The Configuration file for the Max plugins is MaxNifTools.ini and is delivered to the plugcfg directory of 3ds max. The file is plain text and a standard Microsoft INI file which uses the conventions of that format.
Sections
System
The System section holds information about the how all of the plugins behave and what Games are known to the importer.
MaxSDKVersion - This is the version of the SDK displayed to the 3ds max when the plugin is first loaded. Most users will never ever need to modify this but it was added as a potential workaround to trick older versions of max to load the plugin. The options are (0 - AutoSelect; 0x17700d00 - Max6, 0x1f401100 - Max8) with the default always set to AutoSelect.
ShortDescription - ShortDescription the description of the plugin that is used in File Import/Export dialogs.
KnownApplications - KnownApplications is a semicolon separated list of games that are have there own sections below in the configuration file. User is a special case that will always exist and is just a default place holder so that there is always at least one game in the list.
Reparse - Reparse tells the plugins to reparse the game sections below on every import/export. If the game is configured to use a Texture directory cache then that will be reset and scanned again next time an import or export occurs.
Website - The primary website to goto when www.niftools.org is selected. Probably no need to ever edit this.
Wiki - The wiki page that contains the help for these tools.
MaxNifExport
The MaxNifExport section holds all of the settings related to exporting NIF and KF files with the exporter.
Enable - This Enables or Disables the Exporter Class in max. This could useful for disabling the exporter if you only want have the importer available in the file menus. Default: 1
CurrentApp - This is the default game to display when showing the importer or exporter dialogs. When the these tools are scripted these will be the default settings used by the tools if the invoked in a a silent mode. Current Application to get setting/directory information from. Should match KnownApps above or Auto. Auto will check the import/export file against the known root paths use that game if a directory match is found.
Creator - Creator of this nif. Default is blank. (Only valid for Bethesda based games).
GenerateStrips - Whether to Generate TriStrips or TriShapes. Some older games such as Morrowind cannot properly handle TriStrips so this option is can disable the triangle strips. Default:1
Lights - Export Lights if present. Default:0
Cameras - Export Cameras if present. Default:0
IncludeHidden - Include Hidden Nodes if present. Default:0
ExportCollision - Export Collision meshes if present. This is really only useful for Oblivion at this time. Default:1
VertexColors - Export Vertex Colors if present. Default:1
TexturePrefix - Texture Prefix if texture not found in AppSettings directory. Default:textures
ExportExtraNodes - Add Export additional NiNodes for Meshes. Default: 0
ExportSkin - Export Skin Modifier when attached to bones. Default: 1
UserPropBuffer - Export UserPropBuffer data with the nodes. Default: 0
FlattenHierarchy - Flatten Node Hierarchy. This option puts world transforms in all nodes and remove parent/child relationships which the default for many Oblivion meshes but completely optional. Default: 0
RemoveUnreferencedBones - Remove Unreferenced Bones. This will attempt to remove bones in from the mesh that do not appear to be referenced in any skin data. Default: 0
SortNodesToEnd - This option Sort NiNodes To End of Child Lists which is vital to get Oblivion meshes exporting correctly. Default: 0
SkeletonOnly - This option exports only skeleton bones. It will also add additional settings if Oblivion for things such as the BSXFlags and Bone LOD settings. Default:0
