formZ | Installation

Owned by Systems Next Limit (Unlicensed)
Last updated: 09 Jan, 2024 by Next Limit
3 min read

Compatibility



The Maxwell for formZ product contains the standalone Maxwell Render application for rendering, the Material Editor application, and a full-featured Maxwell plugin that integrates Maxwell rendering into formZ.



Maxwell 5 for formZ supports these configurations:

  • Windows:

    • form·Z 9 Pro, JR, and Free (version 9.0.0 or greater)

    • form·Z 8 Pro & JR, 64 bit (version 8.0.2 or greater)

  • OS X

    • form·Z 9 Pro, JR, and Free (version 9.0.0 or greater)

    • form·Z 8 Pro, JR, and Free (version 8.0.2 or greater)

In order to make the plugin work with form·Z 10, check the section at the bottom of this page.



Installation: Windows

  1. If you are an existing customer, download the Maxwell for formZ installer from the Next Limit Portal. If not, you may download the free demo version.

  2. If open, quit formZ and/or Maxwell Render.

  3. Delete any previous Maxwell plugin folder within the formZ plugins folder manually, or run the previous Maxwell for formZ uninstaller.

  4. Launch the Maxwell for formZ installer and follow the prompts. It is important to select the correct plugins folder within your formZ directory. This location will typically be \Program Files\<formZ application folder>\Plugins\. Only 64-bit versions of formZ are supported. The installer will also install the Maxwell application suite in your Programs directory.


Installation: macOS

  1. If you are an existing customer, download the Maxwell for formZ disk image (.dmg) from the Next Limit Portal. If not, you may download the free demo version.

  2. If open, quit formZ and/or Maxwell Render.

  3. Double-click on the disk image to mount it and access the content.

  4. Drag the Maxwell folder inside the disk image to the Plugins folder within your formZ directory. If the Finder presents the option, choose to Replace any existing Maxwell plugin folder. For formZ Pro and JR, this will typically be in /Applications/<formZ application folder>/Plugins/. For formZ Free, use ~/Documents/formZ Free Folder/formZ Free 8 Plugins/

  5. Double-click on the disk image within to mount and install the Maxwell application in your Applications folder. If the Finder presents the option, choose to Replace any existing Maxwell application folder.

Maxwell Key Shortcuts

To get the most out of Maxwell, assign custom key shortcuts to Maxwell Render and Maxwell Render Options. To do so, select Edit > Key Shortcuts... from the form•Z menubar. In the resulting key shortcut manager, click on Display in the Category list. CMD-M (Mac)/ CTRL-M (Windows) works nicely for activating Maxwell. Option-M (Mac)/ ALT-M (Windows) is a good combination for accessing the render options.



form·Z 10

Using Maxwell 5 with form•Z 10

Windows

Maxwell 5 is compatible with form•Z 10 on Windows.

macOS with Intel-based macs

Maxwell 5 is compatible with form•Z 10 on Intel-based macs.

macOS with M-series ("Apple Silicon") based macs

Maxwell 5 is compatible with form•Z 10 on M-series based macs when form•Z is configured to run in Rosetta mode.

Plugin Install Location 

You will need to place a copy of the Maxwell for form•Z plugin where form·Z 10 can find it.

  1. Quit form•Z 10 if it is running.

  2. If you have already installed Maxwell 5, you do not need to do so again. (Run Next Limit's Maxwell 5 installer if you do not already have Maxwell installed on your system.)

  3. If it does not already exist, create a "Plugins" folder at the following location:

On macOS: /Applications/formZ 10/Plugins/

On Windows: C:\Program Files\formZ 10\Plugins

  1. Place a copy of your existing formZ 9 Maxwell plugin folder inside the folder mentioned in step 3.

Additional steps for macs with M-series ("Apple Silicon") processors ONLY:

  1. To ensure Rosetta is installed on your mac, double-click on the Maxwell application in /Applications/Maxwell Render 5/. If macOS has not yet installed Rosetta on your mac, you will be prompted to approve installation.

  2. Navigate to /Applications/formZ 10/formZ 10.x/

  3. Control-click on the formZ application and choose "Get Info"

  4. In the resulting Info panel, enable the checkbox option "Open Using Rosetta"

  5. Launch form•Z. If the Maxwell icons do not at first appear, you may need to reset your workspace. (Workspace > Reset Workspace...)