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Procedure Name : actionLib.mel 1.0.2
Updated : Mar.15th.2007
Author : T.G.Jay
Mail : tinyglobe@hotmail.com
All Rights Reserved .
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Script Name： Action Library
Version：1.0.0
>>>General：
Action Library / actionLib is a platform to save poses and expressions as libraries.
Users can not only control and manage each attribute of poses and expressions in the library,
but organize the Library File as they want as well.
actionLib provides many Batch commands for users to improve their efficiency.
>>>Features：
·
Almost all the numerical Maya attributes are will be supported by actionLib
including : bool, long, short, byte, enum, float, double, doubleAngle. doubleLinear, long2, long3, short2, short3. float2, float3, double2.
Especially, Blendshape、Cluster、Joint and many other nodes are well-supported. ( It depends on users' settings )
·
Flexible User Interface customized by users
·
Edting and Application were separated to different windows
· Organize Library File freely, something like Windows Explorer
· Users can also use actionLib as rigging layout
· Manage poses and expressions easily and directly
· To keep a snapshot as an action Icon
· users can set relative icon paths
· Batch adding / moving / deleting / changing attributes quickly
· Poses and expressions in the Library can be applied to selected objects ( It depends on users' settings )
· When Maya attributes are locked or connected, actionLib stille stimates how to change them and set key intelligently.
· Users can convert poseLib 4.0+ files to actionLib files
· Blending two actions by a Float Controler
· Quick Selection of changing transforms
>>>Quick Start ：
Let's source actionLib.mel execute it.
If it's first time you play with actionLib, You could see a window asking for Which part will you enter.
Actually, this window imply two core parts of actionLib.
The first one is actionLib Main, another is actionLib Editor.
Users can use actionLib Main to apply actions and use actionLib Editor to modify actions.
actionLib's UI contain four parts：
Menu
Action Frame
Attribute Frame
status Frame
Befor we plunge into more detail, I have to explain how to organize Library File.
ActionLib is based on Maya's nodes and attributes.
Almost all of the maya nodes can be supported by actionLib.
If we finished adding attributes、poses and expression to actionLib，
we can save the Library as an ".elf" file.
Thus, we have done our Library in actionLib Editor when we setup our characters.
Then, it's time to key animation.
we should enter actionLib Main to apply ".elf" file.
It's useful to users to organize all ".elf" files with tree structures：
Character-Jack
|----Expressions
| |----smile.elf (.elf file the
Basic unit)
| |----cry.elf
|
|----Poses
|----head
|----hand
|----body
|----bow.elf
|----turn_left.elf
>>>actionLib Editor Workflow：
1. Add Attributes :
· Choose attribute type
Choose the first one if the attribute you want to add has only one component
Choose the second oneif the attributes you want to add has tree components
· Choose attributes color
· Type in the attribute name in actionLib
· Type in the Maya attribute you want to add
· Click[Add] button
· So is it with the attribute with three components
2. Manage Attributes :
Besides the add operation, there are another six operations.
