MAXScriptManager is a 3dsMax script that will will help users and developers get/push their scripts easily. It will hopefully streamline the process of downloading, updating and installing scripts.

I've been working on this for quite a while, but only recently have I had to focus on it. The script is not released yet, since I still need to do finish some stuff and create installers, I'm however eager to push this out the door as soon as possible.

I'm going to leave two videos here for now and a list of features:

• Install scripts packed in MZP files by just double clicking on them from Windows Explorer.
• Right click mzp, ms, mse and mcr files to get additional options such as installing script with a specific 3dsMax version. (MSM will need to be installed in the other versions as well)
• Manage installed scripts.
• Browse repositories for scripts.
  (Developers or websites such as ScriptSpot will have to create these repositories. Essentially they are just a text file with all necessary information such as download links to the scripts, version number and so on. I will create a tool myself in order to quickly create a repository and add and delete files.)
• Directly contact script authors from MAXScriptManager, Follow them on Twitter, share the script through Facebook, visit their website and even donate!
• Automatic update check on 3dsMax startup.
• Option to automatically apply updates if found.
• View script changelists.
• When installing ms, mse or mcr files a button will be automatically added to the MainToolbar. (No need to hunt the script down under the Customize User Interface window )
• MagicClipboard (More on this later)

You Tube

You Tube

Now the more "technical" stuff for you developers out there:
As you may now, the whole script installing thing is a pain in the ass for developers and users. Here are just a couple of problems I have identified and I believe I'm tackling with this script.

• Users getting MZP files and not knowing what to do with them.
• Sometimes MZP files are renamed to ZIP files.
• Users not knowing if an update is available for their scripts. They either find themselves hunting down updates in forums or just sticking with a very old version.
• Users don't know exactly how to contact authors in order to report bugs. Developers don't get enough information, such as 3dsMax version, windows version and so on.
• Statistics for developers. (I will add this later on)
• Users don't know how to uninstall a script.
• Users don't know how or where to find your script in order to add it to the toolbar.

I have tackled all of these problems, but some of them require your scripts to be packed in MZP files as well as proper install / uninstall scripts.
In order for your script to benefit from MAXScriptManager's features you will need to have a repository and some lines of code added to your install / uninstall scripts. Do not worry, your script will install and work just fine even if MSM is not installed on the users PC.
I will provide proper documentation for you guys once I release it.

Until then, I'd appreciate some feedback, ideas and suggestions. Personally I believe it has a lot of potential and there a lot of exciting features that could make this even better

This looks promising. It's a bit tedious to keep scripts up to date, even to see if you've already have it. How many time i have to re-open a script to localize it in the customize UI menu.
I was thinking maybe an export/import scripts pack could be useful, to export non-native script to a fresh install/ a co-worker pc....
And nice UI !

This looks excellent!

Have you thought about working with Tech-Artists.Org to integrate into their system? http://tech-artists.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=27
Kind of slow going there, but might kick-start something, plus give you access to scripting pros for testing and validation.

Originally Posted by Noors

This looks promising. It's a bit tedious to keep scripts up to date, even to see if you've already have it. How many time i have to re-open a script to localize it in the customize UI menu.
I was thinking maybe an export/import scripts pack could be useful, to export non-native script to a fresh install/ a co-worker pc....
And nice UI !

Thanks! As a matter of fact I already had that feature implemented, but I had to drop it since I rewrote the script too many times. But that feature is definitely in my to-do list. ;)

And I'm glad you like the UI, it also went through a lot of iterations. It's actually inspired by the new 3dsMax 2012 graphite tools

Originally Posted by Eric Chadwick

This looks excellent!

Have you thought about working with Tech-Artists.Org to integrate into their system? http://tech-artists.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=27
Kind of slow going there, but might kick-start something, plus give you access to scripting pros for testing and validation.

Thanks Eric! I've actually been in touch with a couple maxscript developers, (RTTAssist, TexTools, ToTex and so on). And they have given me a lot of great feedback! That forum seems pretty dead, though.
But I will definitely start posting about MSM in other forums, just to get the discussion going. Unfortunately it's more of a "feature" that interests developers right now rather than "the average artist". But I'm sure they will understand the potential it has once they see other scripts taking advantage of it.

this sounds cool. Looking forward to the release

This looks like an interesting project. Together with another person, I was actually just thinking of making a tool like this.
The Outliner tool that I developed basically has all base functionality (one-click installer/uninstaller, automatic updates, statistics, the lot). It'd just be a matter of generalizing it and opening it up for other developers.
I don't know how far along you are with this project, but if you are interested in something like a collaboration, let me know.

