[JTB]

I don't know if this has been reported but the plugin cannot remember the path when browsing library... It always go back to C:\Program Files\......
My materials are in E:\..... (local drive).

It has been mentioned that "a lot of work has been done ...." but paths are still not useful to me... I would prefer a permanent list where I can add a path while working, like in MAX.

I have a folder "maxwellmaterials" and another one "maxwelltextures".
The first has all the MXM files and the other has all the JPG files.
When I load an MXM in MAX, it will never look for "maxwelltextures" folder. Imho, I should be asked and the plugin should correct the paths automatically when I update preview.

[simmsimaging]

Same.
b

[Bogdan Coroi]

I don't know if this has been reported but the plugin cannot remember the path when browsing library... It always go back to C:\Program Files\......
My materials are in E:\..... (local drive).

Some clarifications:
- "last directory used" it's a per material feature. That means, two different materials will have two different "last directory used".
- a material always remember its "last directory" when the Browse Library dialog was closed by choosing one material. When closed WITHOUT choosing something, it will always open using the maxwell material database directory (which in this case is always %MAXWELL_ROOT%\materials database\mxm files\)

For the next update, a general start-up directory setting was added. (see image bellow). All materials will have this as a default directory used by Browse Library when it's FIRST opened. After that (closing the Browse Library dialog by choosing one material), the "last directory" will be used when opened.

I have a folder "maxwellmaterials" and another one "maxwelltextures".
The first has all the MXM files and the other has all the JPG files.
When I load an MXM in MAX, it will never look for "maxwelltextures" folder. Imho, I should be asked and the plugin should correct the paths automatically when I update preview.

I'm not sure I follow you here.
When you import an .mxm file in 3dsmax, all texture file names are taken verbatim from the .mxm and placed into the corresponding Maxwell Material channels. You could see this verbatim path translation by entering the Bitmap channel node. When updating the preview, everything works OK if the texture files actually exists where the .mxm file said they should be. (aka "maxwelltextures" in your case).

[JTB]

OK, I guess the startup directory will solve a problem... Please let me describe in detail what I mean and how I think it would be ideal for us...

There is a list of paths in MXST->Edit->Preferences...
We have a path for materials... This should be by default the browser's startup dialog. So from MAX plugin I should go to "maxwellmaterials" folder
There is also a path for textures... This should be more than one, there should be a list of paths there like a textures library. Why? Because a user has MXM library textures but also 3-4 at least collections of textures of other companies (TotalTextures, Dosch3D, etc).
So, when a JPG file cannot be found in the path referred in the MXM file, there should be a dialog asking to look for it in the path list and then update the MXM file or at least MAX material browser.. I hope this is clear so far...

So, Maxwell's Max plugin should confirm that all materials have correctly assigned textures for diffuse, reflections, transparency etc...
If not, there should be a way of knowing that and finding the textures automatically in a predefined path list where I could add a path while searching for the texture.
Just like Max's path list works

Adding to this the plugin should automatically search for a texture in :
1. the MXM directory
2. The project directory
and then show us a dialog with the results, asking if we want to update the material.
If automating this procedure is not easy, at least a new button or even when pressing preview button should be OK.

[Bogdan Coroi]

OK, I guess the startup directory will solve a problem...

Will solve this issue: http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/view ... hp?t=22981

We have a path for materials... This should be by default the browser's startup dialog. So from MAX plugin I should go to "maxwellmaterials" folder

This can be done. If nothing is set in Studio's materials path, the start-up directory for Browse Library will be the default Maxwell Material directory(%MAXWELL_ROOT%\materials database\mxm files\). Also, it can be changed later in whatever user wants. (Customize->Preferences->Maxwell tab)

So, Maxwell's Max plugin should confirm that all materials have correctly assigned textures for diffuse, reflections, transparency etc...
If not, there should be a way of knowing that and finding the textures automatically in a predefined path list where I could add a path while searching for the texture.
Just like Max's path list works

That's the way it works right now. If the plug-in doesn't find the texture file .mxm refers to, it will look for it in two places:
- the path of the current .max file.
- all directories defined under Max's "Configure User Paths..." dialog. (Customize Menu->Configure User Paths...)

If it doesn't find the texture in the above mentioned places, you'll get a warning in the Translation Window telling you this: "Warning: Could not find texture "C:\test\texture\sign.jpg"." We could update the above two places with the texture directories defined in Studio under Edit->Preferences->Paths, so the user will not have to define them again under Max's User Paths.
Regarding the texture update dialog we'll see what can be done.

[JTB]

Thank you very much for your answer