Manage External Files in 3ds Max

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Managing assets' external files is a common challenge for everyone, and the Integration offers comprehensive workflows for solving it. "Manage External Files" (MEF) is a functional module that the Integration uses in various contexts to automatically resolve external file issues or execute related tasks (e.g., copying external files, stripping paths, etc.). This module's functionality is also available on demand as the "Manage External Files" tool.

Understanding MEF Contexts

The Integration offers external file management in three distinct workflow contexts, each with specific behavior tailored to the task at hand:

Adding assets to Connecter: When you add assets from 3ds Max to your library in Connecter, MEF helps you manage external files before the Add Asset dialog opens. This happens in your source scene, making it clear that any changes affect your currently open scene.
Merging assets from Connecter: When you merge assets from Connecter into your Max scene, MEF helps you resolve missing external files issues. The functionality focuses specifically on fixing missing files rather than offering general external file management.
Managing external files in the current 3D scene: MEF is available on-demand to manage the external files of your entire scene or a selection of objects, offering full external file management capabilities similar to Max's Asset Tracker.

The following sections describe the MEF interface and common functionality, followed by specific details for each workflow context.

MEF Interface Overview

The MEF dialog features a modern, professional interface designed to make external file management clear and intuitive. The interface includes the following key components:

Guidance Header

At the top of the dialog, a guidance header explains the current context and purpose. For example, when adding assets, it clarifies that you're managing files in your source scene before the asset is added to Connecter.

Guidance header in Add Asset workflow:

Guidance header in Merge Asset workflow:

Status Header

Below the guidance header, a status header shows:

Scope information: Whether you're working on a selection or the whole scene.
External file counts: How many external files are present, organized by status (OK, Found, Missing).
Auto-Find Settings button: (Add Asset and Merge Asset workflows only) Direct access to configure automatic external file discovery settings.

This at-a-glance summary helps you quickly understand the state of your external files.

Toolbar

All commands for managing external files are now directly accessible in the toolbar, making everyday operations faster and more discoverable.

IMPORTANT: There's no undo available for these commands.

Selection Commands

Select All: Selects all external files in the list. Alternatively, use the Control+A keyboard shortcut.
Select None: Deselects any selected external files. Alternatively, click on the empty area below the list.
Select Missing: Selects all external files with "missing" or "unknown" status.

File Management Commands

Refresh: Updates the file list to show the current status of external files and their paths in the open 3ds Max scene.
Set Path: If the Integration discovers an external file elsewhere, the file status changes to "found," and the discovered folder path appears in the "FOUND IN" column. Use "Set Path" to update the missing file with the found-in path.
Set New Path: Update the selected external file's path with a new path by selecting a folder in the File Explorer.
Strip Path: Strips (removes) the selected external file's path.
Replace: Replace the selected external file with another one that you have selected in the File Browser. This is useful when a texture or external asset has been renamed or updated.
Copy: Executes the standard Windows Copy command. Subsequently, you can use Paste to copy the files to a desired folder in File Explorer.
Copy to...: Copies the selected external files to a destination folder selected in the File Browser.
View Image: Opens the external file in 3ds Max's image viewer. Alternatively, double-click the file to open it.
Open in Explorer: Opens the selected external file's location in Windows File Explorer. When multiple files are selected, all of them open in different windows of File Explorer.
Search and Relink: Opens the Search and Relink dialog.

Filter Options

Show only missing files: When this checkbox is selected, the file list displays only files with "missing" or "unknown" status, making it easier to focus on problems that need resolution.

File List

The main area displays all external files with columns showing:

FILE NAME: The external file name.
TYPE: File type (e.g., Bitmap, IES, etc.).
STATUS: External file’s current status (OK, Found, Missing, Unknown).
PATH: External file’s path.
PATH STATUS: Status of the path (Present, Missing, Stripped).
FOUND IN: Shows the path where the Integration discovered the file during a search, when different from the file's current stored path.

Call-to-Action Buttons

At the bottom of the dialog, clear buttons guide you to the next step in your workflow:

Add Asset workflows: "Proceed to Add Asset" or "Cancel Add Asset and Return to Scene".
Merge Asset workflows: "Proceed and Merge Asset" or "Cancel Asset Merge".
Manage Scene workflow: "Done".

File Statuses

External files and the paths on the file system related to them have different statuses as follows:

File statuses:

OK: The external file is present.
Unknown: The external file path is stripped.
Found: The external file is missing, but the Integration has found it in another (found-in) location.
Missing: The external file is missing from the folder, or the folder itself is missing or inaccessible.

Path statuses:

Present: The path to the external file is present and accessible.
Missing: The path to the external file is either missing or inaccessible.
Stripped: The external file path is stripped (e.g., there's no file path related to the external file).

Refer to “Manage External Files” guide for more details about the statuses.

