Installation of the Max plugin

The latest version of Simplygon 10 can be downloaded from our Simplygon website. There are currently two choices, the Simplygon 10 installer and the Simplygon 10 API archive. The installer might be preferred as it not only installs the Simplygon Max plug-ins (optional) and Simplygon Python API but it also installs all the required runtime dependencies.

Support for Autodesk 3DS Max

• 2018 - 2026

Automatic installation

To download the Simplygon installer, go to the Simplygon website and locate the "SDK Installer", click download. Once the download has completed, start the Simplygon installer and follow the instructions presented on the screen. For more details about the installer, options and license setup, see Simplygon installation.

When the Simplygon installation has completed, verify that the Simplygon plug-in(s) gets loaded properly by visiting the Max plug-in manager (Customize -> Plug-in manager). If the Simplygon plug-in is not listed in the Max plug-in manager, see section below on adding plug-in path to Max.

Manual installation

The Simplygon Zip archive allows a more customized installation. See Simplygon prerequisites for a complete list of required dependencies. For a manual installation of Simplygon 10, extract the downloaded archive to a local directory on your computer (we'll use C:/SimplygonSDK_10.0/), all relative file-paths in this section will be relative to this directory.

To make the Simplygon plug-in(s) aware of the Simplygon runtime, batch processor, Python API and related files, some environment variables need to be registered. Simply execute the SetupSimplygon.ps1 PowerShell script from the root folder of the extracted archive (C:/SimplygonSDK_10.0/) to do this. The environment variables will be bound to this specific directory, removing or renaming folders or files will most likely result in unexpected behavior. See Simplygon environment variables for specific details.

Note that SetupSimplygon.ps1 takes a -MaxPackage switch, which automatically sets up the 3ds Max plugin — it registers the ADSK_APPLICATION_PLUGINS environment variable and copies legacy plugin files for Max 2018/2019 if those versions are detected on the system.

Alternatively, you can run the InstallPortable.ps1 script located in the Max subfolder directly:

cd C:/SimplygonSDK_10.0/Max
.\InstallPortable.ps1

For manual installation of the Simplygon Max plug-in(s):

• Installation into Max plug-in directory
• Add plug-in path to Max

Manual installation into Max plug-in directory

For a manual installation of Simplygon 10, extract the downloaded archive to a local directory on your computer (we'll use C:/SimplygonSDK_10/) in this section.

Max 2018 and 2019

• Copy C:/SimplygonSDK_10/Max/Max<version>/SimplygonMax<version>.dlu into the Plugins folder of the Max installation directory (typically C:/Program Files/Autodesk/3ds Max <version>/Plugins).
• Copy C:/SimplygonSDK_10/Max/Max<version>/SimplygonMax<version>UI.dll into the bin/assemblies folder of the Max installation directory (typically C:/Program Files/Autodesk/3ds Max <version>/bin/assemblies).

If 3DS Max is running you may have to restart the application for the change to take effect. At last, verify that the Simplygon plug-in(s) gets loaded properly by visiting the Max plug-in manager (Customize -> Plug-in manager).

Max 2020 and later

Simplygon plugins use the Autodesk Application Plug-in Package Format for 3DS Max versions where supported. Plugins in this format do not need to be copied into the Max install directory. Instead, add the Simplygon Max plugins base path C:/SimplygonSDK_10/Max/ to the ADSK_APPLICATION_PLUGINS environment variable and 3DS Max will be able to locate and load the appropriate plugin version.

If 3DS Max is running you will have to restart the application for the change to take effect. At last, verify that the Simplygon plug-in(s) gets loaded properly by visiting the Max plug-in manager (Customize -> Plug-in manager).

Add plug-in path to Max

An alternative solution to get Max to load the Simplygon plug-in(s) is to point Max to the Simplygon plug-in directory, go to the Customize-menu in Max, then Configure system paths -> 3rd Party Plug-Ins. Press the Add-button and navigate to the correct version of the Simplygon plug-in(s): C:/SimplygonSDK_10/Max/SimplygonMax<Version>. You may need to restart Max for the change to take effect.

At last, verify that the Simplygon plug-in(s) gets loaded properly by visiting the Max plug-in manager (Customize -> Plug-in manager).

For more details, see Max 2021, 3rd Party Plug-Ins Path Configuration.