
Billboard Generator
===================


All Rights 2006-2009 Nir sullam

Contact
=======

Email: nir@orvatsel.com
Website: www.orvatsel.com/max


Purpose
=======

Allow users to insert quickly and easily billboards into 3D environments.
These billboards could take a lot of work otherwise.


How It Works
============

The user selects an image file (with or without an Alpha channel - Must lock if Alpha is embedded in the File) the program takes it from there and creates a 
plane with the exact dimensions (it converts pixels number  to system units) and insert it where the user decides. It will 
create a material for each of the billboards.
The user can later constraint it to a certain camera (or not)


Price
=====

This script costs nothing , therefore - it cannot be sold by anyone but me (should I decide to make it shareware.)
I made it free for the benefit of the community - don't abuse my gift.


Installation
============

Copy all the files in the zip file to the /scripts/startup folder.


Assigning a hotkey : go to the customize menu > Customize Use Interface > Keybaord.
Under Category select OneManSoft and select Billboard Generator and assign a unique hotkey. 


Changes log:
============



-- Version 1.0: First official release.
-- Version 1.2: added 24 slot selection buttons allowing the use of 24 slots
--              GUI modified
-- Version 1.2a:Force Show Texture in viewport. Spinners now allow for resizing plane

-- Version 1.3: Removed the dependency of the script in the Material Editor - Now the material 
--              is created directly onto the plane.


-- Version 1.4: Added previews for both maps 
--              Lock maps allows use of diffuse map as alpha map( for TIFF and TARGA)

-- Version 1.5: place billboard in a non 0,0,0 location 
--              Toggle shadows casting and reception
--              Orient button - allows for orienting the billboard to an object
--              preferably a camera




-- Version 1.6: Billboard Gen. now acts as its own editor so if a plane is selected - most
--              of the parameter - if changed - will be inflicted upon the selected plane.


--              minor changes to GUI.


-- Version 1.7: Some additional toggles were added.
--				A lock icon replaced the checkbox





-- Version 1.8: Billboard GUI now has rollouts for each section.
--              Added Random as a new feature for heights and widths.





-- Version 1.9: Materials and Planes are now prefixed with BILLBOARD. This allows for a easy selection of all
--              Billboards created with this script.
--              A simple Scatter was added. 





-- Version 1.9.2: Bug fixes





-- Version 1.9.3: A VRML Helper:billboard may be created and linked to upon Generation 





-- Version 1.9.5: A billboard can be oriented to a target camera , selected from a list.

-- Version 1.9.6: Added the ability to dock the program to the left or right sizes of the viewporrt.
--                some minor interface modifications and a Refresh Camera button added.
-- Version 1.9.7: A small text now appears near the pivot point showing the height of the billboard. 
--                I will add an  toggle for this one soon.
-- Version 1.9.8: I added the promised toggle.
-- Version 2.0.0: Finally a version change you say ?
--                        In this version I finally managed to create a subclass of the plane object and now the 
	          billboards will show as "OMSBillboard"  in the modeifier stack. I think I actually managed to                           get 
	          Billboard Gen. to work along with it. 
	          THIS version IS BETA - so do not delete version  1.9.8 from your computer - just move it to a different 	          folder.
-- Version 2.001 Fixed a bug that caused some sytems to tile the maps - now BG will force a non tiling mode.
-- Version 2.0.1: GUI rollouts order modified 
	          Width spinner is removed  - only height is really needed
                          fixed (?) the way BG handled existing billboards - now you can (hopefully) modify billboard dimensions
                          by selecting it and changing the Height parameter.
	          It can run on MAX 7 and later (previous version could not run if so)  
-- Version 2.0.2: Hide and Unhide will now perform on OMSBillboard objects regardless of theie names 
-- Version 2.0.4: the text near the Height spinner now reads the system units like Inches or Centimeters 
-- Version 2.0.6: Select all Billboard & Delete All Billboards buttons added 
-- Version 2.1   : Added a Flip option 
-- Version 2.2   : Camera List now shows camera names - regardless of their type 
                           Free cameras can now be oriented to , as well.
-- Version 2.3   : Added a "Match Other Object" button to set location for newly inserted billboards
-- Version 2.3a : Fixed a lingering bug where typing a value in the billboard height did not affect it. 
-- Version 2.5   : Added  buttons to simplify the selction of Diffuse AND Alpha files in 4 companies naming
   	          conventions: Got3D, Imagecels, AmbientLight and Cad Plants.  IF you want another combi 
                          to be added plz email me. By pressing any of them you may skip the 2 buttons on top + Lock button. 
-- Version 2.6   : 1. Flip can now affect selected billboards. 
 	           2. Added 2 more companies presets. 
	           3. rearranged the maps rollout design. 
                           4. Added an option to set coordinates to the currently selected billboard. 
-- Version 2.61 :  Camera list is now automatically refreshed. 	
-- Version 2.62 : After orienting to a camera the last generated billboard is re-selected.
-- Version 2.7 :  Added a RGB output control for images and also - When Using CAD Plants output value for RGB is forced 
		  to 0.8 as I got too bright billboards in common MR photographic exposure
-- Version 2.7a : A small fix



--              IDEAS and COMMENTS:
--              ====================
--              If you think of a usefull feature - plz 	email me: nir@orvatsel.com



