None of the export options native to max really work well for what I need, so I have decided to write my own. I am a programmer (not an artist) and I don't have much experience with 3ds max. I have zero experience with max script, but I hear it's easy to pickup. Is the best place to start learning the SDK maxscript tutorials? What are some other good resources for learning max script? I'm not terribly interested in max or maxscript beyond this one plugin, but I will learn what I must to get it done. The program I am writing is a model loader, so I will need to pull the following information out of any max object: mesh geometry -unique list of vertices -indexed list of polygons referencing vertex list normals -both per-surface and per-vertex materials textures animation keyframes (complete with normals for each frame) Max should already store all of the this data, should it not? I will also wish to export the file such that all of that data is pack contiguously (as I specify) and written in binary (for speed). Is all of this possible, and doable within a week or so (including learning time)? And if anyone has any suggestions, I would be most appreciative to recieve them. Thank you.

Perhaps there's a better forum to post this in? I thought maybe general or graphics programming? I thought this one made the most sense since max is an art program (and you guys are the artists), but I'd be happy to move it (or have a mod move it) if there's a better place for it.

really the best place to look is the maxscript documentation that comes with max. it includes the source for a simple exporter, and has everything you need (providied its sometimes hidden pretty deep in the documentation) to get started writing the exporter you want. There has never been a really good book published on MaxScript (not that I've read anyway) there is a small section in the 3DSMax 6 Bible, but it doesnt say much. The best thing to do it stick with the documentation. Its not too hard.

The only other thing to do is search around online and find a maxscript exporter and discect it. Find the code that does what you want to do and figure out what its doing.

pulling it off in a week isnt going to be easy espically if you have no knowledge of maxscript.

anyway, look through the "How To" section of the maxscript documentation, it has the code for a custom exporter in text mode. it wouldnt be hard to change it to binary (look up binstream in the documentation), and start adding in your own data to it.

Wow you're right, there's a great tutorial in here on how to do exactly what I want. Thanks Kryat!