Detailed Description

Motion path animation function set.

This class is used for constructing and manipulating motion path animation.

Motion path animation requires a curve (or surface) and one or more other objects. During the animation, the objects will be moved along the curve.

Setting "follow" for the motion path aligns the object(s) local axis to the tangent of the motion path. Banking can also be applied to objects.

Motion path markers are points along the path where the orientation and position for the object(s) travelling along the path can be specified.

Examples:: motionPathCmd.cpp.

#include <MFnMotionPath.h>

Inheritance diagram for MFnMotionPath:

[legend]

List of all members.

Public Types
enum	Axis { kXaxis, kYaxis, kZaxis }
	Available axes. More...
Public Member Functions
virtual MFn::Type	type () const
	Function set type.
virtual	~MFnMotionPath ()
	Destructor.
	MFnMotionPath ()
	Default constructor.
	MFnMotionPath (MObject &object, MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Constructor.
MObject	create (const MDagPath &pathObject, const MDagPath &objectToAnimate, MTime &timeStart, MTime &timeEnd, MDGModifier modifier=NULL, MStatus ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Create a new motion path dependency node.
MStatus	setPathObject (const MDagPath &pathObject, MDGModifier *modifier=NULL)
	Set the curve or surface for this motion path.
MDagPath	pathObject (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Return a dag path to the motion path object.
MStatus	addAnimatedObject (const MDagPath &objectToAnimate, MDGModifier *modifier=NULL)
	Add an object to be animated along this motion path.
MStatus	getAnimatedObjects (MDagPathArray &array)
	Returns an array of dag paths to the animated objects for this motion path.
MStatus	setFollow (bool on, MDGModifier *modifier=NULL)
	Setting follow on will cause the animated object(s) local axis to be aligned with the tangent of the motion path.
bool	follow (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL) const
	Determines whether follow is set for this motion path node.
MStatus	setFollowAxis (Axis axis)
	Sets the axis of the animated object that will follow the motion path.
Axis	followAxis (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Return the follow axis for this motion path.
MStatus	setUpAxis (Axis axis)
	Set the up-axis for this motion path.
Axis	upAxis (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Return the up-axis for this motion path.
MStatus	setBank (bool bank)
bool	bank (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL) const
	Determines whether bank has been enabled for this motion path.
MStatus	setBankScale (double bankScale)
	Set the bank scale for this motion path.
double	bankScale (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Return the bank scale for this motion path.
MStatus	setBankThreshold (double bankThreshold)
	Set the bank threshold for this motion path.
double	bankThreshold (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Return the bank threshold for this motion path.
MStatus	setUseNormal (bool use)
	If true, enables alignment of the up axis of the animated object to the normal vector of the path geometry.
bool	useNormal (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Determines whether the up-axis of the animated object for this motion path is aligned with the normal vector of the path geometry.
MStatus	setInverseNormal (bool invert)
	If true, enable alignment of the up axis of the moving object(s) to the opposite direction of the normal vector of the path geometry.
bool	inverseNormal (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Determines whether the up-axis of the animated object for this motion path is aligned to the opposite direction of the normal vector of the path geometry.
MStatus	setUStart (double start)
	Sets the starting value of the u parameterization for the animation.
MStatus	setUEnd (double end)
	Sets the end value of the u parameterization for the animation.
double	uStart (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Returns the starting value of the u parameterization for the animation.
double	uEnd (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Returns the end value of the u parameterization for the animation.
MStatus	setUTimeStart (MTime &start)
	Sets the starting time of the animation for the u parameter.
MStatus	setUTimeEnd (MTime &end)
	Sets the end time of the animation for the u parameter.
MTime	uTimeStart (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Returns the start time of the animation for the u parameter.
MTime	uTimeEnd (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Returns the end time of the animation for the u parameter.
unsigned int	numPositionMarkers (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Returns the number of position markers on this motion path.
MObject	getPositionMarker (unsigned int, MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Gets the position marker where markerNum is the order in which the marker was created.
unsigned int	numOrientationMarkers (MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Returns the number of orientation markers on this motion path.
MObject	getOrientationMarker (unsigned int, MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Gets the orientation marker where markerNum is the order in which the marker was created.
	MFnMotionPath (const MObject &object, MStatus *ReturnStatus=NULL)
	Constructor.
Protected Member Functions
virtual const char *	className () const
	Class name.

