[Brett Morgan]

Hey guys, just reading through the manaual and checking out the start up videos:

modo_video1 - installing and getting started
modo_video2 - environment and lighting
modo_video3 - materials

A couple of things, I hit the "about" button in the plugin pop up, it pops up, but unlike in the video when i click on the "check for updates" button and it takes me to: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Luxology/modo%20401%20sp2/help/portal.nextlimit.com not the portal, so I check the portal for the latest version, I have version 0.9999 installed, the portal displays:

VERSION: 2.0.0.0
SIZE: 3.2 Mb
DATE: 23 September 2009
PACKAGE: Modo
PLATFORM: Windows

I take it the version means Maxwell not the modo version?

Second thing how do I add my maxwell materials folder to the modo layout tab? as displayed in the materials video.

Thanks, more questions to come I'm sure, partly because I have never used modo for anything besides modelling.

[Marton Day8]

Hello Brett,

Please don't hesitate to ask, we try to answer your questions.

You have right, the CHECK FOR UPDATE button tries to navigate to a wrong place, it was a mistake, and it will work better in the next update. (Otherwise version 0.9999 is correct - that is the latest.)

About your second question. I am not sure what you would like to know. Are you asking about the mxm material file thumbnails in the modo preset window? If yes, it is very easy to navigate to these Maxwell material files, you only have to click on the middle-top button of the preset window, and choose "mxm files" (usually it is the second after Assets).
If you can't see "mxm files" in the list, it means something was not set correctly during the installation (it is not your fault, probably the installer has set a wrong path).
You can correct it manually. Please open the modoFriendMaxwell_module.CFG file (you can find it in the C:\Documents and Settings\....\Application Data\Luxology\Config or in the C:\Users\....\AppData\Roaming\Luxology\Configs folder).
Search for the line which starts with:
<hash type="ClientPath" key="presetChoice@
After presetChoice@ you should see the path of the maxwell material folder. If it is not correct, please overwrite it with the valid path. It can happen that the installer has written the "materials database" folder two times into the material path. If you see this in the path: "\materials database\materials database" please overwrite it with a simple "\materials database".

I hope it helps!

Márton

[Brett Morgan]

Thanks for clarifying that Márton, yes I wanted to know about setting up my materials database folder inside modo without moving a lot of files around, I tend not to use C: to store any valuable data because, well we all know what microsoft software can be like on a bad day

My config file looks like this(Vista X64):

<configuration>
<import>C:\Program Files (x86)\Luxology\Maxwell plugin for Modo\Configs</import>
<import>C:\Program Files (x86)\Luxology\Maxwell plugin for Modo\Scripts</import>
<atom type="StartupCommands">
<list type="Command">@modoFriendMaxwell_commands.pl startPlugin "C:\Program Files (x86)\Luxology\Maxwell plugin for Modo\extra\modoFriendMaxwell"</list>
</atom>
<atom type="UserValues">
<hash type="Value" key="modoFriendMaxwell_maxwellPath">C:\Program Files\Next Limit\Maxwell 2\maxwell.exe</hash>
<hash type="Value" key="modoFriendMaxwell_installPath">C:\Program Files (x86)\Luxology\Maxwell plugin for Modo</hash>
</atom>
<atom type="DirBrowser">
<hash type="ClientPath" key="presetChoice@C:\Program Files\Next Limit\Maxwell 2\materials database\mxm files">1</hash>
</atom>
</configuration>


Can I add an extra path here at the end?

Cheers

OK changed the lat bit to:

<atom type="DirBrowser">
<hash type="ClientPath" key="presetChoice@C:\Program Files\Next Limit\Maxwell 2\materials database\mxm files">1</hash>
<hash type="ClientPath" key="presetChoice@F:\MAXWELL">1</hash>
</atom>
</configuration>

Not familiar with playing with cfg files

[Marton Day8]

Hello Brett,

Is it working now?

It is also possible to add your material folder inside modo. In case you would like to add your own Maxwell Material folder (and not just the default Maxwell material folder), it is better to do it inside modo (if you update your plug-in, the installer overwrites this modoFriendMaxwell_module.CFG config file so you will lose your manual settings).

Click on the preset window drop down list, and choose "(add path)". Select the desired path.... That is all. (modo saves this new path inside the modo401.cfg file -> the plug-in installer won't overwrite this.)


Márton

[Brett Morgan]

Thanks Márton, working now

Regards