Page 1245 - Kitab3DsMax

Chapter 50: Expanding Max with Third-Party Plug-Ins
Note
Plug-ins typically don’t work from one version of Max to another. If the plug-in is commercial, then the developers
usually release an updated version of the plug-in for the new Max version. n
As you begin to add plug-ins to Max, you may eventually want to see which plug-ins are installed and even
disable certain plug-ins. Max includes tools to view installed plug-ins and to manage your current plug-ins.
Installing plug-ins
For commercial plug-ins that include an installation program, the installation process asks where the Max
root directory is located. From this root directory, the plug-in program files are typically installed in the
“plugins” directory, help files for the plug-ins are installed in the “help” directory, and example scenes are
installed in the “scenes” directory.
Plug-in program files typically have a .dlc, .dlr, .dlo, .dlu, .dlv, or .dlm extension, depending on the type of
plug-in. When Max loads, it searches the /plugins directory for these files and loads them along with the
program files. You can manually install freeware plug-ins simply by copying the plug-in file into the plugins
directory and restarting Max.
You can also place plug-ins in a different directory and load them from this directory. The Configure
System Paths dialog box includes a panel titled, 3rd Party Plug-Ins, where you can specify additional plug-
in paths.
Cross-Ref
Find out more about the Configure System Paths dialog box in Chapter 4, “Customizing the Max Interface and
Setting Preferences.” n
Most commercial plug-ins require that the plug-in be authorized after installation. You must do this before
you can use the plug-in, and you can usually do it via telephone, fax, or e-mail.
To remove a plug-in, use the uninstall feature that is part of the setup process, or delete the associated pro-
gram files from the plugins directory.
Plug-ins can also create a help file that explains how to work with the plug-in. These help files are installed
in the /help directory where Max is installed. To view these help files, open the Additional Help dialog box
by choosing Help ➪ Additional Help.
Viewing installed plug-ins
To see all the currently installed plug-ins, choose Application Button ➪ Properties ➪ Summary Info to open
the Summary Info dialog box and click the Plug-In Info button. This opens the Plug-In Info dialog box that
lists all installed plug-ins with their details, as shown in Figure 50.2. As you can see, many plug-ins created
by Autodesk (or Discreet) are installed with just the default installation.

Note
Even if you haven’t installed any plug-ins, this dialog box lists many plug-ins. These are core functions in Max that
are implemented as plug-ins. n
You can manage which installed plug-ins are available using the Plug-in Manager dialog box, shown in
Figure 50.3. Open this dialog box by choosing Customize ➪ Plug-in Manager.

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