Search and Relink

The Integration provides the Search and Relink tool for efficient batch operations on external files. This tool combines searching for files in specified locations with immediate management actions, allowing you to find and relink, copy, or strip paths for multiple files in one step. To access this functionality, click the Search and Relink button in the toolbar. It opens the "Search and Relink" dialog, which works on your currently selected files (or all files if nothing is selected), regardless of their status.

In contrast to Auto-Find Settings, which apply rules automatically, Search and Relink provides on-demand control to search for and manage external files as needed.

Using Search and Relink

To search for missing external files:

Select the files you want to search for in the main MEF file list. Use the selection commands (Select All, Select Missing, etc.) to help with this.
NOTE: If you don't select any files, Search and Relink will work on all files in the list.
Specify search locations by selecting at least one option under the "Search Locations" section.
Choose how to manage discovered files by selecting an option under the "Manage Discovered Files and Paths" section. Note that these options affect only the files that are successfully discovered – files that aren't found elsewhere remain unchanged.
Click the Start Search button.
If any missing files are discovered, the file statuses in the main MEF interface update from “unknown” or “missing” to “found” or “OK”.

You can run as many search operations as needed until you get the desired result.

The dialog shows "Working with X selected external files" at the bottom to confirm how many files will be searched and if no files are selected the text is "Working with X external files".

Search Locations

Search in source folder: Searches in the currently opened scene file's folder (for scene management) or the asset's folder (for merge workflows).
Search in specific folder: Browse and select a custom folder to search.
Search in favorite folders: Your preset locations for frequently used asset directories. Click "Add" to add a new folder to your favorites list, or click "Remove" to delete the selected folder from the list. The Integration will search all folders in this list.
Search in subfolders: Include all subfolders of the selected folders in the search.

IMPORTANT: Exercise caution when adding many favorite folders or using "Search in subfolders," as they can significantly increase search time when combined with large folder structures.

Manage Discovered Files and Paths

When external files are discovered elsewhere, these options tell the Integration what to do with them:

The primary management options are presented as radio buttons (select one):

Relink (update) paths to the new Found In folders: Updates file paths in the scene to the new locations listed in the Found In column.
Relink (update) paths to the selected copy-in folder: Updates file paths to use the folder specified in "Copy external files to" (see below).
Strip paths: Removes the stored folder path from the file reference, keeping only the file name. 3ds Max will search for the file using its standard bitmap path rules.
Do not update paths (no action): Keeps current paths unchanged even if files are found elsewhere.

Additional option (can be combined with any of the above):

Add new paths to User Paths -> External Files: Adds the found-in paths (where missing external files were discovered) to 3ds Max's User Paths -> External Files. This doesn't update the file paths themselves but adds the found-in paths as alternative locations where Max can find the files. To access it, go to File -> Project -> Configure Project Paths -> External files.

Copy External Files To

Copy external files to: When this checkbox is selected, and you specify a destination folder, all discovered files will be copied to that folder. Using the management options below, you can decide whether to relink, strip, or leave paths unchanged after copying them.

Workflow-Specific Details

Now that you understand the common MEF interface and functionality, the following sections explain how MEF behaves in each specific workflow context and how to configure Auto-Find Settings for each.

Adding Assets to Connecter

When you add assets from your Max scene to Connecter, the Integration checks if any external files link to the objects and materials you're adding to validate whether they are present or missing. Based on your Auto-Find External Files Settings (see below), the Integration may automatically search for missing files to find them elsewhere.

Here's how the workflow works:

When you choose to add an asset from your scene, MEF attempts to discover any missing files based on your Auto-Find settings.
If there are still missing files, MEF opens before the Add Asset dialog, allowing you to review and resolve any issues with external files.

IMPORTANT: At this point, you are still working in your currently opened scene - the actual Add Asset process has not started yet. Any changes you make to external files affect your source scene directly.
MEF dialog doesn’t open:
- When there are no external files at all.
- When Auto-Find discovers all missing files AND "Open only if there are undiscovered external files" is selected.
Once you finish managing external files and close MEF (by clicking "Proceed to Add Asset"), the Add Asset dialog opens.
In the Add Asset dialog, you can view the status of external files, but if you need to manage them further, you'll need to exit the Add Asset process by closing the dialog and returning to your scene.

IMPORTANT: Understanding this workflow is crucial for successfully building an asset library that works for you without requiring manual resolution of external file issues and inter-dependencies. The key point to remember is that MEF changes occur in your source scene, not just to the asset being added.

Auto-Find Settings for Adding Assets

To configure Auto-Find settings for the Adding Assets workflow, select "Open Connecter Preferences" from the right-click contextual menu in the viewport, then click the "Auto-Find External Files Settings" button. Also, it can be opened from Connecter > Connecter Preferences. Alternatively, click the Auto-Find Settings button in the MEF dialog, when adding or merging assets. Make sure you're on the "Adding New Assets" tab.

IMPORTANT: Auto-Find settings control only the automatic search for missing external files. The Integration discovers where missing files are located but does not automatically manage their paths. You manage external file paths in the MEF dialog (if it opens) or in the External Files section of the Add Asset dialog, which opens from the Options button at the top of the dialog.

