You can save it to a material library and open the library up in the new file, but I generally just merge an object with the required material on it into the new scene and then use the "Pick material from object button" ( the eyedropper next to the material name) to bring the merged material into the material editor.

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[Link to www.3dprevis.com]

Open the .max file which has the materials you need. Open material editor. Open Material/Map browser. Select 'Scene'....all the materials in that scene will be displayed on the right.. Click 'save as' and save the .mat wherever you want...
Open the new .max scene (where you want the materials to be imported into)....open material editor...click 'get material'...
select 'mtl library', and hit 'open'...goto location of the .mat, and click it....thats it

a simpler method (if you want to import objects as they are) is to goto File-->Merge, and select the source .max scene....
3dsmax preserves the textures as they are in the new file
hope that helps!

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Cogito, Ergo Sum

you can also merge just the material. open the material editor>get material button>browse from library>file, merge>change file types to .max>pick the materials you want to merge>then drag them to the material editor. It helps to name your materials in the original scene.

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I got that. thanks a lot!

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