[WIP] - Maya - Rapid Select Tool
polycounter lvl 18
Version Edit: Script should work now w/o any editing.
I've been working on a script for rapidly selecting every n edge, and would like to get some feedback and suggestions on the script itself, and its potential future features. I would like to both gauge its usefulness, what features people would like to see in it, and also whether or not a script that already does what it does, or what I would like it to do, already exists (so as to not waste time making a duplicate of an already existing script).
Download Script
Since, at the moment, its short on in script commentary and explanations...
How to Use
Select an edge, edge loop, or edge ring you'd like to start with, then start the script.
The feature that makes this script a bit different are:
That I tried to make it as quick to select things as possible, by limiting the need to remove your hand from your mouse or tablet pen to enter numbers, and also by unburying certain selection oriented features from menus.
You can interactively see what your final selection will be. Whatever your initial selection is when the script starts will be what is used when making selections. So lets say you hit the Quick Select by Number 2 button, and you don't like the resulting selection. You don't have to undo, or re-select your original selection. Just hit another selection button, drag the slider (this updates to show you what will be selected as you drag it), or enter a new selection number, and it will base it off of whatever you started with. If you want to use a different selection, select the edges you want to use and hit "Set as New Selection".
Current Features
In Sequence
Select by Number - Typing a number in the input field and hitting enter will select every nth edge, based on your selection. So if you enter "2" you will select by every 2nd edge. The slider works in a similar manner. Drag it to interactively select every nth edge. The input field will update to show you whether its every 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. Both the slider and the input field are currently limited to a minimum of 1 and a max of 16, and defaults to 2.
Quick Select by Number - Same as above, but with button presets. The "2" button will select every 2nd edge, the "3" every 3rd, etc. Whatever button you click will also update the Select by Number input field.
Selection Type - Determines whether the tool will select every nth edge in a ring or loop.
Current Selection
Set as New Selection - Will take whatever is currently selected, and set it as the selection to be used when performing script actions.
To Edge Ring - Will take the current selection (ignoring the initial/saved selection), and convert it to the appropriate edge ring(s). This has been included because the Right Marking Menu Edge Ring/Edge Loop Utilities work differently than the Select > Convert Selection > To Edge Loop / Ring menu commands do. If you have two edges on the same ring/loop selected, the right marking menu will only select the edge ring/loop between them, where-as the Convert Selection > To Edge Loop / Ring will select the whole thing.
To Edge Loop - Same as above, but will select the Edge Loop(s).
Currently Known Issues
Not much script commenting, warnings about selecting by every 1 do not function properly, and the script currently does not warn you if you start it with nothing selected, or if you click "Set as New Selection" with nothing selected.
Future Features
Better commenting of the script, with more warnings, etc. including implementing the currently scripted, but unused, and un-fleshed out menu bar, with information about the script, how to use it, where to find this thread, where to download it, etc.
Save Current Selection - Save the current selection to a Quick Select Set so that its available throughout the current session, and is saved with the scene, and available the next time it is loaded. These saved selections will also rapidly be able to be loaded either through a numeric input or quick select button. The reason for this feature would be that Quick Select Sets are buried in two separate menu lists, one for creating and one for retrieving.
Set as New Selection w/o having to press the button - Currently unsure of how to script this. Thinking of a script job with commands run when the Rapid Select Tool window loses focus, but unsure whether or not the script selecting stuff causes the window to lose focus, or how to handle when a user is actually selecting something they want the script to use as a new selection, and just using Maya in general.
Select in Pattern - Would have a feature to operate like the current pattern selection available in Maya, but also for pattens it doesn't seem to currently handle, for instance, select 2 edges, skip 4, repeat. I do not currently possess the scripting knowledge to implement this.
Far Future Features
All of the above, but with the option to use vertices, faces, and uv's as well. I do not currently possess the scripting knowledge to implement this.
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I've been working on a script for rapidly selecting every n edge, and would like to get some feedback and suggestions on the script itself, and its potential future features. I would like to both gauge its usefulness, what features people would like to see in it, and also whether or not a script that already does what it does, or what I would like it to do, already exists (so as to not waste time making a duplicate of an already existing script).
Download Script
Since, at the moment, its short on in script commentary and explanations...
How to Use
Select an edge, edge loop, or edge ring you'd like to start with, then start the script.
The feature that makes this script a bit different are:
That I tried to make it as quick to select things as possible, by limiting the need to remove your hand from your mouse or tablet pen to enter numbers, and also by unburying certain selection oriented features from menus.
You can interactively see what your final selection will be. Whatever your initial selection is when the script starts will be what is used when making selections. So lets say you hit the Quick Select by Number 2 button, and you don't like the resulting selection. You don't have to undo, or re-select your original selection. Just hit another selection button, drag the slider (this updates to show you what will be selected as you drag it), or enter a new selection number, and it will base it off of whatever you started with. If you want to use a different selection, select the edges you want to use and hit "Set as New Selection".