Member Enumeration Documentation

enum Axis

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Available axes.

Enumerator:

kXaxis	Search for all occurrences
kYaxis	Search for all occurrences
kZaxis	Search for all occurrences

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

MFnMotionPath	(	MObject &	object,
		MStatus *	ReturnStatus = `NULL`
	)

Constructor.

Class constructor that initializes the function set to the given MObject.

Parameters:

[in]	object	The MObject to attach the function set to
[out]	ReturnStatus	the return status

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess if the function set is successfully attached
MS::kInvalidParameter if the MObject does not represent a valid Maya object or if the function set is not allowed to attach to this MObject

MFnMotionPath	(	const MObject &	object,
		MStatus *	ReturnStatus = `NULL`
	)

Constructor.

Class constructor that initializes the function set to the given MObject.

Parameters:

[in]	object	The MObject to attach the function set to
[out]	ReturnStatus	the return status

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess if the function set is successfully attached
MS::kInvalidParameter if the MObject does not represent a valid Maya object or if the function set is not allowed to attach to this MObject

Member Function Documentation

MFn::Type type ( ) const [virtual]

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Function set type.

Return the class type : MFn::kMotionPath.

Reimplemented from MFnDependencyNode.

const char * className ( ) const [protected, virtual]

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Class name.

Return the class name : "MFnMotionPath".

Reimplemented from MFnDependencyNode.

MObject create	(	const MDagPath &	pathObject,
		const MDagPath &	objectToAnimate,
		MTime &	timeStart,
		MTime &	timeEnd,
		MDGModifier *	modifier = `NULL`,
		MStatus *	ReturnStatus = `NULL`
	)

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Create a new motion path dependency node.

When a motion path node is created, the following defaults are set:

Follow OFF
Bank OFF
BankScale 1.0
BankThreshold 0.5 * PI

Parameters:

[in]	pathObject	the curve, surface, or curve-on-surface to use as the object path
[in]	objectToAnimate	the object that will follow the motion path
[in]	timeStart	the time at which to start the animation
[in]	timeEnd	the time at which to end the animation
[in]	modifier	this object will hold the undo information
[out]	ReturnStatus	Status Code

Returns:: The new motion path node

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kLicenseFailure application not licensed for attempted operation
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

Examples:: motionPathCmd.cpp.

MStatus setPathObject	(	const MDagPath &	pathObject,
		MDGModifier *	modifier = `NULL`
	)

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Set the curve or surface for this motion path.

All animated objects for this motion path will follow the new path that is specified.

Parameters:

[in]	pathObject	The curve (or surface) that will be the motion path
[in]	modifier	The object that will hold the undo information

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MDagPath pathObject ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Return a dag path to the motion path object.

The motion path object is the curve/surface that animated objects of this node will move along.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The dag path of the motion path object

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus addAnimatedObject	(	const MDagPath &	objectToAnimate,
		MDGModifier *	modifier = `NULL`
	)

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Add an object to be animated along this motion path.

Parameters:

[in]	objectToAnimate	A DAG path to the animated object
[in]	modifier	The object that will hold the undo information

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus getAnimatedObjects ( MDagPathArray & array )

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Returns an array of dag paths to the animated objects for this motion path.

Parameters:

[out] array Storage for the dag paths.

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setFollow	(	bool	on,
		MDGModifier *	modifier = `NULL`
	)

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Setting follow on will cause the animated object(s) local axis to be aligned with the tangent of the motion path.

The default alignment axis is Y.

Parameters:

[in]	on	Specifies whether follow is activated for this motion path
[in]	modifier	The object that will hold the undo information

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

bool follow ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL ) const

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Determines whether follow is set for this motion path node.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:

true Follow is turned on
false Follow is turned off

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setFollowAxis ( MFnMotionPath::Axis axis )

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Sets the axis of the animated object that will follow the motion path.

Possible alignment parameters are kXaxis, kYaxiz, or kZaxis.

Parameters:

[in] axis Object axis to align with motion path tangent

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MFnMotionPath::Axis followAxis ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Return the follow axis for this motion path.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The follow axis.

