I continue to share the library of scripts that I have collected over fifteen years of working in the industry.

Title: circleArrayMaker — builds circular array around pivot

Briefly: The script builds a circular array of copies around the pivot point of each selected object. The copies are arranged with an equal angular step, with the original object considered the first element, thus avoiding duplicates at 360 degrees. It is convenient to use when modeling symmetrical structures, patterns, and mechanical parts.

Installation:
1. Drag the file circleArrayMaker.ms into the viewport or select Scripting > Run Script — the script will run immediately.
2. Copy the file to the scripts/startup folder — then the script will load automatically each time 3ds Max starts.
3. To assign a button or hotkey: open Customize > Customize User Interface, find the MyTools category, select the circleArrayMaker macro, and drag it to the toolbar or assign a hotkey in the Keyboard tab.

Functionality:
The dialog opens at any time, regardless of the selection. Immediately after opening, the script subscribes to changes in the selection in the scene and automatically synchronizes the list of source objects in real time.

Count — spinner that sets the number of elements in the array; the angular step is automatically calculated as 360/Count and displayed in a text label next to it.

Axis — dropdown list for selecting the rotation axis: X, Y, or Z.

Clone type — three options: Copy, Instance, Reference. Each created object inherits the wirecolor, material, and layer from the source.

Live preview: with any change to Count, Axis, or clone type, the script instantly rebuilds the preview array right in the viewport (without recording in Undo and without unnecessary redraws).

GroupResult — checkbox; if enabled, the Apply button combines the original object and all created copies into a group named _circleArray. If disabled, the objects are simply selected.

Apply — finalizes the result: removes the preview and creates real nodes. The operation is wrapped in a single Undo step named "circleArrayMaker Apply," which can be undone with a single press of Ctrl+Z.

When closing the dialog, the preview nodes are deleted, the callback is unsubscribed, and the object list is cleared. When the dialog is reopened, the previous instance is correctly destroyed to avoid duplication.

All parameters (Count, Axis, clone type, GroupResult, window position) are saved to an INI file and restored upon the next opening.

Compatibility: 3ds Max 2016 and above.