Nice Max tip: Garbage Collector

arshlevon

just learned this recently from a programmer at work and by using it regularly i have greatly increased the stability of max.

while using max, certain scripts and plugins, as well as even certain functions of max itself create memory leaks, to clear all memory, and the undo buffer type gc() in the lower left hand corner(in the listener window) and press enter. max has been playing much better with me ever since i started doing this.

hope it helps.

Prs-Phil

wow great tip arsh, seconds well invested.

Joao Sapiro

i second that everytime i moved my model max stops a while to "think" then i could gain control of the mouse...thanks arsh !

Joshua Stubbles

I've been doing this for a long time now. There's actually more you can do (especially when you start getting file-bloating issues). I talked to our Max reseller awhile back, and he told me to do the following:

- Open file > Xref Objects > Then close the menu
- Open file > Xref Scene > Then close the menu
- Type the gc() command into the listener

Do that, and it should help a LOT. Some of our scene files bloated to 20+MB for no apparent reason. After doing this, they went back down to 600-700KB. Not bad

fritz

yeah me too. it seems that whenever you import or merge things from other scenes max's files grow exponentially. this is a great way to clean them up.

oXYnary

Someone should make a script button we can use that does all these at once if clicked..

*hint hint*

MoP

oXYnary: If you type gc() into the white text field at the bottom left, select it, then CTRL-drag the selection onto a toolbar, it makes a macroscript button for you.

You couldn't really add the xref things that Vassago mentioned to a maxscript anyway, since 2 of those commands, while possible to call from maxscript, open up new windows which require the user to click Close, and you can't open both the Xref scenes and Xref objects windows at once.
Just having gc() in a toolbar button would probably do it.

Although typing gc() once in a while really isn't that strenuous

FatAssasin

If you want to do a garbage collect without wiping out your undo buffer, type:

gc light:true

MoP

Ah, nice one FatAssasin

poopinmymouth

From our in house scripter

there's also a maxScript for this that will do all these steps for you, give
you the option of saving as a different name and return the file sizes
before and after...

Main UI -> All Commands -> Fix File Bloat

I put it on my toolbar.

arshlevon

poopys out of bandwidth!!!

notman

[ QUOTE ]
poopys out of bandwidth!!!

[/ QUOTE ]
There is something really wrong with that statement

Thanks for the tips guys. I don't appear to have Fix File Bloat though Poop.

thomasp

yeah that's nice ben, but why can't i find that rapidshare link containing the script in your post?

i just noticed that the gc command does not execute from a toolbar (created via drap&drop). after reading the maxscript online help, i feel considerably more stupid now but didn't solve it.

poopinmymouth

It's a built in command of Max thomasp, no downloading required.

FatAssasin

[ QUOTE ]
It's a built in command of Max thomasp, no downloading required.


[/ QUOTE ]

I don't see it either, and have never heard of that command (not that that really means anything). I'm guessing it's a Neversoft thing that was installed for you guys automatically. Do you have any other info on it, like the actual .mcr file it runs? I'd like to see it.

poopinmymouth

WHOOPS! yes that's apparently what it is, proprietary script. Nothing to see here kids.

MoP

lol poopinmymouth needs a name change to eggonmyface

FatAssasin

One small glimpse into the secret world of Neversoft.

oXYnary

[ QUOTE ]
Although typing gc() once in a while really isn't that strenuous

[/ QUOTE ]

Yuo have sen mytyping skills around here rgiht?