3D Studio .max file format

We’re looking for a detailed description of the 3d Studio Max .max file format.

3DS has a peculiar property that they store hard path information for each material in the .max file. So if the server and/or directory names change then the files must be redirected–a process which slows the opening by a factor of 100 or more.

We want to create a program which changes the hard coded pathes stored in the file to a new hard-coded path. But to do this we must know more about the inner workings of the format. Simple substitution of text does not work.

We have search a great many sources without success.

Thanks.