"Mtlgen.dlt is Missing" error

[Phoenix]

Gmax "Mtlgen.dlt is Missing" error

Hi all,

When I double-click on any gmax file, say from the desktop or my gmax scenes folder, I get the error message "Mtlgen.dlt is Missing" then another saying "gmax failed to start".

I found the Mtlgen.dlt file in my c:\gmax\stdplugs folder so I know it isn't missing.

I thought I might have to add the c:\gmax and c:\gmax\stdplugs folders to my system path but this didn't help at all.

I'm not sure if double-clicking a gmax file to open it automatically without having to open gmax first has ever worked, or if I have changed something.

This is very annoying because I waste so much time having to navigate to the file each time I want to open a new file that isn't in my history list.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Phoenix]

Some Clues...

Ok, going only with my original idea that if the system knew where the gmax folder was, it might work....well it didn't BUT I tried putting the file in the C:\gmax folder and double-clicking it from there...IT WORKED!!!

So then I right-clicked the AutoStartupTestFile.gmax file I created in my c:\gmax\Scenes folder and went to [send to] [Desktop as shortcut].

I then right-clicked the shortcut on the desktop and looked at the startup directory. (See 01 - OriginalShortcutProperites.jpg). It says to startup in the c:\gmax\Scenes folder (original file location).

I then changed this to startup in the c:\gmax directory because I know if I put the file there it works. (See 02 - ModifiedShortcutProperties.jpg)

IT WORKED!!

So I'm having a guess here, but I think the fact the I can't just double-click any gmax file to open it automatically might have something to do with the .gmax association. I know next to nothing about creating associations

Any ideas as to why I can't just double-click any gmax file without having to make a shortcut and changing the startup directory....

 

[Phoenix]

A work-around

Hi all,

While I haven't worked out this problem yet, I have found a work-around.

I can click and drag any Gmax file onto the Gmax shortcut I have added to my Quick Launch toolbar. This will open Gmax with my file loaded.

If anyone else has had this "Mtlgen.dlt is missing" error and has found another solution, please post it here.

Thanks

 

[Firestriker]

Althought you may have something that works in your particular situation, gMax was not meant to be launched by clicking/draging a gMax file. If you install another gamepack, your solution will not work properly. For each gamepack there are certain parameters that are defined in the gMax link for that gamepack. Each gamepack has its own INI files that set these parameters. If you have more than one gamepack installed, gMax does not know what parameters to use for any particular gMax file when you try to open the file without first laucnhing gMax with the proper icon.

Lou

 

[Phoenix]

Just to confirm...

Hi Firestriker,

I have the Quake III tempest pack, and CounterStike RenX pack installed also, the only difference is the command line parameters used in the shortcut.

These load different gmax.ini and plugins.ini files

So your right, it would not work for these directly, but do you think there any problems associated in loading a gmax file to be used in FS2004 in this way?

Thanks for your reply

 

[pixxel]

As I recall, after installing gmax gamepack sdk for fs2004, there is shortcut link somewhere in folder structure of gmax. I am not sure where, because I don't use gmax these days, but You should put shortcut to that file on desktop (or copy it over to Desktop, not really 100% sure.) Basically, it only sets default folder to gamepacks instead of gmaxs basic one, sorts out plug-in and folder structure, and that's about it. But it works... Btw, if anyone knows how the hell did they get title bar change to say fs2004 instead of gmax alone, please let me know

 

[Phoenix]

FS2004 shortcut

Hi pixxel,

I found the FS2004 shortcut you mentioned in the root gmax folder.

I have never used this or knew it existed, it's very handy to know, thank you.

I tried the drag and drop thing on this shortcut, but I get the same error mentioned earlier. I also noticed that some of my Maxscipts don't work with the FS2004 shortcut.

The folder structure can be edited in the c:\gmax\gmax.ini file so that's no problem, but does the FS2004 gamepack have extra plug-ins for gmax or does it just load the ones it needs?

Thanks for your reply

 

[Phoenix]

FS2004 Shortcut plugins.ini file

Here's the contents of the c:\gmax\gamepacks\FS2004\plugins.ini file

[Directories]
Standard gmax plug-ins=StdPlugs\
Additional gmax plug-ins=plugins\
FS2004=gamepacks\FS2004\plugins\
[Help]

The c:\gmax\plugins.ini file is exactly the same and is loaded when using the gmax shortcut.