Very nice, I was also thinking of making something like this, but I guess now I dont have to :P

Ah, I heard about this project. Nice to hear again from it

hey guys! I got a new video for you of MaxScriptManager in action!
I'll be releasing it next week if everything goes well

You Tube

Yeah!
Like i said,i´m loving it and can´t wair for the release

As I already said, great script, man ! Really valuable.
Can't wait to try it out and start using it. Also I hope
you are planning the admin version we were talking about it
will turn out to be a quite good feature.

Cheers!

sounds very very cool.

Say does it support command line options?

We do have an automated updater in place which downloads scripts and other software from a depot and then installs them via a batch script. Automatically pushing mzp files via this would be extremely awesome.

Originally Posted by Kwramm

sounds very very cool.

Say does it support command line options?

We do have an automated updater in place which downloads scripts and other software from a depot and then installs them via a batch script. Automatically pushing mzp files via this would be extremely awesome.

Yes absolutely! MaxScriptManager comes with an exe. You can specify through the command line which version of 3dsMax to install it on and the location of the script.

Although as CodeFather said, I plan on creating a specific feature in order to push updates or script installs through a network. ;)

Here is yet another video! This time it's the Repository Manager, that will allow developers to create or edit repositories.

You Tube

this project is growing very promising norman, nice recent updates- keep it up. I haven't been scripting that much mxs recently but once I get into something bigger for mxs again I will give this a shot.

Originally Posted by renderhjs

this project is growing very promising norman, nice recent updates- keep it up. I haven't been scripting that much mxs recently but once I get into something bigger for mxs again I will give this a shot.

Thanks man!

I have a new exciting feature to show. ScriptSpot integration!
If the user provides a ScriptSpot page when installing the script, MaxScriptManager will be able to check for updates without the script needing a repository!

You Tube

Come on stop teasing us, this looks just too good to let us wait

Originally Posted by SpeCter

Come on stop teasing us, this looks just too good to let us wait

haha There you go! It's out! Go go go!

http://norman3d.com/MaxScriptManager/

I fucking love you man!

Just one word: Brilliant!
And really nice to see it´s not encrypted, i hope people can learn from it.

Originally Posted by SpeCter

And really nice to see it´s not encrypted, i hope people can learn from it.

that makes it just twice as awesome!

Originally Posted by SpeCter

Just one word: Brilliant!
And really nice to see it´s not encrypted, i hope people can learn from it.

maybe because he learned or was inspired from sources that were not encrypted or obfuscated ;)
Ha ha I also like the concepts of guidance are used on the website very similar to TexTools (animated gif, single page, heaps of illustrative images,...). I wish more people would push some effort into ease of read/ guidance or usability of their UI's and documentations/ websites. I mean just looking at the website already scares me less to try it out because its not bloated and explains first with images after that with contextual texts. Nice job!

Pretty slick ! The donate button rollover is epic xD

Originally Posted by renderhjs

maybe because he learned or was inspired from sources that were not encrypted or obfuscated ;)
Ha ha I also like the concepts of guidance are used on the website very similar to TexTools (animated gif, single page, heaps of illustrative images,...). I wish more people would push some effort into ease of read/ guidance or usability of their UI's and documentations/ websites. I mean just looking at the website already scares me less to try it out because its not bloated and explains first with images after that with contextual texts. Nice job!

Yes exactly! I hope you don't mind that I bascially used your site as a template,haha. It's just that, it's exactly what you are saying, your TexTools site is readable, understandable, it's exactly what every script site needs imo.
And a simple thing as the animated gif is a must! When working on GoMax I got plenty of emails asking me just how to install the script.

But I won't need the gif in future scripts, hopefully everybody will have MaxScriptManager installed by then :P

Originally Posted by Noors

Pretty slick ! The donate button rollover is epic xD

Haha, you noticed! :P

Originally Posted by renderhjs

maybe because he learned or was inspired from sources that were not encrypted or obfuscated ;)

Precisely! At first I wanted to encrypt it, so I had more time to polish it and then release it un-encrypted. But it would have made the task of finding bugs harder.

But yes, I'm all for unencrypted scripts. There are a couple of functions that might be interesting. But what I'm most proud of is the idea and the design of the script, which can't be encrypted... so... :P

And please you should also check out the "About" window! There are a ton of credits there, pointing to various code snippets and artwork by some very talented people.