Building DazMaxBridge

When you are ready to modify & extend DazMaxBridge to fit your workflow exactly, use Git to clone the repository, or download the latest source in a ZIP.

Every attempt has been made to keep the project configuration as simple, and as painless to set-up as possible. The whole project is contained within one Visual Studio 2010 solution. All dependencies are included in the repository and do not require installation, except the Daz SDK which we cannot redistribute.

Getting Ready to Build

Once you have downloaded the project, complete the following three steps:

1. Install the Daz SDK (The Daz 4.5 SDK is the latest one and works with Daz 4.6)

2. Create the following SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES:

   _3DSMaxInstallDirectory set to the directory containing 3dsmax.exe (e.g. C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2014\)

   DazInstallDirectory set to the directory containing dazstudio.exe (e.g. C:\Program Files\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio4\)

   These are used in Post-Build Events to copy the plugins to their correct locations upon building the project.

3. In Visual Studio, right click MaxBridgeUtility, select Properties, then Debug. Pick the Start external program radio button, and in the text box enter the path and filename of the 3DS Max executable. (e.g. C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2014\3dsmax.exe)

Building

Once the above has been completed, you should be able to just press Build.

When the project builds it should copy all the required files to their correct locations. Starting a debug instance of either project should load Daz or Max with the debugger attached ready to step into the library code once the export or import has been initiated.

To use the bridge outside the development environment, start Daz and Max as normal.