This is what the help files says about the plugins.ini file:

plugin.ini – This file contains directory paths for gmax plug-ins. Most other paths are kept in gmax.ini, but plugin.ini is maintained as a separate file because third-party plug-ins often add entries to the list at installation.

Following the command line in the FS2004 shortcut I noticed it loads the c:\gmax\gamepacks\fs2004\gmax.ini file instead of the c:\gmax\gmax.ini file.

There are some differences, mainly the fs2004 gmax.ini is much smaller than the the default gmax.ini which may explain why some of my MaxScripts don't work.

There are some differences to values of a few parameters, exactly what they affect is beyond my knowledge of the gmax.ini file.

If someone knows about the gmax.ini files and wants to explain the differences, that'd be great!

I have marked the differences, so let me know if you're interested and I'll post them here.

Ok now a little something extra....

While looking in the c:\gmax folder, I found the gmaxfind.exe

This is a very useful tool for finding gmax files with certain selectable properties...like object names, and many others.

So say you created a model a while back, but can't remember where you saved it, but you remember it's somewhere in the in a gmax subfolder and one of the objects names is "wings". This tool will find any files that contain an object named "wings" and report its/their location. Very handy, especially if you have lots of gmax files.

Thanks again guys

 

[Phoenix]

Final Note on gmax.exe shortcut

Hi all,

The fuctionallity that my drag and drop setup gives you using the Gmax.exe shortcut on the taskbar is worth using.

You can have multiple Gmax windows open at the same time. With this, you can be working on your main scene in one window, then in the other be modifying or creating an object to merge into the your main scene without having to close the main scene.

You can also drag directly out of winzip without having to extract the file.

It also saves having to open Gmax and manually browse for the file.

If you're worried about the differences in the fs2004/gmax.ini and the gmax/gmax.ini here's a solution that will allow you to use both the drag and drop setup and the fs2004 gmax.ini

Note: the MaxScript problem I had still occurs with this solution...but it does also using the fs2004 shortcut...(may have to look into that later )

Ok, rename the c:\gmax\gmax.ini to gmax.ini.default or alternatively, rename to defaultgmax.ini so long as it no longer called gmax.ini

Then copy the c:\gmax\gamepacks\fs2004\gmax.ini into the c:\gmax folder.

This works because it does exactly what the fs2004 shortcut does, but the shortcut you drag and drop onto doesn't contain command line parameters.

This could also work with other gamepacks....with a little tweaking but I haven't tested it yet so I don't know for sure.

If you want to undo this at anytime simply delete the c:\gmax\gmax.ini file (copied from gamepacks\fs2004\) then rename the defaultgmax.ini back to gmax.ini

Anyway, if I learn anything new I'll post it here. But for now...all is good

 

[Firestriker]

I use Win2kpro and I have all of my short cuts to programs I use most in the root of my Start Menu directory so all I have to do is click on Start or hit the Win Key and select the program I want to use. The only program icons on my Desk Top are the standard, My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, and Recycle Bin and I seldom use them. Everything else is quietly tucked away in the Programs directory and even those are organized by the type of program they are ie: Accessories, Communications, Design, Entertainment, Games, Graphics, HTML, Internet, Office Programs and System Tools. While I am working, I don't see my Desk Top, so it might be considered really Spartan, but my Desk Top is otherwise blank, no wall paper or screen savers to use memory I want for what I am really interested in and that is my design work or what ever else I am working on at the time. It maybe a throwback to my old days of real DOS, Novell and Norton Navigator, but I use WinNavigator for file management as it automatically gives me a side by side view of two directories at once so moving, coping, and deleting files is a snap. It also has a built in image viewer for most file types, opens zip files like a directory, a text editor, an HTML viewer and a built in wav/mp3 player. My Quick Launch has basically just internet related icons, links to my ISP, IE, Outlook Express, and Netscape although I do have a link to Calculator there too.

Lou

 

[Phoenix]

Drag from explorer

The gmax files don't necessarily have to be on the desktop, that's just the quickest way to get your file open using the drag and drop setup without having to open any applications.

This would be handy if you were working on the same file over a long time period.

You can also navigate to the file in explorer and drag it from there.

I don't know if you can drag and drop from Win2Kpro though as I haven't used it.

The idea of putting it on the quick launch toolbar is to save having to minimize or resize applications to drop the file onto a desktop shortcut.

Anyway, I can appreciate we all work differently and have our own way of doing things, this works for me and may help someone else.