by Martin Breidt·Workflow
Illustrative cover generated by AnyPlugins — no product screenshot available.
gizmoControl stands out for extending gizmo linking to any kind of modifier gizmo, an approach the developer likens to World Space Modifiers, and it spans 3ds Max 8 through 2022.
gizmoControl by Martin Breidt is a macroscript that appears in the "MB Tools" category after you run the .mcr. It links the transformation of a modifier gizmo to another scene object, so the gizmo stays fully aligned to that object. That control object can be freely animated by any kind of controller and linked to any other scene node. In some ways it resembles World Space Modifiers, but it works for any kind of modifier gizmo.
The tool suits complex modifier animations: animating a Slice modifier's plane along a path, attaching a UVW Map modifier to an animated helper object, transforming a Displace modifier with another object, or letting an extra node control the symmetry plane of a Symmetry modifier.
Holding SHIFT on the Link button keeps the initial offset, so the gizmo stays where it is but follows further movement of the control node; holding SHIFT on Reset keeps the current gizmo transformation while removing the link. A button removes the scripted controller, and the script works with Merge and Xref links. It is compatible with 3ds Max 8 through 2022.
gizmoControl is best for creating complex modifier animations in 3ds Max, such as driving a Slice, UVW Map, Displace, or Symmetry modifier's gizmo with a separate animated control object.
gizmoControl is completely free to download and use.
gizmoControl is compatible with 3ds Max 8 through 2022, covering a wide span of releases. The current version is 0.43, last updated on May 24, 2021. After running the .mcr file, the macroscript appears in the "MB Tools" category, where you can access it. If you work across several 3ds Max versions in this range, the same script should be available in each. For anything outside that range or the latest details, check the developer's page at scripts.breidt.net.
gizmoControl links the transformation of a modifier gizmo to another scene object, after which the gizmo stays fully aligned to that object. The control object can be freely animated by any kind of controller and linked to any other scene node, so the gizmo follows that motion. The developer describes the approach as similar to World Space Modifiers, though it works for any kind of modifier gizmo. This lets you drive gizmos through separate, independently animated objects rather than keying the gizmo directly.
gizmoControl supports keeping the initial offset: hold SHIFT when pressing the 'Link' button, and the gizmo stays where it is but follows any further movement of the control node. Holding SHIFT when pressing the 'Reset' button keeps the current gizmo transformation while removing the link to the control node. There is also a button to remove the scripted controller that links the gizmo. These options give you control over whether the gizmo snaps to the control object or holds its current placement.
gizmoControl should work correctly with Merge and Xref links, according to the changelog. Copy/pasting a modifier that has a linked gizmo also works correctly. Earlier fixes addressed incorrect gizmo transformations on objects with an edited pivot point, and version 0.43 corrected a UI code typo that caused an error when running the script. If you are moving scenes between files or duplicating modifiers, these behaviours are covered. For the full change history, see the developer's page at scripts.breidt.net.
gizmoControl is listed as free here in the catalog. For current licensing terms and any conditions attached to use, check the developer's page at scripts.breidt.net, where the script is hosted. The tool is a macroscript distributed as an .mcr file, which installs it into the "MB Tools" category once executed. Version 0.43 was last updated on May 24, 2021, so the developer's page is the best place to confirm the latest release and terms.
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