MaxtoA 4.3.xxx Crashes When Opening Scene With X-Refs

[Anonymous]

Using 3DS Max 2021 back in February I updated MaxtoA to 4.3.1.20 and found that 3DS max crashed when I tried to open scenes containing X-Refs. Subsequent experiments showed that the last version of MaxtoA that didn't cause this was 4.2.1.4 - the last 4.2.xxx iteration. So since then no problem, I just haven't updated MaxtoA. Now I need to move on to 3DS Max 2022 and the problem is back and there are no version 4.2.xxx plugins available for Max 2022. I can't open scenes with X-Refs which is basically my entire workflow. If I remove the MaxtoA plugin the scenes open fine but I need it to render. If I rebuild the scene from scratch in Max 2022 X-Reffing in the same constituent scenes then that works as well but I have hundreds and no one is going to pay me to rebuild all of them.Any suggestions?

Thanks, William Chitham.

@Lee Griggs @Stephen Blair

[Stephen.Blair]

I have to try and repro the problem...so roll back to an old maxtoa and create a scene with XRefs. I'll just xref in some stuff from the learning scenes.

[Anonymous]

Hello Stephen, thanks for your interest. I have just created this simple test scene in Max 2021 with MaxtoA 4.2.1.4 installed. If I open this scene in Max 2022 with 4.3.2.46 installed it crashes.MaxtoA_Test.zip

William.

[Stephen.Blair]

So, it's a bug and I'll log it.

Here's a possible workaround:

• Install MAXtoA 4.2.2.20 for 3ds Max 2021
• Load scene
• Disable xrefs and make not visible
• Save
• Load scene into 3ds Max 2022
• Re-enable xrefs, make visible

After that, I could save the scene and re-open it in 3ds Max 2022

I was going to say that by coincidence, Autodesk support sent me a second report of this problem...but judging by the file names, it was you again 😉

[Anonymous]

Yes, that's me. I'm sorry if I have transgressed a protocol, I was just desperate to find a fix for this as it has been causing me grief for 3 months now and with the shift to Max 2022 my work has come to a grinding halt. Your workaround works and I can live with it for the time being but I hope the bug can be eliminated quickly. I do think it is odd that there hasn't been more reporting and discussion of this issue - is every one else smart enough to fix it for themselves or am I the only person in the world using Xrefs and Arnold?

Thanks, William.

[CiroCardoso3v]

Hi William. I use the same workflow as you do and I don't have that issue, which is strange. I am using 4.3.2.26. I xref a scene done in Max 2021, in Max 2022. Close it and opened it and no issues. Do you have any missing plugins warnings?

On the other hand, you may want to explore a workflow with ASS files. Which is by far a better option then Xrefs.

[Anonymous]

Hi Ciro, if I make a new scene using 4.3.2.26 and Xref in older scenes there is no problem, it is when I open older scenes that already contain Xrefs that it crashes. The work round suggested by Stephen works, once successfully opened and saved with 4.3.2.26 the scenes are stable but I have a lot of scenes and eventually I won't necessarily have Max2021 available to prepare them for opening. I'm afraid I don't know anything about ASS but I will investigate.

Thanks, William.

[CiroCardoso3v]

Have a look at this talk. He uses 3ds Max, Maya and Houdini, but the workflow is the same.

https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Material-Transfer-Production-Using-Arnold-and-Mat...