John J.A. Jannone

I don't often use "freeze attribute" because of the cumbersome process of unlock, select object, get info, scroll thru attributes, select the right one (can't select multiple), click the cute snowflake. And then, if the typed-in attributes to the object are changed, the frozen attributes get lost. It feels to me like a feature that's *almost* really useful.

So, a few freeze related questions for those who use it regularly, which I suppose are feature requests if there are no current solutions:

* Is there a message that can freeze an attribute from the patch? Either to the object, or, perhaps: to attrui that reaches into the object to freeze the inspected attribute? If no message, then a scripting solution?

* Is there a scripting solution that would allow frozen attributes to be converted to typed-in arguments?

And, if this were an actual feature request, I'd suggest the following:

1. attrui somehow indicate frozen attributes, and maybe even include a freeze button

2. there be two forms of freezing: the current form, which sets a default value(s) at the moment of freezing loadmess-style, and a new form that always saves the most recent value (ie. persistent attruis & number boxes...)

message-scripting-message-to-freeze-attributes

hey John, check out the Transform context menu (right-click on your object), and the "Changed Attributes to Arguments" item.

this solution isn't perfect (especially with jit.gl objects there are a lot of unnecessary attributes added), but gets you close.

Rob this is a great feature, thanks! How did I miss this?

I guess I've never been a big user of the contextual menus in Max... Perhaps like many long-time-Maxers, my default mode is still that of 90s-Max. A different creature, to be sure.

Thanks to you for your work in making Max a true 21st century tool, and for your useful response.

Rob this is a great feature, thanks! How did I miss this? 

Thanks to you for your work in making Max a true 21st century tool, and for your useful response.


for the sake of the archive....I just tried this in Max 8 and it appears that right clicking (at least on Mac) doesn't show this option. Go to the "Object" menu at the top for Max, then find Transform -> Change Attributes to Arguments

You can also use the little yellow circle to the left of the object which contains the same item (Transform -> Change Attributes to Arguments) in its menu. This could save moving your pointer as far, should that be important to you.

You can also use the little yellow circle to the left of the object which contains the same item (Transform -> Change Attributes to Arguments) in its menu.  This could save moving your pointer as far, should that be important to you.

message / scripting message to freeze attributes