Script – FX Floater

This is an updated version of my other script Fume & Flow Floater.

It has been reworked to be cleaner as well as added functionality.

The major changes are:

Most object creation buttons are now right-clickable and create a default object at world center.
Moved the Thinking Particles to it own rollout, add TP Joint helper
Added a rollout/plugin configurator
Added Krakatoa rollout
Changed a few objects ie, added BetterWind/Point Helper/Create New Maxscript

v1.06 – Current (previous changes at bottom of page)

Fixed some rollover text
Added height adjustment when rollouts are opened or closed
Re-arranged and added another row to the Krakatoa rollout
Added Box#2 Tools rollout
Realtime Playback toggle

FX Floater – FX_Floater106.mzp

The toggles are:

Render Dialog / Right-Click Quick Render
Particle Flow View / Right-Click Enviroment Dialog
FumeFX UI Dialog
Layer Manager
Material Editor
Modify Panel Toggle / Right-Click Track View

Forces & Deflectors Rollout

The forces and deflectors rollout contains the most common forces and deflectors used with particle flow.

They are in the order
Row 1: Gravity, Wind, Vortex, Drag , and Point Helper
Row 2: Push, Deflector, Spherical Deflector, Universal Deflector , and BetterWind

Right click on any of these buttons creates a default object at world 0,0,0

FumeFX Objects Rollout

The FumeFX objects rollout contains all of the FumeFX objects that ship with Fume.
Row 1: the Grid, Simple Source, Object Source, Particle Source, and the Gravity Vector.
Row 2: FumeFX Source, Void Source, FumeFX sync ranges to animation range.

Set New D/T Sim Folder – Same function as THIS script, it creates a new sim output folder tree.

Right Click on the create simulation grid button generates a Grid at world 0,0,0 100x100x100. It sets the output path to the default + a date/time labeled folder.

Right click on any of the source buttons creates a default source object and gives you the option to pick a grid and add the new source to the picked grid.

Krakatoa Rollout

The Krakatoa rollout contains:
Row 1: Bring to Front!/Set to Krakatoa, Switch To Previous Render, PRT Loader, PRT Volume, and PRT FumeFX.
Row 2: Save Mod Stack, Load Mod Stack, PD Viewer, Lock Mat Editor, Krakatoa Help File.
Row 3: Add KCM Modifier to selected object(s)

Right click on any of the PRT buttons creates a default object at world 0,0,0

Thinking Particles Rollout

The Thinking Particle rollout contains:
Row 1: Create TP, Shape Collision Joint, and PhysX Joint.
Row 2: Open TP Properties, Bind to TP, and TP Help Reference.

Box2ools Rollout

Contains:
Toggle all Particle Flow Collision Shape Modifiers
Toggle as Particle Skinner Modifiers
Toggle PhysX Glue Bind Visibility
Randomize all Glue Bind Colors
Cycle through and Select PhysX Worlds — Right-Click Bake selected World

Playback Controls

Standard max playback controls the play/pause button has right-click access to theTime Configuration dialog
Auto Key – standard max auto key function or animate on/off
Create New Maxscript, and the Open Script Configuration Dialog.
Toggle Realtime Playback

Installation for 1.04 and newer:

Drag-n-Drop on the viewport or Run through the Maxscript Menu

This will overwrite any older versions so no need to cleanup.

Changes:

FX Floater – FX_Floater106.mzp

v1.06 – Current

Fixed some rollover text
Added height adjustment when rollouts are opened or closed
Re-arranged and added another row to the Krakatoa rollout
Added Box#2 Tools rollout

v1.05 – Current FX_Floater105.mzp

Added Object lists to right click FumeFX Particle Source and Object Source. Now when you right click them they give you the option to add scene objects
Fixed play button, 2011 Advantage Pack seems to have broken the old method
Changed some right click default object creation parameters

v1.04 FX_Floater104.zip

Added another tool to the FumeFX rollout, Set New Simulation Folder
it creates a new folder tree in the form of:
- DefaultSimPath \ NameOfCurrentSceneFile \ DateTime \ NameOfSimGrid.fxd
Added a funtction to the Particle Source right click that allows you to pick and add a particle system upon creation of the Particle Source object
Made installing easier with .mzp -Drag-n-Drop on VP or Run through Maxscript Menu

v1.02 FX_Floater102.zip

Workaround for FumeFX 2.0 Right Click Grid and Simple Source, some parameters are having some issues hopefully will be resolved by 2.1
Cleaned up some of the FumeFX Set Folder code.
Fixed some button types.

v1.01 FX_Floater101.zip

This script is now run as a macro, it installs the icons in the UserIcons folder, runs a simple user defined check utility for installed software
Added a cfg button to configure rollouts and buttons based on installed applications.
Added right click on button create base object functionality, now most create buttons will create a default setting objects at [0, 0, 0]. Edit the script to customize if you like
Updated FumeFX buttons for to version 2.0 added Void Source and Fume Source
Added Krakatoa Rollout
Added TP Rollout and restructered

Installation is somewhat specific: pre-version 1.04

Download the file
Extract to its own folder.
Run the script from the MaxScript Menu (if you don’t it will NOT install the icons)
Select the Plugins/Rollouts you want to use click OK.
Adjust to your preference.

15 Comments to Script – FX Floater

That’s great! Wish your sim and render script would have sim and wavelet features

Ansi

Anselm on September 5th, 2010

Way nice stuff! Gonna check it out!

Hristo Velev on September 6th, 2010

Thanks, hope it helps get rid of a few mouse clicks

Ansi gotta wait on the Sim and Render, I don’t know what will change in 2.1 yet, I hate to rework it only to have to do it again so soon.

version 1.02 has a few changes to the path code for the auto create Fume function. As well as a few other minor changes.

admin on September 17th, 2010

This one is really awesome.
But can there be a regular dialog like the old v0.6?
The mini one seems difficult on a Highdef screen to press.
Another minor advice, is it possible to automaticly adjust the rollout window’s height when say TP’s rollout is collapsed so that users don’t need to adjust it manually?

H265 on November 17th, 2010

Thanks

Unfortunately I haven’t got time to rewrite the whole interface for larger icons. If I get some extra time I will but no promises.

I run a 24″ LCD @ 1920×1200 and a 17″ laptop with the same res and the larger interface felt like to much of a real-estate hog, hence why I made the small one

I like the idea of the auto-resize, I added it, it is not perfect but works.

admin on November 20th, 2010

I’m using it all these days and kind of getting used to the small version. Maybe I just won’t need the bigger one.
This tool is realy a must have for VFX user. It makes life so much easier. Can’t thank you enough. Cheers!

H265 on November 21st, 2010

Hi.
I install this script (Run) and not works for me. I need to create a toolbar or activate it?
3ds Max 2011 x64 – win 7 pro x64.

Thk’s

Esteban on April 6th, 2011

Yes, you need to assign a Keyboard shortcut, a quad menu shortcut, or a toolbar button to open it. After you do this a small dialog will open and ask what plugins you have intalled (this happens only once, it can be opened again with the cfg button in the playback rollout) after accepting the FX Floater will open minimized in the top left corner.