3dsmax python add float script to sub animations

Question

I have the next setup: I have a sphere which has a morpher modifier. This morpher modifier has a certain amount of channels filled with morph targets aka sub animations. Now I want to add a controller to each of these subanimations, more specifically a controller with a float script. I have the code snippet that should work but when I go to the curve editor, the morph channels/ sub animations did not change controller, nor is the value of their controller changed.

import MaxPlus
target = MaxPlus.INode.GetINodeByName('Sphere001')
#Retrieve the morpher modifier
mod = target.GetModifier(0)
#ID of a float script controller
id = MaxPlus.Class_ID(1233584870,1911625032)
#Create float controller
float_co = MaxPlus.Factory.CreateFloatController(id)
#Retrieve the first morph channel / sub animation
sub = mod.GetSubAnim(1)
#Controller is assigned to the sub animation
sub.AssignController(float_co,1)
#Basic test which assigns 20 to the sub animation
float_co.ParameterBlock.Script.Value = '20'

When I add a wrong value to the script, for example:

float_co.ParameterBlock.Script.Value = '=20'

I receive an error and the usual window when you manually add a controller to an object or node. However the strange thing is that at the top of the window: the name of the object to which it is connected, does not show. See figure for clarification:

Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thank you!

Answer 1

I solved it by using the ugly way:

import MaxPlus
test = MaxPlus.FPValue()
success = MaxPlus.Core.EvalMAXScript(string_with_command,test)

This is used twice: first to create the float script controller and a second time to add the script to the controller. Be careful if anyone wants to try this, the script for the controller needs to be a string. Do not use

x as string

with the expressing you want to use as script for the float script controller since maxscript will evaluate x on the timeframe you are currently in 3ds max and will convert this value to a string. This value will be used as script for all time frames which clearly is not what you want. A small hack I used was:

script_value_example = '"amax #(0, ($sphere.position.x - cube.position.y))"'

This is still a string for python and maxscript will see the " " and will interpret it as a string. The other way around doesn't work, maxscript does not interpret ' ' as string. Maybe this will help someone in the future. Also if someone knows the proper way to do it using the code in the question, please leave a reply, I'm interested to know.