Maya Python for Games and Film: A Complete Reference for Maya Python and the Maya Python API

Description

Maya Python for Games and Film is the first book to focus exclusively on how to implement Python with Maya. Written by trusted authorities in the field, this in-depth guide will help you master Maya Python, whether you're a seasoned technical artist looking to make the transition from MEL to Python or an aspiring artist not wanting to scramble for information. 1 Maya Command Engine and User Interface Interacting with Maya Maya Embedded Language Python C++ Application Programming Interface Python API Executing Python in Maya Command Line Script Editor Maya Shelf Maya Commands and the Dependency Graph Introduction to Python Commands Flag Arguments and Python Core Object Types Numbers Strings Lists Tuples Booleans Flag = Object Type Command Modes and Command Arguments Create Mode Edit Mode Query Mode Python Command Reference Synopsis Return Value Related Flags Python Examples Python Version Python Online Documentation Concluding Remarks 2 Python Data Basics Variables and Data Variables in MEL Keywords Python’s Data Model Mutability Reference Counting del The None Type Using Variables with Maya Commands Capturing Results getAttr and setAttr Compound Attributes connectAttr and disconnectAttr Working with Numbers Number Types Basic Operators Working with Booleans Boolean and Bitwise Operators Working with Sequence Types Operators Concatenation Indexing and Slicing String Types Escape Sequences and Multiline Strings Raw Strings Unicode Strings Formatting Strings More on Lists del Nested Lists Other Container Types Sets Operators Dictionaries Operators Dictionaries in Practice Concluding Remarks 3 Writing Python Programs in Maya Creating Python Functions Anatomy of a Function Definition Function Arguments Default Arguments Keyword Arguments Variable-Length Argument Lists with the * Operator Variable-Length Keyword Argument Lists with the ** Operator Return Values Maya Commands Listing and Selecting Nodes The file Command Adding Attributes Iteration and Branching The for Statement range Branching if, elif, and else Using Comparison Operations Emulating Switches continue and break List Comprehensions The while Statement Error Trapping try, except, raise, and finally Designing Practical Tools Concluding Remarks 4 Modules What Is a Module? Modules and Scope Module Encapsulation and Attributes The __main__ Module Creating a Module The spike Module Default Attributes and help Packages create.py math.py __init__.py Importing Modules import versus reload The as Keyword The from Keyword Attribute Naming Conventions and the from Keyword Python Path sys.path Temporarily Adding a Path userSetup Scripts userSetup.py userSetup.mel sitecustomize Module sitecustomize.py Setting Up a PYTHONPATH Environment Variable Maya-Specific Environment Variables with Maya.env Systemwide Environment Variables and Advanced Setups Windows OS X Using a Python IDE Downloading an IDE Wing IDE Eclipse Basic IDE Configuration Views Selecting an Interpreter Automatic Code Completion Projects Connecting to Maya Debugging Concluding Remarks 5 Object-Oriented Programming in Maya Object-Oriented versus Procedural Programming Basics of Class Implementation in Python Instantiation Attributes Data Attributes Methods __str__ __repr__ Properties Class Attributes Static Methods and Class Methods Human Class Inheritance Procedural versus Object-Oriented Programming in Maya Installing PyMEL Introduction to PyMEL PyNodes PyMEL Features Advantages and Disadvantages A PyMEL Example Concluding Remarks 6 Principles of Maya Tool Design Tips When Designing for Users Communication and Observation Ready, Set, Plan! Simplify and Educate Tools in Maya Selection Marking Menus Options Windows Concluding Remarks 7 Basic Tools with Maya Commands Maya Commands and the Maya GUI Basic GUI Commands Windows Building a Base Window Class Menus and Menu Items Executing Commands with GUI Objects Passing a Function Pointer Passing a String Using the functools Module Layouts and Controls Basic Layouts and Buttons Form Layouts Complete AR_OptionsWindow Class Extending GUI Classes Radio Button Groups Frame Layouts and Float Field Groups Color Pickers Creating More Advanced Tools Pose Manager Window Separating Form and Function Serializing Data with the cPickle Module Working with File Dialogs Concluding Remarks 8 Advanced Graphical User Interfaces with Qt Qt and Maya Docking Windows Installing Qt Tools The Qt SDK Qt Designer Widgets Signals and Slots Qt Designer Hands On Loading a Qt GUI in Maya The loadUI command Accessing Values on Controls Mapping Widgets with Signals and Slots PyQt Installing PyQt Using PyQt in Maya 2011+ Using PyQt in Earlier Versions of Maya Concluding Remarks 9 Understanding C++ and the API Documentation Advanced Topics in Object-Oriented Programming Inheritance Virtual Functions and Polymorphism Structure of the Maya API Introducing Maya’s Core Object Class: MObject Manipulating MObjects Using Function Sets How Python Communicates with the Maya API How to Read the API Documentation Key Differences between the Python and C++ APIs MString and MStringArray MStatus Void* Pointers Proxy Classes and Object Ownership Commands with Arguments Undo MScriptUtil Concluding Remarks 10 Programming a Command Loading Scripted Plug-ins Anatomy of a Scripted Command OpenMayaMPx Module Command Class Definition doIt Command Creator Initialization and Uninitialization Adding Custom Syntax Mapping Rotation Orders Class Definition Syntax Creator Flag Arguments Command Objects Initialization of Syntax doIt Object Validation Storing Flag Arguments doItQuery Maya’s Undo/Redo Mechanism Supporting Multiple Command Modes and Undo/Redo Undo and Redo MDGModifier Command Modes Syntax Creator __init__ Initializing for isUndoable Other Data Attributes doIt Object Validation Selecting Query Mode Selecting Edit or Create Mode redoIt Creating New Nodes Editing the Transform Node undoIt Concluding Remarks 11 Data Flow in Maya Dependency Graph Dependency Nodes Attributes Plugs Data Blocks compute Data Handles Attributes and Data Flow Connections Lazy Evaluation and Push–Pull Triggering DG Evaluation Debugging the Dependency Graph Heat Map Display The dgTimer Command Directed Acyclic Graph DAG Paths and Instancing The Underworld Concluding Remarks 12 Programming a Dependency Node Anatomy of a Scripted Node The ar_averageDoubles Node Node Class Definition Node Creator Node Initializer compute Best Practices Initialization and Uninitialization Attributes and Plugs Attribute Properties Readable, Writable, and Connectable Storable Attributes and Default Values Cached Attributes Working with Arrays Logical and Physical Indices Implementing Plug Arrays Implementing Array Plugs Compound Attributes Concluding Remarks Maya Python for Games and Film: A Complete Reference for Maya Python and the Maya Python API Copyright Acknowledgments Introduction: Welcome to Maya Python Python versus MEL Companion Web Site Notes on Code Examples and Syntax Whitespace Line Breaks Our Approach Quotation Marks Comments Python Hands On Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W