MEL Scripting for Maya Animators, 2/e (Paperback)

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MEL Scripting for Maya Animators, 2/e (Paperback)

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Description:

Trying to learn Maya programming from the
documentation can be daunting whether or not you are a programmer. The first
edition of MEL Scripting for Maya Animators earned the reputation as
the best introductory book on MEL, Maya’s scripting language. Now fully
revised and updated, the second edition also includes new features, such as a
discussion of global procedures, new chapters on fixing programming
bottlenecks, advanced user interface techniques, and optimizing character
rigs. New chapters on utility nodes and Maya's Web Panel feature provide new
ideas on how to use MEL in applications. This new edition has kept the popular
style of the first edition that offered very clear explanations of programming
concepts to those without programming experience. A generous collection of
code examples and Maya scene files is included on the companion Web site. This
is a book for animators, artists, game developers, visual effects developers,
and technical directors who want to learn the fundamentals of Maya, how to
automate tasks, personalize user interfaces, build custom tools, and solve
problems with MEL.
 
Table of
Contents:

PrefaceSpecial
AcknowledgmentChapter 1 Maya Under the HoodIn this chapter
you will learnWhy Look Under the Hood?The Dependency Graph,
Attributes, and ConnectionsExample 1: Using the Hypergraph to Explore the
Dependency GraphTransform Hierarchy and Parent/Child
RelationshipsExamining the HierarchyTransform and Shape
NodesExample 2: Exploring Transform and Shape Nodes, Instancing, and
HistoryMEL and Maya’s User InterfaceWhat to Remember About How Maya
Works Behind the ScenesChapter 2 The Basics of MEL
CommandsIn this chapter you will learnCan I Use MEL Without
Scripting?Command Line and Command Feedback LineCommand
ShellScript EditorScript Editor Versus Command ShellScript
Editor’s Messages as MEL CodeMaking a Shelf Button for a MEL
ScriptSaving a MEL ScriptSeductive Dangers of the Status Message
AreaThe whatIs CommandBasic Structure of MEL CommandsWhere to Find
Information About Maya and MEL on the Internet NewsgroupsHow to Use MEL
Scripts Found on the InternetWhat to Remember About How to Use MEL Without
Writing ScriptsChapter 3 Using ExpressionsIn this chapter
you will learnWhat Is an Expression?How Does an Expression
Work?Equals Sign: Equality and AssignmentHow Maya Implements
ExpressionsIs Maya’s Expression Language the Same as MEL?When (and
When Not) to Use an ExpressionDefining Relationships Between
AttributesWhat Is Operator Precedence?Walkthrough of Maya’s Expression
LanguageDefinitions of VariablesComputing the Values of
AttributesAssigning Computed ValuesExample 1: EyesAnalyzing the
ProblemPlanning the Eyes’ Animation ControlsWriting the
ExpressionWhat to Remember About Using ExpressionsChapter 4
Controlling Particles with ExpressionsIn this chapter you will
learnTwo Kinds of Particle Object Attributes: Per Object and Per
ParticleAll About VectorsTwo Kinds of Expressions: Ordinary and
ParticleExample 1: Ordinary Expressions and a Newton FieldExample 2: A
Simple Particle ExpressionA Few Hints for Efficient Particle
ExpressionsExample 3: Helical Particles Around a CurveWhat to Remember
About Particle Expressions in MayaChapter 5 Problem Solving with
MEL ScriptingIn this chapter you will learnMEL’s Role in Maya:
Building ScenesStrategies for Planning MEL ApplicationsThe Simplest
User InterfaceCreating, Editing, and Querying Nodes in MELAdding,
Setting, and Getting Values of Attributes in MELConnecting Attributes in
MELCreating and Connecting Expression Nodes in MELExample 1: Using MEL
to Automate Setup for Spiral ParticlesWhat to Remember About Writing MEL
ScriptsChapter 6 Variables and Data TypesIn this chapter
you will learnDeclaring Variables (and Not Declaring Them)Environment
VariablesMEL Statements and Type CheckingSimple and Aggregate Data
TypesWhat to Remember About Variables and Data Types in
MELChapter 7 Using MEL CommandsIn this chapter you will
learnWhat Is a MEL Command?Structure of a MEL CommandUsing MEL
Commands in MEL ScriptsAvoid Using MEL Commands in ExpressionsWhat to
Remember About Using MEL CommandsChapter 8 Manipulating Nodes in
MELIn this chapter you will learnUsing ls Command to Find Nodes by
Name or Other PropertiesUsing Select Command to Manage Object
SelectionCreating Nodes in a Maya SceneFinding a Node’s Parents and
