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FindByName

by Jon Seagull·Workflow

Illustrative cover generated by AnyPlugins — no product screenshot available.

Why we like it

FindByName earns its place as a small, single-purpose 3ds Max script from Jon Seagull, a technical director focused on custom tool creation for 3D pipelines. It targets one specific problem: surfacing an object's parents inside grouped hierarchies.

What is FindByName?

FindByName is a utility for 3ds Max that reports an object's parents once you supply the object's name. It's aimed at finding objects that sit within closed or nested groups.

The script comes from Jon Seagull, a consultant and technical director who works on the technical side of clients' internal 3D pipelines. His work spans technical direction for large or unusual projects, custom tool creation and scripting, emergency troubleshooting when a scene won't render before a morning deadline, and over-the-shoulder best practices instruction.

FindByName sits at version 0.1 and is hosted on ScriptSpot. A demo video is available on YouTube. The utility is listed here as free, so check the developer's page at jonseagull.com for current licensing and any additional details.

Who is FindByName best for?

FindByName is best for 3ds Max users who need to locate objects buried inside closed or nested groups by looking them up by name.

How much does FindByName cost?

FindByName is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Displays an object's parents based on the object's name you enter
  • Locates objects that sit inside closed or nested groups
  • Runs as a utility script inside 3ds Max
  • Currently offered at version 0.1
  • Demo video available on YouTube
  • Listed as free in the catalog

Tags

#3ds Max#utility#scripting#object hierarchy#nested groups#object search#ScriptSpot

Frequently asked questions

How does FindByName locate objects inside nested groups?

FindByName works by taking the name of an object and showing you that object's parents. That behaviour is what makes it useful for finding objects that live inside closed or nested groups. You give the utility an object's name, and it responds with the parents that object belongs to. It's a single-purpose 3ds Max script centred on this lookup, so it focuses on the parent-finding task rather than trying to do more.

Is FindByName free to use?

FindByName is listed here as free, so you can add it without a purchase through this catalog. Pricing and licensing terms can change over time, though, and the most reliable source is the developer's own page. For current licensing and any conditions attached to using the script, visit Jon Seagull's site at jonseagull.com. That page is also the best place to confirm details before you rely on the utility in a project.

What version of FindByName is available?

FindByName is currently at version 0.1, an early version number that suggests the script is at an early stage of development. If you want to know whether a newer release exists, or what may have changed since, the developer's page at jonseagull.com is the best place to check. Version details like these tend to move on faster than catalog entries can track, so the developer's own site remains the most reliable source for the latest available build of the script.

Is there a demo video for FindByName?

FindByName has a demo video available, hosted on YouTube. Beyond confirming that a video exists, it's best to watch it directly rather than take a summary here, since the clip itself is the clearest reference. You can reach the video and the rest of the project details through the developer, Jon Seagull, at jonseagull.com. Between the demo video and the developer's page, you should have enough to decide whether the utility fits how you work in 3ds Max.

Alternatives to FindByName

Also in Workflow for 3ds Max.

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