© 2012 Autodesk CP Autodesk® 3ds Max®.NET API Introduction and Techniques Kevin Vandecar Principal Developer Consulting Engineer – M&E Autodesk Developer Network

© 2012 Autodesk bio: Kevin Vandecar Autodesk for over 18 years  all customization related  Experience with AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, Revit  Five years as Software Engineer on AutoCAD Architecture API and Revit API  18 months focusing on 3ds Max customization in ADN M&E Workgroup  Based in Manchester, New Hampshire, US 

© 2012 Autodesk Class Summary Last year, with the release of the Autodesk® Subscription Advantage Pack for Autodesk 3ds Max 2012,.NET users gained access to significant enhancements in the Autodesk 3ds Max.NET SDK, enabling them to do more with Autodesk 3ds Max 2012 software. Now, these.NET APIs are available in the main product. In this class, we will introduce you to.NET API programming in 3ds Max. We will present using the C# language, but the techniques can apply to any.NET programming language, including Microsoft® Visual Basic®. We will cover how to create an assembly that will load into the 3ds Max environment. We will show how to interface with other.NET Framework features that will include the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and other features such as LINQ functionality. This class will be organized for those who want an introduction to these new APIs, including practical techniques. You do not need to know 3ds Max programming, but some general programming experience will be helpful.

© 2012 Autodesk Learning Objectives At the end of this class, you will be able to:  Create a.NET assembly compatible with 3ds Max  Use.NET API to solve common tasks through automation and customization  Create WPF style UI within 3ds Max using.NET API  Manipulate 3ds Max geometry using.NET API

© 2012 Autodesk Autodesk Developer Network  ADN Open  Blogs, Events, and other free education and support - develop3dsmaxdevelop3dsmax  ADN Membership  Access to almost all Autodesk software and SDK’s  Includes early access to beta software  Members-only website with thousands of technical articles  Unlimited technical support  Product direction through conferences  Marketing benefits  Exposure on autodesk.com  Promotional opportunities  One to three free API training classes

© 2012 Autodesk Microsoft.NET Framework

© 2012 Autodesk What is.NET?  Software architecture framework from Microsoft  Windows  Phone 7  Azure  Programs execute in CLR  Programs are “managed”  Memory Management via Garbage Collection provided C++/CLI Iron Python C# VB.NET Visual StudioCommon Language Specification

© 2012 Autodesk What is.NET?  Power of C++ with simplicity of scripting  Uses Simple Referencing  Language choices using same APIs  Reflection

© 2012 Autodesk What is.NET?  Many modern Foundation Technologies  Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)  (ASP.NET, Azure, etc.)  Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)  (UI Data Binding, Silverlight, View Model, etc.)  Windows Workflow Foundation (WF)  Other Autodesk Products  AutoCAD  Revit  Inventor

© 2012 Autodesk 3ds Max.NET API

© 2012 Autodesk 3ds Max.NET API .NET API capability has been part of the 3ds Max SDK for a number of years now, but mainly UI oriented  Supported through MAXScript  C++/CLI allows mixed-mode functionality  New “Enhanced” version introduced in 2012  Subscription Advantage Pack  This “enhanced” version is a new assembly called Autodesk.Max.dll  A 1-to-1 wrapper of the native C++ APIs

© 2012 Autodesk Getting Started - Learning  The online Help for 3ds Max SDK now contains two distinct topics to help get started  3ds Max.NET SDK 3ds Max.NET SDK  describes the.NET SDK components  Lesson 7: Writing.NET Plug-ins Lesson 7: Writing.NET Plug-ins  part of the new learning path documentation  For 2012 SAP  See Christopher Diggin’s blog post  x_2012_subscription_advantage_pack x_2012_subscription_advantage_pack

© 2012 Autodesk Getting Started - Learning  For the Wrapper Assembly – Autodesk.Max.dll  Use the C++ Reference and Programmers guide as main form of documentation.  Keep in mind it is version ‘1’  Use an assembly browser  Object Browser, ILSpy, Reflector, etc.  Make sure to use all the assemblies as necessary  Some provide the same support