They only affect
the chosen attribute
Add : add an attribute after all the attributes
Insert : insert an attribute before the selected attribute
Delete : delete the selected attribute
Move forward : move forward the selected attribute
Move backward : move backward the selected attribute
Replace : replace the selected attribute with new color、new name or another Maya attribute
Exchange : Use the middle button of your mouse to drag and drop the attributes to exchange their position
3. Batch :
Another way to manage all the attributes quickly：
Batch Adding Selected Attributes
Batch Adding Blendshape Attributes
Batch Adding Joints Atrrbutes
Batch Deleteing Attributes
Batch Replacing Colors
Batch Replacing Nodes
4. Batch Adding Selected Attributes
· select a node or many nodes
· Click [Attribute/Batch Adding Selected Attributes] command
If users need to customize which attributes should be batched adding :
· Click
the option box beside the [Attribute/Batch Adding Selected Attributes] command
· Choose different combination of the filters
· Click [Print] button to preview the attributes
· Click [Add] or [Save] button
· Get more informatoin about all the filters , please search the "listAttr" command in Maya Help
5. Batch Adding Blendshape Attributes & Batch Adding Joints Attrbutes
· Click [Attribute/Batch Adding Blendshape Attributes] or [Attribute/Batch Adding Joints Attributes] command
· Choose attributes color
· (multi)Select the
blendshapes
·
Click [Add] or [Add with node names] button
 
6. Batch Deleteing Attributes
· Click [Attribute/Batch Deleting Attributes] command
· (multi)Select attribute names
· Click [Delete] button
7. Batch Replacing Colors
· Click [Attribute/Batch Replacing Attributes] command
· (multi)Select attribute names
· Choose attributes color
· Click [Replace] button
8. Batch Replacing Nodes
· Click [Attribute/Batch Replacing Nodes] command
· Select node in the left list
· Type in new name
· Click [Rename] or press Enter Key
· Click [Replace] button
9. Add Action
· Adjust attributes to form an action
· Type in an action name
· Type in or select icon path (only .bmp and .xpm supported)
· Click [Add] button
It's helful to use relative path :
·
Click [file/Preference/] command
· Type in or select [Image Root Dir] as image root directory
· Then type in relative path
 "
It's also helpful to keep a snapshot as icon :
· Tick [Action/·Snapshot Mode] Item
· Click right icon to keep a snapshot
The icon will be save to "Image Root Dir" or "Maya Project/images/"
9. manage Action
Add : add an new action after all actions
Insert : insert an action before the selected action
Delete : delete the selected action
Move forward : move forward the selected action
Move backward : move backward the selected action
Refrash : refrash all the attributes in the selected action
Exchange : Use the middle button of your mouse to drag and drop the actions to exchange their position
10. save file
· Click [file/save] command
· Select path
· Click [save] button
>>>actionLib Main Workflow：
1. open file
· Click [file/Set Root] command
· Set the Root Directory
· Double-click <sub directory> to enter it
· Double-click .elf file to open
it
 
2. Apply action to selected nodes only
· Tick [Action/·Apply to Selected Nodes Only] Item
· Click an action button
3. Blend two actions
· Click an action button
· Slip the slider
Final action = Old weight · Old action + New weight · New action
Any attributes' change
will take effects
4. Select nodest
Quickly select :
· Double-click the node in the list
Multiselet :
· Multiselect the node in the list
· Click [<Select Lists] button
select changing transforms :
· Click [Get Chaning Transforms] button
5. Key attributes
Key selection :
· Select nodes in the list
· Click [<Key Lists] button
Key all attributes in actionLib :
· Click [Key All] button
6. Hide|Show attributes
· Tick [Attribute/·Display All] Item
 7. Preference
Show Status bar：Display Status Frame or not
Frame Layout：Determine layout of Action Frame and Attribute Frame
Action/Attr Scroll Max Height：Max height
Icon in each line：Determine how many icons in each line
Deletion ConfirmDialog：Determine whether display the Confiren Dialog when users delete or replace with something
Percison of Attr：Determine the percison of float number
Frame Backgrond Color：Background color of Action Frame and Attribute Frame
Active Icon Color：Color of active action icon
Default Attribute Color：Determine the default attribute color
ActionLib Root List：Specify the default actionLib root
Image root Directory：Spcify the default image root directory
All the settings will take effects after users restart actionLib
7. Convert poseLib 4.0+ files
· Click [file/convert] command
· Select Pose Library's Project Directory
If users have launched Pose Library before, actionLib will do this setp automaticly
· Select a directory to save ".elf" files
· Click [Convert] button
That's all about actionLib.
Don't hesitate to give me a reply if you find any bugs or need new features!
Any comments are welcome!
Hope you enjoy it~!
Mail : tinyglobe@hotmail.com
Guestbook : http://www.tgjay.com/htms/guestbook/guestbook.asp
>>>Release Notes ：
None. |