Preferences:

Auto-find missing external files when adding asset(s): Use this option (selected by default) to turn on automatic discovery of any missing external files. When selected, the Integration will search in the folders specified in the "Search Locations" section.
If you deselect this option, the functionality is turned off, and the Integration will not attempt to discover any missing files.
Show results in "Manage External Files": Use this option (selected by default) to see the MEF interface before the Add Asset dialog opens. This allows you to review the status of external files and manage them if needed before proceeding.
Open only if there are undiscovered external files: Use this option (selected by default) to see the MEF interface only when there are still undiscovered missing external files after auto-find attempts. If all missing external files are discovered elsewhere, MEF won't open, and you'll proceed directly to the Add Asset dialog.

NOTE: MEF won't appear if the asset has no external files.

Search Locations:

By default, the Integration will look for missing files in the current scene's folder ("Search in source folder" option). You can configure additional search locations:

Search in favorite folders: Add and manage multiple frequently used folders.
Search in subfolders: Combines with the other options to include subfolders in the search.

IMPORTANT: Searching for missing files can be time-consuming. While searching only in the source scene's folder will be almost unnoticeable, adding more search locations – especially large folder structures – will substantially increase search time. Use the "Search in subfolders" option with caution.

Merging Assets from Connecter

When you merge assets from Connecter into your Max scene, the Integration checks if any external files link to the asset and validates whether they are present or missing. Based on your Auto-Find External Files Settings (see below), the Integration automatically searches for missing files and discovers their locations if found elsewhere.

The auto-find workflow targets only files that are missing. If the MEF dialog opens (when there are undiscovered missing files or based on your preferences), you can use all available file management commands and the Search & Relink tool to manage any external files – both missing and present – before completing the merge.

NOTE: The automatic search and relink functionality is not available for the standard "Open File" and "Merge with Max Dialog" operations, as they are handled by 3ds Max directly and not aided by the Integration.

Auto-Find Settings for Merging Assets

To configure Auto-Find settings for the Merging Assets workflow, select "Open Connecter Preferences" from the right-click contextual menu in the viewport, then click the "Auto-Find External Files Settings" button. Also, it can be opened from Connecter -> Connecter Preferences. Make sure you're on the "Merging Assets" tab.

IMPORTANT: All settings and available functionality relate only to any missing external files (with “unknown” or “missing” status) of the assets you merge into 3ds Max. The Integration doesn't search for or manage external files that are present (files with an OK status). This keeps the workflow focused on problem-solving rather than offering complex general management tools.

Preferences: The same options as those in Auto-Find Settings for Adding Assets are available.

Search Locations: The same options as the ones in Auto-Find Settings for Adding Assets are available, with the only difference being the “Search in asset folder” option, which refers to the folder containing the asset being merged.

Manage Discovered Files and Paths:

When missing external files are discovered elsewhere, these options tell the Integration what to do with them:

The primary management options are presented as radio buttons (select one):

Relink (update) paths to the new Found In folders (selected by default): The Integration will update the paths of missing external files to the folders where they were discovered (found-in paths).
Strip paths: The Integration will strip (remove) the missing external file paths.
Do not update paths (no action): The integration will not update the paths of missing external files. Use the "Show results in “Manage External Files" option to review and manage files manually if needed.

Additional option (can be combined with any of the above):

Add new paths to User Paths -> External Files: Adds the found-in paths (where missing external files were discovered) to 3ds Max's User Paths -> External Files. This doesn't update the file paths themselves but adds the found-in paths as alternative locations where Max can find the files. To access it, go to File -> Project -> Configure Project Paths -> External files.

Copy External Files To:

Copy external files to: When this option is selected, the Integration will copy all discovered missing external files to the specified destination folder. This option works in combination with the primary management options:
- Choose "Do not update paths (no action)" if you want to only copy the missing external files without updating the asset's paths.
- You can also choose "Relink (update) paths to the selected copy-in folder" to point paths directly to the copy destination folder.

Managing External Files in the Current 3D Scene

In addition to asset merging and adding workflows, MEF is available for managing the external files of your 3D scene (similar to Max's Asset Tracker). This workflow offers full external file management capabilities for all files, regardless of their status.

To access MEF in this context, right-click in the viewport and select Manage External Files from the quad menu or go to Connecter -> Manage External Files.

You can work with external files in two ways:

Select specific objects first – MEF will show only the external files referenced by your selection, allowing you to manage files for specific parts of your scene.
Open MEF without any selection – MEF will show all external files from the entire scene.

The functionality is essentially the same as described in the common sections above, with these differences:

There's no "Auto-Find Settings" button in the status header (since Auto-Find settings only relate to merging and adding workflows).
The status header shows information about the whole scene or your current selection, depending on whether you had objects selected when opening MEF.

The call-to-action button at the bottom is simply "Done" to close the dialog.