[siliconbauhaus]

I'm anxious to use 1.0 but a guy I work for still uses beta for renderings ( I do the modeling )

Is there a way to have 2 seperate shortcuts max so I can click to start with the beta and the other with 1.0 ?

[siliconbauhaus]

hmmm....no ideas eh ?

[jdp]

honestly I don't know if you can have both. someone did it with RC5 if I am not wrong... you might search in the forum. the problem comes with plugins, which are different... have a look here:

http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/view ... +beta+both

[rivoli]

it's been done, but I guess you have to replace the plugin and edit the environment variables manually each time you switch from one another.

[siliconbauhaus]

hmmm...that blows

cheers mates

[jdp]

btw, siliconbauhaus is really a nice nickname. I like it...

[siliconbauhaus]

this really does blow.....I'm sitting here looking at all the stuff people are doing with V1 and I cant run both....surely someone has an idea ?

[michaelplogue]

I would suggest createing a batch file to do this.

Have two separate directorys each will all the files for each version (to include the plugin).
For example:

MaxwellBeta\
MaxwellV1\


Then have another directory where your environment variables are pointing to.

Maxwell\

Create two batch files one to set up for Beta, the other to set up for V1. For example, I'd call them Loadbeta.bat and LoadV1.bat

For each batch file, first have it delete everything in the Maxwell folder, and delete the maxwell plugin as well. Then (depending on which batch) have it copy everything from the 'source' folder into the Maxwell folder, and copy the plugin into your plugin folder.

Make sure the Maxwell V1 is already registered properlly before you copy it to the MaxwellV1\ folder (while it's still in the Maxwell\ folder).

Then, all you'd need to do is go to a comand window and type LoadBeta or LoadV1 and the version you want to work with will be 'installed' for use.

[Fernando Tella]

I have beta, RC5 and V1 installed; what I did is:

-installed BETA in the default folder and put the plugin file in max plugin folder; rename maxwell folder inside Next Limit folder to "Maxwell BETA" and plugin file to maxwell.BETAdlr;

-installed RC5 and renamed the same way (but withRC5 instead of BETA, of course);

-installed V1 in the default folder too;

so I have the plugins folder like this when using V.1:



and the next limit folder like this:



If I want to use another version I have to rename files and folders and that's all.

[Fernando Tella]

A question for the "batchers": Can you tell me how to make a batch file to rename this files and folders? Can it be done? It would be great.
I don't know how to make batch files...

[michaelplogue]

Well, its been a LONG time since I've done a batch file, but after a bit of a refresher, here goes:

First you have to determine the short Path (dos) of all of your directories since batch files do not work with long path names. You can figure these out by using the dir /x /p command (the /x switch will show you the short name, and the /p will pause the listing).

So, for example, my short path for my Maxwell directory is:

c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwell

I've created two additional folders, one for Beta, one for V1 and they are:

c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwel~1
(for my Beta Directory)

and

c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwel~2
(for my V1 directory)

NOTE: These may be different on your system, depending on what order you create the directories.

I've copied full installations of each version in the appropriate directory (to include the plugin for the respective version)

Now, this first batch file - which I'll call LoadBeta.bat, will do just that, install the Beta version.

First you want to get rid of the existing Maxwell folder. The easiest way to do this is with the following command:

rd c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwell /s /q

This will silently (/q) delete the entire Maxwell directory and all sub-directories and files (/s).

Next, we need to copy all files and sub-folders from my Beta directory into a new Maxwell\ folder:

xcopy c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwel~1\*.* c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwell\*.* /e


Then you want to copy the plugin from your Beta directory into your 3ds Max stdplugs directory (overwriting the existing one)

copy c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwel~1\maxwell.dlr e:\3dsMax8\stdplugs\*.* /y

(the /y switch will overwrite the existing file without a prompt)

And that's it! So, your entire batch file will look like this:

rd c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwell /s /q
xcopy c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwel~1\*.* c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwell\*.* /e
copy c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwel~1\maxwell.dlr e:\3dsMax8\stdplugs\*.* /y

Make sure you make backups in a separate location for all of your directories and files - in case you mess up.

Simply type the batchfile in notepad, and save it onto your desktop (or wherever), making sure you give it the extention .bat

Then you can copy this batch file to create a LoadV1.bat, and simply update the text to something like this:


rd c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwell /s /q
xcopy c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwel~2\*.* c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwell\*.* /e
copy c:\Progra~2\Nextli~1\Maxwel~2\maxwell.dlr e:\3dsMax8\stdplugs\*.* /y


REMEMBER: your short path names will be different from mine. It's very important that you determine exactly what yours are before putting together the batch files.

Also, if you are making your own mxm material files, save them in a separate place than in the default Maxwell material database folder. In fact, it would be a good idea to copy all existing ones to somewhere in your 3dsMax folder - that way you wont lose them everytime you switch versions

I'm assuming that currently you have V1 installed. Once you have copied all files, subdirectories and V1 plugin into your MaxwellV1 folder, do an uninstall of V1. Then to a complete Beta installation and license it correctly while it's still in the Maxwell\ directory. Only then copy it to your MaxwellBeta\ folder (along with the Beta plugin).

[Fernando Tella]

Thank you Michael!