Current Features
In Sequence
Select by Number - Typing a number in the input field and hitting enter will select every nth edge, based on your selection. So if you enter "2" you will select by every 2nd edge. The slider works in a similar manner. Drag it to interactively select every nth edge. The input field will update to show you whether its every 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. Both the slider and the input field are currently limited to a minimum of 1 and a max of 16, and defaults to 2.
Quick Select by Number - Same as above, but with button presets. The "2" button will select every 2nd edge, the "3" every 3rd, etc. Whatever button you click will also update the Select by Number input field.
Selection Type - Determines whether the tool will select every nth edge in a ring or loop.
Current Selection
Set as New Selection - Will take whatever is currently selected, and set it as the selection to be used when performing script actions.
To Edge Ring - Will take the current selection (ignoring the initial/saved selection), and convert it to the appropriate edge ring(s). This has been included because the Right Marking Menu Edge Ring/Edge Loop Utilities work differently than the Select > Convert Selection > To Edge Loop / Ring menu commands do. If you have two edges on the same ring/loop selected, the right marking menu will only select the edge ring/loop between them, where-as the Convert Selection > To Edge Loop / Ring will select the whole thing.
To Edge Loop - Same as above, but will select the Edge Loop(s).
Currently Known Issues
Not much script commenting, warnings about selecting by every 1 do not function properly, and the script currently does not warn you if you start it with nothing selected, or if you click "Set as New Selection" with nothing selected.
Future Features
Better commenting of the script, with more warnings, etc. including implementing the currently scripted, but unused, and un-fleshed out menu bar, with information about the script, how to use it, where to find this thread, where to download it, etc.
Save Current Selection - Save the current selection to a Quick Select Set so that its available throughout the current session, and is saved with the scene, and available the next time it is loaded. These saved selections will also rapidly be able to be loaded either through a numeric input or quick select button. The reason for this feature would be that Quick Select Sets are buried in two separate menu lists, one for creating and one for retrieving.
Set as New Selection w/o having to press the button - Currently unsure of how to script this. Thinking of a script job with commands run when the Rapid Select Tool window loses focus, but unsure whether or not the script selecting stuff causes the window to lose focus, or how to handle when a user is actually selecting something they want the script to use as a new selection, and just using Maya in general.
Select in Pattern - Would have a feature to operate like the current pattern selection available in Maya, but also for pattens it doesn't seem to currently handle, for instance, select 2 edges, skip 4, repeat. I do not currently possess the scripting knowledge to implement this.
Far Future Features
All of the above, but with the option to use vertices, faces, and uv's as well. I do not currently possess the scripting knowledge to implement this.
Replies
Have to put the script in your Maya scripts folder in My Documents, and call it via rapidSelectTool; after restarting Maya. If you don't want to put it in the scripts folder, load it in the Script Editor, and comment out the global proc line at the start so its like this:
//global proc rapidSelectTool () {Then comment out the closing bracket above // Procedures. If anyone knows how to fix this, without this work around, let me know.Arghh, if you can post the exact error being given I'll take a look, as I'm using Maya 2012 as well and it runs here. :poly127:
Edit: Never mind, found how to get the errors. Running the script from the script editor, then calling rapidSelectTool; doesn't seem to produce them, but just calling the script from the command line without having previously run it via the script editor causes the non-global procedures not to be found. Trying to find a way to fix this.
Until then, running this from the script editor should work (so at least I can get some feedback on how it works, instead of if it works
// Declare commonly used and initial variables string $wnd = "rapidSelectTool_GUI"; string $wnd_title = "R-Select"; int $width = 180; int $selectionValue = 2; int $minAmount = 1; int $maxAmount = 16; global string $rsInitialSelection[]; $rsInitialSelection = `ls -sl`; // Check if rapidSelectTool window exists, and if so, delete it if (`window -exists $wnd`) deleteUI -window $wnd; // Create the window window -s 0 -mxb 0 -mb 1 -t $wnd_title $wnd; // Create the menubar /* - Not yet working. Delete commenting when ready. menuBarLayout -w $width -h 24; menu -label "Edit" rapidSelectTool_EditMenu; menuItem -en 0 -label "Reset Settings" menuItem1; menu -label "Help" rapidSelectTool_HelpMenu; menuItem -en 0 -label "About" menuItem1; menuItem -en 0 -label "Script Download" menuItem2; menuItem -en 0 -label "Polycount Thread" menuItem3; menuItem -en 0 -label "Creative Crash" menuItem4; separator -h 5 -st "in"; */ // Create the controls // Select In Sequence Controls frameLayout -bv 1 -bs "etchedOut" -lv 