True;

# our max is not running do the copy

if not max_is_running:
    print (FullMaxAppName  + " Is Not running on this System");
    print "Copying file...\n" +  sourcefile + "\nto...\n" + destfile + "\n"; 
    shutil.copy(sourcefile, destfile);
    if restartMax:
        print "starting 3dsmax.exe";
        if getOLESupport(MaxAppKeys, version):
            win32com.client.Dispatch(MaxApp + '.' + str(version));
        else:
            print "Unable to start Max as Specified version Not OLE supported";
    print "UpdateMaxPlugin.py complete";         
    sys.exit();

# ok max is running make sure it's the current OLE

#if setCurrentMaxAppVersion(MaxAppKeys, version):
#    setCurrentMaxAppArchitexture(MaxAppKeys, archi);
#else:
#   print "Script Error: Unable to Interact with Max as Specified version Not OLE supported";
#    sys.exit();

keyindex = getOLESupport(MaxAppKeys, version)
if keyindex != -1:
    MaxApp += ".";
    MaxApp += str(version); 
    setOLELocalServer32(MaxAppKeys, keyindex, MaxApp);
    print "Dispatching to... " + MaxApp;
else:
    print "Script Error: Unable to Interact with Max as Specified version Not OLE supported";
    sys.exit();    

# ok should be able to talk to max now

conn = win32com.client.Dispatch(MaxApp);
for funcs in max_functions: # add our OLE functions
    conn._FlagAsMethod(funcs);

# save the current file

print "Saving Max file";
res = conn.OLESaveMaxFile();

if quitMax: # quit max option used for dlx plugins as they can't be unloaded and versions after 2010
    
    print "Exiting Max";
    try:
        res = conn.OLEQuitMax();
    except:
        res;
    time.sleep(sleeptime);    #give max time to shut down
    print "Copying file...\n" +  sourcefile + "\nto...\n" + destfile + "\n"; 
    shutil.copy(sourcefile, destfile);
    if restartMax:   # only restart if we actually have quit max
        conn = win32com.client.Dispatch(MaxApp);
        #conn.OLELoadLastSavedFile(); #
        
else: # we risk it for a swisskit 
    
    print "Reseting Max";
    try:
        res = conn.OLEResetMax();
    except:
        res;
    print "Unloading Plugin"; 
    conn.OLEUnloadPlugin(pluginName);
    print "Copying file...\n" +  sourcefile + "\nto...\n" + destfile + "\n"; 
    shutil.copy(sourcefile,destfile);
    print "Loading Plugin";
    conn.OLELoadPlugin(pluginName);
    print "Loading Saved File"; 
    conn.OLELoadLastSavedFile();

print "UpdateMaxPluginEx.py complete";

i made a gif to show the benefit to my work flow…