ChildrenFinding Information on Node ConnectionsAbout Maya’s Node Types
and the Node and Attribute ReferenceWhat to Remember About Managing Nodes
in MELChapter 9 Controlling the Flow of ExecutionIn this
chapter you will learnControlling the Flow of Script ExecutionBasic
Conditional Operations: if-else and switch LoopsWhat to Remember About
Controlling the Flow of Execution in MELChapter 10 Procedures and
FunctionsIn this chapter you will learnTop-Down DesignExample
1: A Trip to the Grocery StoreWhat Are Procedures and
Functions?Example 2: Geometry-Constrained LocatorsExample 3: Recursive
AntennaWhat to Remember About Procedures, Functions, and Top-Down Design
in MELChapter 11 Naming Nodes, Scripts, and VariablesIn
this chapter you will learnWhy Naming Conventions Are ImportantNaming
ScriptsNaming VariablesNaming NodesExample 1: Adding a Name Prefix
to Objects in a HierarchyExample 2: Changing Name Prefixes in a
HierarchyWhat Are Namespaces?Strategies for Using NamespacesWhat
to Remember About Naming Scripts, Variables, and NodesChapter 12
Designing MEL User InterfacesIn this chapter you will learnWhat Is
a User Interface?What Maya Users Expect to See from a MEL
ScriptQuestions to Answer Before Designing a User InterfaceDesigning
and Testing a User InterfaceStructure of a Dialog BoxWhat to Remember
About Designing User Interfaces in MELChapter 13 Simple MEL User
InterfacesIn this chapter you will learnCollecting Information
from UsersValidating User Input: When and WhyAsking for Confirmation
with confirmDialogAsking User for Text String with promptDialogAsking
User to Pick File or Directory with fileDialogHandling Warnings and Errors
with Warning and Error CommandsUsing Regular Expressions and match to
Validate DataHow Regular Expressions WorkValidating
IntegersValidating Floating-Point NumbersValidating Object Names
(Without Namespaces)Example 1: Simple Dialogs and Input ValidationWhat
to Remember About Simple MEL User Interfaces and Input
ValidationChapter 14 Custom Dialog BoxesIn this chapter you
will learnHow to Structure a Script That Uses a Custom Dialog Box for
InputDialog Boxes and Their ContentsExample 1: Making the Example
Dialog BoxCommon Types of ControlsCommon Types of LayoutsExample
2: Dialog Box for Making Geometric PrimitivesWhat to Remember About
Building Custom Dialog Boxes in MELChapter 15 Making Advanced
Dialog Boxes with formLayoutIn this chapter you will learnWhy Use
formLayout?Planning a Dialog Box for formLayoutUsing formLayout:
OverviewUsing formLayout: Defining Placement Rules for UI
ObjectsExample: Implementing a Dialog Box with formLayoutWhat to
Remember About Making Dialog Boxes with formLayoutChapter 16 Making
Advanced Dialog Boxes with Web PanelsIn this chapter you will
learnWhat You Need to Know Before You ProceedWhat Are Web
Panels?Learning Web AuthoringHow a Dialog Box Built with Web Panels
WorksPlanning a Dialog Box for Web PanelsCreating a Web-Based Dialog
Box for MayaLaunching a Web-Based Dialog Box from MELExample 1:
Implementing a Dialog Box using JavaScriptIdeas for Dialog Boxes Built
with Web PanelsWhat to Remember about Making Dialog Boxes with Web
PanelsChapter 17 Improving Performance With Utility NodesIn
this chapter you will learnWhat Is a Utility Node?When Should You
Consider Using a Utility Node?How to Create and Connect a Utility
NodeExample 1: Using the plusMinusAverage node to find the midpoint
between two locatorsCommon Utility NodesWhat to Remember About
Improving PerformanceWith Utility NodesChapter 18 Installing
MEL ScriptsIn this chapter you will learnInstalling a Script to
Make It Available in All ScenesInstalling a Script to Run When Maya
StartsInstalling a Script into a Script Node in a SceneInstalling
Custom MenusManaging Button Shelves and Creating Custom Shelf
IconsWhat to Remember About Installing MEL ScriptsChapter 19
Examples Using MEL with Particle DynamicsExample 1: Introduction to
Particle GoalsExample 2: Particle Goals on a SurfaceExample 3: Using
Goals on Multiple SurfacesExample 4: Using Goals on Surfaces, Part
2Chapter 20 Examples Using MEL with Solid Body
DynamicsExample 1: Particle CollisionsExample 2: Collision
EventsExample 3: Collisions Between Objects in Solid DynamicsExample
4: Solid Dynamics and ParticlesChapter 21 Example of a Simple Crowd
SystemExample 1: Creating a VehicleExample 2: Vehicle
InteractionExample 3: Vehicle EnvironmentExample 4: Fine Tuning and
Completing the ScriptFull Script Reference:
crowdSystem.melChapter 22 Examples Using MEL in Character
RiggingExample 1: Character ControlsExample 2: Building a
Character User InterfaceFull Text of
mrBlahControls.melIndex