Anyone heard of this one?

Max 2009 SP1
64-bit XP
Vray 1.5 SP2

Scenario:  Using the material/map browser to sample a material from another .max file, the light(s) from said file get merged into your scene.

-I had a file where I sampled 7 materials from another scene and I ended up having 7 spotlights stacked on top of each other without realizing it.

-I’ve tested this on 3 different machines and had the same result.

I may have had a similar issue.  There was a project where I had several files using the same materials, and I brought in the new materials with the material/map browser.  Then I would later find an extra Sun in my scene centered at the origin with no compass.  In my case, I’m working on files created in a previous release of Max using Scanline renderer.  I never found a solution, but a possible workaround is saving your materials out to a Mat library and updating from there.

3DS Max Design 2011 64-bit - Advantage Pack
Dell Precision T5500, Dual Six Core Xeon X5650 @ 2.67GHz, nVidia Quadro 5000, 24 GB RAM, Win 7 Enterprise 64-bit
Minneapolis, MN, USA

How about Merging an object (which has the required material on it), get the material into the editor, then delete the object?

Max 4.2 through 2013.
XP-64 (SP2)
NVidia 9800GTX-512 (Driver 266.58).
Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz, 8Gb Ram, DX9.0c.

That’s what I have been doing since I noticed what was happening - for a while though I just thought I was losing my mind…
I really thought that somehow I was duplicating my lights without knowing it.

This is going to be fun… It’s working perfectly here - assuming I did what I think you did.

New scene, 3 boxes, 3 different materials (one per box), 3 omni lights. Saved the scene.
Reset Max, 3 spheres. Material Editor > Get Material button (opens the Browser). “Browse from” Material Library, Open, change the file type to .max, select the previously saved scene. Drag’n’drop the 3 materials from the browser to 3 slots in the editor and close the browser. Drag’n’drop the 3 materials onto the 3 spheres. No lights.

Could you both confirm Max 2009 or Max 2009 Design and which configuration you’re using (Customise > Custom UI and Defaults Switcher) on the off-chance that it is relevant.

I’m using Max 2009 (64bit) with the default “Max” configuration.

Max 4.2 through 2013.
XP-64 (SP2)
NVidia 9800GTX-512 (Driver 266.58).
Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz, 8Gb Ram, DX9.0c.

I guess I didn’t clarify this earlier - it seems to only merge in the direct light that I’m using as a sun.  It has never merged an omni (or a vraylight for that matter).
I’m on Max 2009 (64bit) with the default “Max” as well.

I added a Target Direct light to the test scene - still not happening when I follow the procedure above. Could you post a sample scene which does cause the problem on your system?

Max 4.2 through 2013.
XP-64 (SP2)
NVidia 9800GTX-512 (Driver 266.58).
Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz, 8Gb Ram, DX9.0c.

I’ll see if I can strip two scenes down this morning.  Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

I’ve tried reproducing the bug, but have failed.  I will give you some background on the files I’m working with, though.

The project was built in Revit 2009, then imported to Max using the FBX format.  I believe that most of the materials I was merging were Arch & Design.  It was only the Sun from the Daylight system that merged over, not the Skylight.  The files I was working with are rather large, 60-100+ MB, with 500k+ polys. 

If I can strip one down small enough to post, and still merge the Sun with the material, I’ll do it.

3DS Max Design 2011 64-bit - Advantage Pack
Dell Precision T5500, Dual Six Core Xeon X5650 @ 2.67GHz, nVidia Quadro 5000, 24 GB RAM, Win 7 Enterprise 64-bit
Minneapolis, MN, USA

Ok I’ve attached a file to merge a light from.

I’ve narrowed the scenario slightly. Here it goes:

1.  I open a fresh scene in max (doesn’t matter which renderer is defined)
2.  Open Material Editor and click Standard to merge a material from the sample scene
3.  Click Browse From Mtl Library - File Open
4.  Change the extension to .max
5.  Navigate to desired file and double click it

As soon as I do this one of the lights (and there is more than one in the scene - and it’s the same light every time) adds itself to my scene (check the extents of your scene to see the light).  I was under the impression before that I actually had to sample a material, but you don’t even have to go that far.  As soon as you double click the file you have an extra light in your scene.  And I’ve replicated this every single time I’ve tried it.

	Attachment
14787_w3bcywTZBpwooqs6dnv2.zip

I can confirm this, even though I don’t have Vray and no materials show up in the Material/Map browser.

3DS Max Design 2011 64-bit - Advantage Pack
Dell Precision T5500, Dual Six Core Xeon X5650 @ 2.67GHz, nVidia Quadro 5000, 24 GB RAM, Win 7 Enterprise 64-bit
Minneapolis, MN, USA