3ds Max Startup Script Execution Order and Initialization Sequence

Automating Environment Configuration

Creating a repeatable development environment in 3ds Max often requires the use of command-line flags to ensure consistent plugin paths and global variables across different workstations. The application supports the -U flag for user startup scripts and the -s flag for executing specific scripts upon launch.

Script Priority and Sequencing

While the -U script typically executes before the -s script, the precise interaction between these flags and the implicit startup scripts defined in the 3dsmax.ini file is not fully detailed. In complex environments where both system-level and user-defined scripts are present, the sequence of execution can impact the final state of the environment variables.

Given these constraints, how is the execution priority determined when -U and -s flags are used in conjunction with 3dsmax.ini StartupScripts? Does the -U flag override or append to the existing initialization sequence?