1 -l "In Sequence" -mh 0 -mw 0; columnLayout inSequence; // Select by Number Controls frameLayout -bv 1 -bs "out" -lv 0 -l "Select by Number" -mh 5 -mw 5 -p inSequence -w $width; rowColumnLayout -nc 2 -cat 2 "left" 8; // Number Controls text -align "left" -label "Select by Number: "; intField -w 68 -minValue $minAmount -maxValue $maxAmount -v $selectionValue -s 1 -cc ("sxnValueSelect") -ec ("sxnValueSelect") sxnSelectionValue; setParent ..; // Slider Controls rowLayout -nc 3; text -w ($width/12 - 6) -align "center" -label $minAmount minAmountSliderBookend; intSlider -w ($width/12 * 10 - 8) -minValue $minAmount -maxValue $maxAmount -v $selectionValue -s 1 -dc ("sxnSliderSelect") sxnSlider; text -w ($width/12 - 2) -align "center" -label $maxAmount maxAmountSliderBookend; // Quick Select by Number Controls frameLayout -bv 1 -bs "out" -lv 0 -l "Quick Select by Number" -mh 5 -mw 5 -p inSequence -w $width; columnLayout; text -h 14 -align "left" -label "Quick Select by Number: "; separator -w $width -h 3 -st "none"; flowLayout -w $width -h 76 -wr true; button -w ($width/3 - 5) -h 36 -label "2" -command ("quickSelectByNumber " + 2); button -w ($width/3 - 5) -h 36 -label "3" -command ("quickSelectByNumber " + 3); button -w ($width/3 - 5) -h 36 -label "4" -command ("quickSelectByNumber " + 4); button -w ($width/3 - 5) -h 36 -label "5" -command ("quickSelectByNumber " + 5); button -w ($width/3 - 5) -h 36 -label "6" -command ("quickSelectByNumber " + 6); button -w ($width/3 - 5) -h 36 -label "8" -command ("quickSelectByNumber " + 8); // Select by Type Controls frameLayout -bv 1 -bs "out" -lv 0 -l "Selection Type" -mh 5 -mw 5 -p inSequence -w $width; flowLayout; text -align "left" -label "Selection Type: "; radioCollection; radioButton -sl -label "Ring" ringSelection; radioButton -label "Loop" loopSelection; // Current Selection Controls setParent $wnd; frameLayout -bv 1 -bs "etchedOut" -lv 1 -l "Current Selection" -mh 0 -mw 0; columnLayout currentSelection; frameLayout -bv 1 -bs "out" -lv 0 -l "Current Selection Controls" -mh 5 -mw 5 -p currentSelection -w $width; columnLayout -rs 3 -adj 1 ; button -label "Set as New Selection" -command ("$rsInitialSelection = `ls -sl`;"); button -label "To Edge Ring" -command ("SelectEdgeRing;"); button -label "To Edge Loop" -command ("SelectEdgeLoop;"); setParent $wnd; // General Controls rowColumnLayout -nc 2 -cs 2 1; button -w ($width/2) -label "Select" -command ("makeSelection"); button -w ($width/2) -label "Close" -command ("deleteUI " + $wnd); showWindow $wnd; // Procedures // Select by Number Slider Procedure proc sxnSliderSelect () { $selectionValue = `intSlider -q -v sxnSlider`; // Get the new selection value sxnUpdateControls ($selectionValue); // Update all controls with this new selection value makeSelection (); } // Select by Number Selection Value Procedure proc sxnValueSelect () { $selectionValue = `intField -q -v sxnSelectionValue`; // Get the new selection value sxnUpdateControls ($selectionValue); // Update all controls with this new selection value makeSelection (); } // Quick Select by Number Procedure proc quickSelectByNumber (int $selectionValue) { // New selection value already passed via Quick Select by Number buttons // No need to query it sxnUpdateControls ($selectionValue); // Update all controls with this new selection value makeSelection (); } // Update the Select by Number Controls proc sxnUpdateControls (int $selectionValue) { intField -e -v $selectionValue sxnSelectionValue; intSlider -e -v $selectionValue sxnSlider; if ($selectionValue == 1) { warning "Selecting by every 1 may produce undesired results."; } } // Make Selection proc makeSelection () { $amount = `intField -q -v sxnSelectionValue`; // Get the amount to select by global string $rsInitialSelection[]; select -r $rsInitialSelection; // Restore the saved selection // Determine what selection method to use (Loop or Ring) int $selectionType = `radioButton -q -sl loopSelection`; if ($selectionType == 1) { polySelectEdgesEveryN "edgeLoop" $amount; } else { polySelectEdgesEveryN "edgeRing" $amount; } }global proc sxnSliderSelect () {Also a suggestion is that instead of selecting the edge then running the script, it seems you store the selection as a global at the start instead of querying what is selected when the user clicks the appropriate command. This makes the tool more flexible then making the user switch modes or re-calling the script.
Also at the start of the script, just check the size of the selection and filter it to edges. Solves the problem of not knowing what to do with an incorrect selection.
Dont really think the select edge loop and ring would be useful as you can double click the edge and select the loop/ring though the skipping edges is definitely handy.
I figured as much. Is there any way to keep them as local procedures?
The reason I don't query when the buttons/sliders are used is so that you can see the results of your selection, without having to undo them, or reselect things if you don't like the results. Currently the button "Set as New Selection" allows you to set a new selection for the script to base its actions off of. If the current way the script works isn't useful, I'll give it a change. I could always add the way it works currently to a checkbox.
Will do.
Its mainly there in case you only selected one edge, used the script, and then decided that you wanted every nth edgeloop/ring instead of just every nth edge.