[BMAX] Blender<->3DSMax Connector

Hello,
Blender <> 3DSMAX connector (BMAX) is a two small scripts for these applications.
Workflow is simple - just send and get models through FBX format.

Download:
gumroad.com
or
github.com

Blender 2.8/3.xx

OS:
Windows only

Installation:
Extract BMAX archive:

3DSMax:

  • Drag and drop the MZP file into the 3dsamx viewport, after you will find the blender icon at the main toolbar
    Or
  • Run 3DSMax as administrator and run the installer using the scripts tab → run script …

Blender:

  • User preferences > Add-ons > Install from file…> select ZIP file.

Many thanks!

25 Likes

Will this import any fbx file outside of 3dsmax into blender with textures applied? Thanks

Hi there, what you mean exactly? When you send object from 3dmax it is using FBX so in this case it saves all textures pathes, thing is materials should be standard, and if you want to see material with textures in blender you should enable lookDev view.

Or you mean could this scritp import FBX from another app? if yes - yes it could, you have to export your object to c:\Users\yourName\AppData\Local\Temp\BMAX\BMAX_TMP_MAX.fbx.

PS: Maybe i will add some preferences for working folder, it will give some flexibility to users .

1 Like

Maybe I’m doing something wrong but I can’t get this to work either direction. I see the new icon in 3ds Max (2016) but if I make a simple mesh and click that button it doesn’t do anything. Or if it does then when I go into Blender and select “Import from 3ds Max” it doesn’t do anything there. So I can see the script is installed on both apps but clicking the buttons doesn’t do anything.

This is with a fresh build from last night of 2.80 and with Max 2016.

BMAX is updated:

  • Added custom folder selection

HOW-TO:

for 3DSMax:

  • Changing BMAX working folder - mouse right button double click on dialog background.

for Blender:

  • Changing BMAX working folder - Add-ons > import-export Bmax > select path.

Working BMAX folder must be same for 3dsmax and Blender.

Please try updated version.

1 Like

That works great now, thanks!

The one thing now that I need to sort out are the sizes of the meshes when they go back and forth. I don’t know if that’s a setting somewhere or what but when I exported a cube from Blender and brought it into Max it was really small, and then bringing that same cube back to Blender made it even smaller. If you have any ideas I’d appreciate it. :slight_smile:

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Units , metric system should be same for 3dsmax and Blender.

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Amazing! long-time Max vet just started learning 2.80 and this will help tremendously. Going to test right away. Thanks.

Edit: just tested and there is a 100x scale factor difference. Max and Blender set to CM. Both Blender and Max .fbx import/export are set to scale 1.0

Edit 2: I’m staring to think that the .fbx exporter in the 2.80 build(Jan 4th) I’m using might be broken. .Fbx files exported manually are blank on import to Max. It imports without error/warning, but doesn’t exist in the scene at all. In an earlier build of 2.80 that I first tested .fbx import/export between Blender/Max worked perfectly, including the scale.

Edit 3: a few more issues. Sending from Max to Blender the dimensions are good, but the scale is 100x factor off. Also, materials come from Max as 100% black diffuse and don’t overwrite, which ends up with a long list of materials in blender that are cluttering the material list.

Edit 4: doesn’t matter what settings I put in Blender .fbx export or whether Blender units is CM or M, objects import to Max a factor of 100x smaller.

3 Likes

Script updated to version 003:

  • improved 3dsmax bmax code, faster , less flickering :wink:
1 Like

Yep, i know about scale problems, maybe i will add auto units detect. but if you same units in both apps it should work.

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Yes, as I mentioned above Blender/Max are both set to CM and import/export scale is set to 1.0. It makes no difference, Blender>Max is a factor of 100X smaller. I’ve tried every combination possible at this stage with no luck. Without automatically matching scale your great tool isn’t really much use, I’m afraid. I really hope you get the scale issue resolved. Otherwise, great work.

Script updated to version 004:
Maxscript:

  • FBX export/import units = System Units of 3dsmax.

PS:
And updated to version 005:
Blender addon:

  • FBX scale settings set to - Apply custom scaling and units scaling to FBX scale.
1 Like

Hey mate, 005 doesn’t work at all. Nothing transfers and the Max script UI gives that windows error noise after the first use. The BMax temp location folder doesn’t populate from Max, but it does from Blender. It’s definitely a fault on the Max side.

So, 3dsmax is wierd, i want to make it with less flickering when import/Export result is bad, so will restore ui flickering. and about units, They must be same in both apps. For exampla 3dsmax system units Meters - so in blender Metric = meters in this case all should be fine without rescaling.

Thanks mate, but I know about the units. I have both Blender and Max set to CM and scale 1.0 from the very first time I used the addon. I said it in my first post. It doesn’t matter though. The scale doesn’t work no matter what combination I use, and 005 doesn’t work at all on the Max side. It’s just giving a windows error sound.

Updated to version 006:

  • reverted UI refresh improvement.
1 Like

BMAX Updated to version 007:

3dmax:

  • Fixed bug with Importing
  • Import/Export FBX parameters are tweaked for compatibility reason

Blender:

  • Import/Export FBX parameters are tweaked for compatibility reason

Many thanks!

Hey mate, I’ve tried 007 and am still getting the errors on the Max side. Can you tell me where all the script files are installed in Max’s root as I need to delete all them and install it again. I’ve searched everywhere in the Max root: scripts/macroscripts/startup scripts/plugins…I can’t even find your files with a windows search. Are you just dragging the newer version .mzp into the viewport or are you cleaning out the old files first?

Hi there could you open maxlistener and send me all what you see there.
Max script is here : “X:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\2017 - 64bit\ENU\scripts\BMAX”
PS: and what is you 3dsmax version?