MaxScript language support

Autodesk 3ds Max Scripting language (MaxScript) support.

Features

TextMate syntax highlighting for .ms and .mcr files
Parser diagnostics (grammar and syntax errors)
Semantic tokens (document and range)
Completion (built-in database + code-aware suggestions)
Document symbols (outline)
Workspace symbols
Go to Definition
Find All References
Rename Symbol
Hover information
Document highlights
Signature Help
Linked editing ranges
Folding ranges
Call hierarchy
CodeLens
Document formatting and range formatting
Minify commands (open document, multi-file)
Prettify commands (open document, single file)
Help lookup command
Snippets

Language intelligence notes

Core navigation and symbol features are AST-first.
Contextual semantic tokens can be toggled with a provider setting for performance tuning.

Known limitations

Implementing a solution for these limitations will require a full interpreter:

Renaming a parameter in a function definition, will not rename the parameter on function calls
Parameters in a function call that have the same name that a parameter in a containing function will refer to that parameter instead of the caller function
Functions and struct members with the same name will not be properly matched when requesting the definition, references and rename from a property access or call

feature X

Extension Settings

Most settings are under the maxScript section.

  "maxScript.help.provider": "https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAXDEV/2025/ENU/",

  "maxScript.providers.dataBaseCompletion": true,
  "maxScript.providers.codeCompletion": true,
  "maxScript.providers.astSymbolProvider": true,
  "maxScript.providers.definitionProvider": true,
  "maxScript.providers.referenceProvider": true,
  "maxScript.providers.hoverProvider": true,
  "maxScript.providers.renameProvider": true,
  "maxScript.providers.documentHighlightProvider": true,
  "maxScript.providers.signatureHelpProvider": true,
  "maxscript.providers.linkedEditingRangeProvider": true,
  "maxscript.providers.foldingRangeProvider": true,
  "maxscript.providers.codeLensProvider": true,
  "maxscript.providers.callHierarchyProvider": true,
  "maxscript.providers.workspaceSymbolProvider": true,
  "maxscript.providers.contextualSemanticTokens": true,
  "maxScript.providers.tracePerformance": false,
  "maxScript.providers.traceRouting": false,
  "maxScript.providers.traceParserDecisions": false,

  "maxScript.parser.reparseDelay": 300,

  "maxScript.formatter.indentChar": "\\t",
  "maxScript.formatter.newLineChar": "\\r\\n",
  "maxScript.formatter.codeblock.parensInNewLine": true,
  "maxScript.formatter.codeblock.newlineAllways": false,
  "maxScript.formatter.codeblock.spaced": true,
  "maxScript.formatter.statements.useLineBreaks": true,
  "maxScript.formatter.statements.optionalWhitespace": false,
  "maxScript.formatter.list.useLineBreaks": false,

  "maxScript.minifier.filePrefix": "min_",
  "maxScript.minifier.removeUnnecessaryScopes": false,
  "maxScript.minifier.condenseWhitespace": true,

  "maxScript.prettifier.filePrefix": "pretty_",
  "maxScript.prettifier.expressionsToBlock": true
}

Commands

MaxScript: Code reference...
MaxScript: Minify open document
MaxScript: Minify files...
MaxScript: Prettify open document
MaxScript: Prettify file

Custom Tasks (Published Extension)

The extension contributes a custom task type: maxscript.

Supported task values:

minify
prettify

Optional task properties:

patterns: array of glob patterns (relative to workspace folder)
continueOnError: continue processing when a file fails

Example .vscode/tasks.json:

{
  "version": "2.0.0",
  "tasks": [
    {
      "label": "mxs: minify src",
      "type": "maxscript",
      "task": "minify",
      "patterns": ["src/**/*.{ms,mcr}"],
      "continueOnError": true
    },
    {
      "label": "mxs: prettify src",
      "type": "maxscript",
      "task": "prettify",
      "patterns": ["src/**/*.{ms,mcr}"],
      "continueOnError": true
    }
  ]
}

Syntax Highlight inside comments

feature X

Syntax Highlight

Basic settings for custom highlighting.

Available references:

  /*
  * Syntax highlight options for language maxscript
  */
  "editor.tokenColorCustomizations": {
    "textMateRules": [
      {
        "name": "Todo",
        "scope": "documentation.todo.mxs",
        "settings": { "foreground": "#4bd621", "fontStyle": "bold" }
      },
      {
        "name": "Fixme",
        "scope": "documentation.fixme.mxs",
        "settings": { "foreground": "#ce55d3", "fontStyle": "bold" }
      },
      {
        "name": "Plain text",
        "scope": "documentation.plain.mxs",
        "settings": { "foreground": "#cecece", "fontStyle": ""}
      }
      // ...
    ]
  }

Executing MaxScript

MXSPyCOM project allows editing and execution of 3ds Max MaxScript and Python files from external code editors.

Get it here: MXSPyCOM by Jeff Hannna
Follow the configuration guide to register the COM server.
Set up a VS Code task:

{
  "version": "2.0.0",
  "tasks": [
    {
      "label": "MXSPyCOM execute Script",
      "type": "shell",
      "command": ".\\MXSPyCOM.exe",
      "args": [
        "-s",
        { "value": "${file}", "quoting": "strong" }
      ],
      "group": "test",
      "presentation": {
        "echo": true,
        "reveal": "silent",
        "focus": false,
        "panel": "shared"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Run the task to execute script content and inspect errors in the 3ds Max listener.

Release Notes

Changelog

Requirements

None.

Contribute

gitHub

Note: MaxScript structure is, to say the least, chaotic. The project organizes symbols and grammar handling pragmatically; contributions are welcome.

Language MaxScript

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