# 3ds Max Plugin Development
Build 3ds Max plugins using msvc-kit without installing Visual Studio.
## Requirements
| 3ds Max 2025 | 14.38 | 10.0.22621.0 |
| 3ds Max 2024 | 14.34 | 10.0.22000.0 |
| 3ds Max 2023 | 14.32 | 10.0.19041.0 |
| 3ds Max 2022 | 14.29 | 10.0.19041.0 |
## Setup
### 1. Download MSVC
```bash
# For 3ds Max 2025
msvc-kit download --msvc-version 14.38 --sdk-version 10.0.22621.0
```
### 2. Setup Environment
```powershell
### 3. Set Max SDK Path
```powershell
$env:MAXSDK = "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2025 SDK\maxsdk"
```
## Plugin Types
3ds Max supports several plugin types:
| Utility | .dlu | Utility plugins |
| Modifier | .dlm | Geometry modifiers |
| Object | .dlo | Procedural objects |
| Material | .dlt | Materials and textures |
| Controller | .dlc | Animation controllers |
| Import/Export | .dle | File format handlers |
## Building a Simple Plugin
### Utility Plugin (HelloWorld.cpp)
```cpp
#include <utilapi.h>
#include <istdplug.h>
#include <iparamb2.h>
#include <maxscript/maxscript.h>
#define HELLO_CLASS_ID Class_ID(0x12345678, 0x87654321)
class HelloWorld : public UtilityObj {
public:
void BeginEditParams(Interface* ip, IUtil* iu) override;
void EndEditParams(Interface* ip, IUtil* iu) override;
void DeleteThis() override { }
};
void HelloWorld::BeginEditParams(Interface* ip, IUtil* iu) {
MessageBox(ip->GetMAXHWnd(), L"Hello, 3ds Max!", L"Hello", MB_OK);
}
void HelloWorld::EndEditParams(Interface* ip, IUtil* iu) {}
// Class descriptor
class HelloWorldClassDesc : public ClassDesc2 {
public:
int IsPublic() override { return TRUE; }
void* Create(BOOL loading = FALSE) override { return new HelloWorld(); }
const TCHAR* ClassName() override { return _T("HelloWorld"); }
SClass_ID SuperClassID() override { return UTILITY_CLASS_ID; }
Class_ID ClassID() override { return HELLO_CLASS_ID; }
const TCHAR* Category() override { return _T("My Plugins"); }
};
static HelloWorldClassDesc helloWorldDesc;
// DLL entry points
BOOL WINAPI DllMain(HINSTANCE hinstDLL, ULONG fdwReason, LPVOID lpvReserved) {
return TRUE;
}
__declspec(dllexport) const TCHAR* LibDescription() { return _T("Hello World Plugin"); }
__declspec(dllexport) int LibNumberClasses() { return 1; }
__declspec(dllexport) ClassDesc* LibClassDesc(int i) { return &helloWorldDesc; }
__declspec(dllexport) ULONG LibVersion() { return VERSION_3DSMAX; }
```
### Compile
```powershell
# Compile
cl /c /O2 /MD /EHsc /DWIN32 /D_WINDOWS /DUNICODE /D_UNICODE `
/I"$env:MAXSDK\include" `
HelloWorld.cpp
# Link
link /DLL /OUT:HelloWorld.dlu `
HelloWorld.obj `
/LIBPATH:"$env:MAXSDK\lib\x64\Release" `
core.lib geom.lib gfx.lib mesh.lib maxutil.lib `
paramblk2.lib bmm.lib
```
## CMake Build
### CMakeLists.txt
```cmake
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
project(MaxPlugin)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
# 3ds Max SDK
set(MAX_VERSION "2025" CACHE STRING "3ds Max version")
set(MAXSDK "C:/Program Files/Autodesk/3ds Max ${MAX_VERSION} SDK/maxsdk"
CACHE PATH "3ds Max SDK path")
# Compiler flags
add_compile_options(
/O2 /MD /EHsc
/DWIN32 /D_WINDOWS /DUNICODE /D_UNICODE
)
# Plugin
add_library(HelloWorld SHARED