© 2012 Autodesk Assemblies  Assemblies:  Autodesk.Max.dll  AssemblyLoader.dll  CSharpUtilities.dll  ExplorerFramework.dll  ManagedServices.dll  MaxCustomControls.dll  SceneExplorer.dll  Assemblies:  Autodesk.Max.dll  AssemblyLoader.dll  CSharpUtilities.dll  ExplorerFramework.dll  ManagedServices.dll  MaxCustomControls.dll  SceneExplorer.dll  UiViewModels.dll

© 2012 Autodesk Assemblies  Autodesk.Max.dll  The “enhanced functionality”  Autodesk.Max is the root namespace  Use the IGlobal Interface, and Interface14  Functions with zero arguments and name begin with “Get” are mapped to properties  IGlobal contains Create method for types that can be instanced  Class IDs are required to identify object types.

© 2012 Autodesk Assemblies  UiViewModels.dll  Contains the Cui functionality  Cui for 2012 was in MaxCustomControls.dll  AssemblyLoader.dll  Contains the Loader class  Has default loader entry point  Allows loading other assemblies from another location

© 2012 Autodesk Assemblies  CSharpUtilities.dll  ManagedServices.dll  MaxCustomControls.dll  Each contains various utilities  Worth exploring when needing 3ds Max utilities  Windows handling  Etc.

© 2012 Autodesk Assemblies  ExplorerFramework.dll  Abstract explorer framework classes upon which the Scene Explorer is built. It can be used for creating a new node traversal for arbitrary scene explorers  SceneExplorer.dll  Specification of the ExplorerFramework components for the SceneExplorer with bindings to 3ds Max data demo

© 2012 Autodesk Creating a Project demo

© 2012 Autodesk Two ways to be loaded/run  Cui Action facility  Easily hook into the UI using the Action system and Customize User Interface  UiViewModel.dll  Assembly Loader  Allows loading and operations similar to the C++ Global Utility Plug-in (GUP)  AssemblyLoader.dll

© 2012 Autodesk Using Cui Action system 1. Derive from CuiActionCommandAdapter, or implement the ICuiActionCommand interface class  2012: MaxCustomControls assembly  2013: UiViewModels assembly 2. Implement the necessary functions  Mostly strings to identify the action to 3ds Max  Implement Execute to run the code demo

© 2012 Autodesk Using the new Autodesk.Max.dll wrapper functionality  Contains the entire C++ SDK as “crude”.NET wrappers  Autodesk.Max is the root namespace  Use the IGlobal Interface, and IInterface14

© 2012 Autodesk Using the new Autodesk.Max.dll wrapper functionality  Functions with zero arguments and name begin with “Get” are mapped to properties  IGlobal contains Create method for types that can be instanced Class IDs are required to identify object types  Make sure to use IInterface.CreateInterface for constructing new instances of typical objects  Not IGlobal.CreatInstance

© 2012 Autodesk What can you do?  Automate tasks  Interop with MAXScript  Interop via C++/CLI to full SDK plugin  Create nice UI elements  WPF  Use other.NET API components  Lync

© 2012 Autodesk What to avoid

© 2012 Autodesk Tips/Tricks  When using CuiActionCommandAdapter  make a custom abstract base class  category and other requirements implemented with defaults  derive from it, and simply implement Execute() and ActionText() and any other overrides you want demo

© 2012 Autodesk Tips/Tricks  Use VS tools  Implement abstract, etc,  Use Object Browser  Error check:  Try and Catch exceptions!  Check return values!  Mix assembly functionality where appropriate  ManagedServices  CSharpUtilities

Some Examples

3ds Max Customization Resources  Autodesk AREA     Autodesk 3ds Max Developer Center   Autodesk Developer Network 

Q&A Feel free to contact me later:  Thank You!

© 2012 Autodesk Autodesk, AutoCAD* [*if/when mentioned in the pertinent material, followed by an alphabetical list of all other trademarks mentioned in the material] are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. © 2012 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.