Fixes: vertex colour alpha channel not correct

Changes: Configuration file PandaDXExport.xml found in the plugcfg folder now contains all settings in XML.  Makes it easier to hand edit configuration or via batch processing.  Also easier to show settings instead of screen shots.  The old .cfg will be loaded the first time round and XML thereafter.

Animation settings (animation segments) are now stored and reloaded via XML so you don't have to enter the name and range in each time.

Name has been changed for max 8.  Remove old version.

Possible crashing problem under 3ds max 6/7
.fx materials not exported under 3ds max 7
material names with () produce invalid .X files
Modifier Stack gets corrupted after export in 3ds max7

Issues:

vertex colour alpha channel not correct

Note: Max can only provide the 'technique' via an ordinal value and not the name.

Full texture path in Text Mode has now double backslashes instead of singles for loading into MeshViewer.

Turning off optimize forces a 3 vertices per face output for optimization else where.

Note: Only the UVW map modifier(s) will be exported with their settings, not the settings applied in the material selection. So multiple map modifiers need assigning to different channels as part of the model.  Channel 1 is the default channel which will still appear in the default TexCoordinates template.  All subsequent channels, 2 onwards will be placed in the FVFData.   Of course you can't specify more than one texture filename per material, but your application can fill in the details.  Tested with Quest3D 2.2 demo version.

Reworked parts of the export so you may get different results than you have been getting. (Better hopefully). Using IGame interface to simplify things.

Unlimited named animation sets now supported. Note the settings will not be saved in this beta.  Not sure whether to start saving export options in the max file or not.

Vertex Colour alpha channel supported

Fix for Skin modifier.

Material opacity setting now supported

Overwrite texture option added (Default not to overwrite)

Progress bar now shows each mesh - helps with larger exports

Animation set given default name and animation frames given an animation name related to the frame.

Animation timeline option for 3DS max ticks or keyframe number.  Stats give approx. indication of how many samples will be produced given the frame rate etc.

NOTE: 3DS Max 5.1 has a bug in the Max Bones Skinning modifier.  Contact Discreet to await a bug fix for this.

Animation tab shows how many keyframes to expect with current FPS and length settings.

Non-optimize option so that users requiring 3 vertices per face can perform post-processing functions and use for explosion type animations in their code.

There seems to be an issue with DX9 Mesh viewer producing holes in meshes, although Deep Exploration v2.0 displays perfectly.  Even DX8 mesh viewer produces perfect models

Fix for some weights that were not getting assigned.

Issue - Problems with textures with models using Biped/Physique - requires some reworking when I get chance.

Right Handed Coordinate system support

Naming convention of objects have prefix removed

Limited Character Studio 3.x Physique bones and skin supported

Also updated support for textures to be converted into standard setting .Jpg, Png. and Tga image formats.

Animation - user defined sampling rate with choice of matrix or positon/scale/rotation keys

It seems some viewers of animation don't work very well i.e. MeshViewer from the SDK.  Using Deep Exploration from Right Hemisphere does give good viewing results.

Not sure if the vertex colours are correct because of optimized list.

The materials list should now be relative to the materials listed for the mesh and not overall (otherwise results in black objects or no objects)

New tab dialog layout for extra space and ease of use.

Texture Maps (standard + diffuse map) can now be converted to .bmp for directX.  Any map Max can handle .TGA and .JPG etc.  Option to turn off as well

Helper objects and bones now ignored (until handled in a future version).