src/HelloWorld.cpp
src/HelloWorld.def
)
target_include_directories(HelloWorld PRIVATE
${MAXSDK}/include
)
target_link_directories(HelloWorld PRIVATE
${MAXSDK}/lib/x64/Release
)
target_link_libraries(HelloWorld
core geom gfx mesh maxutil paramblk2 bmm
)
# Output as .dlu
set_target_properties(HelloWorld PROPERTIES
SUFFIX ".dlu"
PREFIX ""
)
```
### Module Definition File (HelloWorld.def)
```def
LIBRARY HelloWorld
EXPORTS
LibDescription
LibNumberClasses
LibClassDesc
LibVersion
```
### Build
```powershell
cmake -B build -G "NMake Makefiles" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build build
```
## Modifier Plugin Example
### SimpleModifier.cpp
```cpp
#include <simpmod.h>
#include <iparamb2.h>
#define SIMPLE_MOD_CLASS_ID Class_ID(0xABCDEF01, 0x10FEDCBA)
class SimpleMod : public SimpleMod2 {
public:
void ModifyObject(TimeValue t, ModContext& mc, ObjectState* os, INode* node) override;
Interval LocalValidity(TimeValue t) override { return FOREVER; }
Class_ID ClassID() override { return SIMPLE_MOD_CLASS_ID; }
void GetClassName(TSTR& s) override { s = _T("SimpleMod"); }
};
void SimpleMod::ModifyObject(TimeValue t, ModContext& mc, ObjectState* os, INode* node) {
// Modify geometry here
}
```
## Library API Usage
```rust
use msvc_kit::{download_msvc, download_sdk, setup_environment, DownloadOptions};
use std::process::Command;
async fn build_max_plugin(max_version: &str) -> msvc_kit::Result<()> {
let msvc_version = match max_version {
"2025" => "14.38",
"2024" => "14.34",
"2023" => "14.32",
_ => "14.38",
};
let options = DownloadOptions {
msvc_version: Some(msvc_version.to_string()),
..Default::default()
};
let msvc = download_msvc(&options).await?;
let sdk = download_sdk(&options).await?;
let env = setup_environment(&msvc, Some(&sdk))?;
std::env::set_var("INCLUDE", env.include_path_string());
std::env::set_var("LIB", env.lib_path_string());
let maxsdk = format!("C:\\Program Files\\Autodesk\\3ds Max {} SDK\\maxsdk", max_version);
let cl = env.cl_exe_path().expect("cl.exe not found");
Command::new(&cl)
.args([
"/c", "/O2", "/MD", "/EHsc",
"/DWIN32", "/D_WINDOWS", "/DUNICODE", "/D_UNICODE",
&format!("/I{}\\include", maxsdk),
"HelloWorld.cpp"
])
.status()?;
let link = env.link_exe_path().expect("link.exe not found");
Command::new(&link)
.args([
"/DLL", "/OUT:HelloWorld.dlu",
"HelloWorld.obj",
&format!("/LIBPATH:{}\\lib\\x64\\Release", maxsdk),
"core.lib", "geom.lib", "maxutil.lib"
])
.status()?;
Ok(())
}
```
## Installation
Copy the plugin to 3ds Max's plugin directory:
```powershell
$MAX_PLUGINS = "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2025\plugins"
Copy-Item HelloWorld.dlu "$MAX_PLUGINS\"
```
Or use a custom plugin path in `3dsmax.ini`:
```ini
[Directories]
Additional Plug-In Path=C:\MyPlugins
```
## Troubleshooting
### "Cannot find Max SDK headers"
```powershell
$env:MAXSDK = "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2025 SDK\maxsdk"
Test-Path "$env:MAXSDK\include\max.h"
```
### Linker Errors
Ensure you're linking the correct libraries:
```
core.lib geom.lib gfx.lib mesh.lib maxutil.lib paramblk2.lib bmm.lib
```
### Plugin Not Loading
Check 3ds Max's plugin manager and system log for errors.