MAXscript UI doesn't update to show items added to listbox

Tools 3ds Max
, ,
#1

Using MAX 2024. If I add an item to a listbox it does not appear in the UI, however the listbox properties say it is there. I’ve tried opening and closing the rollout to see if that would force a refresh, didn’t work. Below is a sample script showing the problem. Any ideas?

utility listboxTest "Listbox Test"
(
	listbox lbxList "Items" items:#("Appears")

	on listboxTest open do
	(
		append lbxList.items "WillNotAppear"
		format "There are [%] items\n" lbxList.items.count -- Returns 2, but still only 1 item appears in the UI
	)
)
#2

Been a hot minute since I used MXS
I was going to point you to an old bookmarked CG talk thread on Struct based UI tool scoping
But it turns out CG Talk shut down this month :frowning:

All I have is this example


/* 
	DennisT's example of a Max Script Struct based tool, correctly scoped as global
	
	source CG talk thread:
	https://forums.cgsociety.org/t/avoiding-multiple-dialog-copies-in-a-struct-tool/1639975/2


*/


global TheTool 
(
	struct ToolStruct 
	(
		dialog = rollout dialog "Dialog"
		(
			local owner = if owner != undefined do owner
			label info_lb align:#center
			on dialog open do info_lb.text = timestamp() as string  
		),

		fn destroy = try(destroydialog TheTool.dialog) catch(),

		fn show =
		(
			destroy()
			createdialog dialog
		),

		on create do 
		(
			destroy()
			dialog.owner = this
		)

	)
	TheTool = ToolStruct()

	ok
)
TheTool.show()

I suspect " opening and closing the rollout " isn’t clearing it from the RAM, it still exists in the initialized state; which is what the destroy fn takes care of in the above case. Perhaps you can mutate this into what you need…

#3

Yeah, so much knowledge lost with the CG forums shut down. :frowning: I was able to figure out the “problem” - MAXscript only triggers a refresh when the assignment operator is used. The code below works. It wasn’t a scoping problem, the original problem happens on a fresh start of MAX with the first invocation of the script.

utility listboxTest "Listbox Test"
(
	listbox lbxList "Items" items:#("Appears")

	on listboxTest open do
	(
		-- Below Line Doesn't work
		-- append lbxList.items "WillNotAppear"
		tempList = lbxList.items
		append tempList "NowThisOneAppears"
		lbxList.items = tempList
	)
)
#4 
lbxList.items = append lbxList.items "WillNotAppear"
1 Like
#5

Ha, yeah that’s even cleaner, thank you! I’d forgotten that ‘append’ returns something.

On a side note, we may have lost the CG forums but my goodness we appeared to have gained denisT! I don’t know when else I’ll get this opportunity but you have been helping with my headaches for years, I’m very happy to see you’re here.

#6

I spoke his name and he showed up!
@denisT.MaxDoctor glad to see you’re still sharing your knowledge
You helped me a lot ~10 years ago in my Max days, so thanks