So in my workflow I really miss the option to import and export to .3ds. I know we hade it earlier and it brooke in one update.
So how can I help fixing this? i’m not the best coder but I have the time to at least start lookin in to it if someone could just help me were to start.
The add-on for the 3ds importer/exporter can be found in the Blender Add-ons Contrib repository. Unfortunately I can’t give you any advice as to what could/should be improved, since I’m not familiar with 3ds Max. I believe @BrendonMurphy would be the right person to ask?
It was broken when blender upgraded from 2.79 to 2.80 due to different api.
Get these files https://developer.blender.org/diffusion/BAC/browse/master/io_scene_3ds/ add them to addons and enable it from preference.
Import is working so far. Export is not and needs an update. Here is a short head start https://developer.blender.org/T66329
Once you have export_3ds.py, you basically try changing the script and export/ debug until it works. Good Luck
The 3ds exporter is now fixed so far, just finished the patch. It has all features, like it had before. If shader nodes are used, all materials and images are taken from principled bsdf shader, if no nodes are used the uv image is taken from material active paint slot, it is not the best solution, but uv images and material texture slots are not available anymore. If someone has a better idea, how to get uv images if no nodes are used, it is highly recommended 
Here is a link to the diff for the patch request
D7200: 3ds export fix for Blender 2.80
Is the raw data of this addon available somewhere?
EDIT
I think this is the one right? looks to be the same
Is has error in importer file. #417 > ‘myContextMesh_smooth’ not defined
other then that, works like a charm
EDIT
i ssee the function itself usees 'myContextMeshSmooth" so small edit
with that edit i dont get an error
You can also get it from here, but I am having troubles exporting textures: