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General Category => General CG Discussion => Topic started by: Juraj on 2016-03-12, 16:28:04

Title: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: Juraj on 2016-03-12, 16:28:04
Let's say I dislike everything about it, esp. in latest releases.

Is there currently any alternative that you guys use ? I see Outliner but that is not exactly what I am after and seem like rather abandonware.
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: racoonart on 2016-03-12, 19:50:49
Unfortunately not. My solution is: using max 2014. The layer manager of 2015+ is simply a no go. We will not upgrade as long as this crap is not working properly. I have no idea how people actually work in those releases.
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: Juraj on 2016-03-12, 21:15:56
I have no idea either : /
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: Nejc Kilar on 2016-03-12, 21:29:31
As a Cinema 4D user I sometimes marvel at how people can work in 3ds Max. I am proficient in it but the layer system is not looking too "friendly" to me personally, especially since the object manager is a such strong suit of c4d. Then again, once you learn it and accept the methodology it seems quite ok - I mean each software has its pros and cons right?

Anyway, that didn't have anything to do with you question Juraj but maybe this might help you - http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/nested-layer-manager-2-for-3ds-max

Seems like an interesting addon to the existing layer manager. Didn't try it out but since not even DeadClown knows an alternative...
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: Juraj on 2016-03-12, 22:38:47
Actually, those features are already in 2015+, but he has another version, http://www.timsportfolio.co.uk/tools/nested-layer-manager-3/

Which seems good, but it's in beta...and also look bit like abandoware : /
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: romullus on 2016-03-12, 22:50:23
Would like to know what's wrong with layer manager in max2015/2016? I was under impression that this area was significantly improved since max2014 and thus planned to try max2016, mainly because of layer manager and of couple new modifiers. Now, i'm not so sure anymore :/
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: antanas on 2016-03-12, 23:24:10
Hmm I haven't used it myself but I hear mostly positive feedback from those who did - http://ephere.com/plugins/autodesk/max/zookeeper/ for me it is too pricey for what it does and honestly I can tolerate if not appreciate the Layer Manager of 2015+ versions well it could be faster, yeah, but it's slowness is mostly apparent on some really heavy scenes with thousands of different individual objects and 3ds max itself isn't and never was too good with large object counts.

 It's the new select by name\material\etc is what I hate with a passion because of it's totally intolerable sluggishness with the abovementioned large object counts, yet it is fixable by simple config tweak http://www.jamesshaw.co.nz/blog/?p=422 (c:\Users\Antanas\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\2016 - 64bit\ENU\en-US\defaults\DesignVIZ.mentalray\CurrentDefaults.ini in my case) still it is not just 2015+ ver. specific and was present from I don't remember which max versions, only thing different in post 2015 ver. is just what autodesk made it totally and completely intolerable by using sluggish scene explorer for the picking\selecting job.
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: Nejc Kilar on 2016-03-12, 23:39:43
Actually, those features are already in 2015+, but he has another version, http://www.timsportfolio.co.uk/tools/nested-layer-manager-3/

Which seems good, but it's in beta...and also look bit like abandoware : /

Now that you mention it, he just made NLM open source :) Maybe someone picks it up and finishes the job.
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: Juraj on 2016-03-12, 23:43:54
Would like to know what's wrong with layer manager in max2015/2016? I was under impression that this area was significantly improved since max2014 and thus planned to try max2016, mainly because of layer manager and of couple new modifiers. Now, i'm not so sure anymore :/

The thing is...yes, they fixed lot of issues the 2015 had in 2016. But the whole new manager is something like pure reinvention of wheel.
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: Juraj on 2016-03-12, 23:48:39
Hmm I haven't used it myself but I hear mostly positive feedback from those who did - http://ephere.com/plugins/autodesk/max/zookeeper/

That's ridiculous plugin :- ) Is that even aimed at regular production artists ? Or specially for someone more technically oriented. Because 99perc. of those features I would never use, and it's just over-flowing with robustness I don't need.
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: antanas on 2016-03-13, 00:18:59
Well same for me and I'm mostly content with the default one.
Anyways the only one which I use most frequently is the Archicad's one and I love it, especially for it's savable layer view\representation combinations - it's like the 3ds max's scene states minus all unnecessary bullshit - simple and effective that one, - if only 3ds max would have a layer system like that or even better but less realistic - if only Archicad could model and render like 3ds max ))
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: arqrenderz on 2016-03-14, 15:01:33
I use outliner http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/outliner its super easy and works on 2016 (dont use the 3.0, it crashes max)
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: Attila Cselovszki on 2018-06-14, 12:01:57
There is a new tool for scene / layer management: Pulze Scene Manager. Visit: http://pulze.io/ and download the beta version of the plugin for free.
This one is a simple and easy to use tool rather for artists than for geeks ;)
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: NicolasC on 2018-06-14, 14:21:34
Actually, those features are already in 2015+, but he has another version, http://www.timsportfolio.co.uk/tools/nested-layer-manager-3/

Which seems good, but it's in beta...and also look bit like abandoware : /
Hi Juraj,

Actually, Tim Hawker now works at Weta for several years, and has totally given up NLM dev :(
However, we still keep on using the previous v2.2.6, very reliable, we use it everyday with 3dsmax 2018. Little bugs here and there, but really rare, and if it crashes, only NLM does but not 3dsmax.
FYI, the v3 was a complete rebuild from scratch, using C#, but isn't complete at all features-wise. That really is a pity no one wants to continue his work, because he gave everything on Github ... any C# coder around ?? :P
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: gandhics on 2018-06-15, 05:02:53
Since 3dsMax 2017, not many artists complain about the Layer Explorer anymore at work.
Any specific problem?
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: Luke on 2018-06-17, 07:31:07
Should get the SiNi guys onto it...?
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: mmar on 2018-09-10, 13:25:18
Hi,

maybe someone can help me, i am coming from Max14 and now using Max16
If i select in Max 14 an Object in the Scene and then a Layer i can click the "+" and it is assigned to the layer
If i select in Max 16 an Object in the Scene and then a Layer, the Object gets deselected... Why?

thx :)
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: romullus on 2018-09-10, 14:09:32
Instead of selecting layer, just click on its icon (it will turns blue, indicating that it is active now) and then click + icon - your selection will move to the active layer. It may look confusing and cumbersome at first, but once you get used to it, you may start to like it more than pre-2015 behaviour.
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: mmar on 2018-09-10, 14:13:00
Instead of selecting layer, just click on its icon (it will turns blue, indicating that it is active now) and then click + icon - your selection will move to the active layer. It may look confusing and cumbersome at first, but once you get used to it, you may start to like it more than pre-2015 behaviour.

THX a lot !!!!!!
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: steyin on 2018-09-11, 17:10:32
Since 3dsMax 2017, not many artists complain about the Layer Explorer anymore at work.
Any specific problem?

The layer explorer doesn't dock properly or remain in the same position the next time you open MAX, very annoying. Plus the way it displays objects is different from before and is more difficult to use (IMO). I hate it.
Title: Re: Layer management for 3dsMax, any alternatives ?
Post by: sebastian___ on 2018-09-12, 17:55:51
So far I think Outliner is the best. Someone (spacefrog version) constantly fixed it so it works in all versions of max. Not sure about 2018 and 2019, hope it works there too.
Doesn't take up more ui space than it should, you can make it very small and keep it permanently open, you can customize the colors of the interface, and buttons... and the drag and drop to move objects in layers and sub-layers works as one expects it should work. You can also customize the drag and left click or right click and so on...

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3a/81/35/3a81356450719ae64adf4bebe9d98d36.jpg)