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setUpAxis ( MFnMotionPath::Axis axis )

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Set the up-axis for this motion path.

Parameters:

[in] axis Axis to be set

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MFnMotionPath::Axis upAxis ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Return the up-axis for this motion path.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The up-axis for this motion path

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setBank ( bool bank )

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Parameters:

[in] bank Specifies whether bank is turned on

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

bool bank ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL ) const

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Determines whether bank has been enabled for this motion path.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:

true Bank is enabled
false Bank is disabled

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setBankScale ( double bankScale )

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Set the bank scale for this motion path.

If the computed bank angles are not large enough, the user can specify the bankScale to amplify them. The default value is 1.

Positive bankScale produces inward bank angle, negative bankScale produces outward bank angle.

Parameters:

[in] bankScale The new bank scale value

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

double bankScale ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Return the bank scale for this motion path.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The bank scale.

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setBankThreshold ( double bankThreshold )

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Set the bank threshold for this motion path.

The bank threshold is used to specify the maximum bank angle. The default value is 90 degrees.

Parameters:

[in] bankThreshold The new bank threshold value

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

double bankThreshold ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Return the bank threshold for this motion path.

The bank threshold is used to specify the maximum bank angle. The default value is 90 degrees.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The bank threshold.

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setUseNormal ( bool use )

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If true, enables alignment of the up axis of the animated object to the normal vector of the path geometry.

Parameters:

[in] use Specifies if normal is used

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

bool useNormal ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Determines whether the up-axis of the animated object for this motion path is aligned with the normal vector of the path geometry.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:

true Normal vector is used for object alignment.
false Normal vector is not used for object alignment.

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setInverseNormal ( bool invert )

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If true, enable alignment of the up axis of the moving object(s) to the opposite direction of the normal vector of the path geometry.

Parameters:

[in] invert Specifies if inverse normal is used

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

bool inverseNormal ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Determines whether the up-axis of the animated object for this motion path is aligned to the opposite direction of the normal vector of the path geometry.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:

true Inverse normal vector is used for object alignment.
false Inverse normal vector is not used for object alignment.

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setUStart ( double start )

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Sets the starting value of the u parameterization for the animation.

Parameters:

[in] start the new start value

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setUEnd ( double end )

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Sets the end value of the u parameterization for the animation.

Parameters:

[in] end the new end value

Returns:: Status Code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

double uStart ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Returns the starting value of the u parameterization for the animation.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The starting value

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

double uEnd ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Returns the end value of the u parameterization for the animation.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The end value

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setUTimeStart ( MTime & start )

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Sets the starting time of the animation for the u parameter.

Parameters:

[in] start the new start time

Returns:: Status code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MStatus setUTimeEnd ( MTime & end )

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Sets the end time of the animation for the u parameter.

Parameters:

[in] end the new end time

Returns:: Status code

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MTime uTimeStart ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Returns the start time of the animation for the u parameter.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The starting time

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MTime uTimeEnd ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Returns the end time of the animation for the u parameter.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The end time

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

unsigned int numPositionMarkers ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Returns the number of position markers on this motion path.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The number of markers

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MObject getPositionMarker	(	unsigned int	markerNum,
		MStatus *	ReturnStatus = `NULL`
	)

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Gets the position marker where markerNum is the order in which the marker was created.

Parameters:

[in]	markerNum	The number of the marker
[out]	ReturnStatus	Status Code

Returns:: The position marker

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

unsigned int numOrientationMarkers ( MStatus * ReturnStatus = NULL )

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Returns the number of orientation markers on this motion path.

Parameters:

[out] ReturnStatus Status Code

Returns:: The number of markers

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MObject getOrientationMarker	(	unsigned int	markerNum,
		MStatus *	ReturnStatus = `NULL`
	)

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Gets the orientation marker where markerNum is the order in which the marker was created.

Parameters:

[in]	markerNum	The number of the marker
[out]	ReturnStatus	Status Code

Returns:: The orientation marker

Status Codes:

MS::kSuccess Member was successful
MS::kFailure An object error has occurred

MFnMotionPath Class Reference

OpenMayaAnim - API module for animation | FunctionSet classes

Detailed Description

Public Types

Public Member Functions

Protected Member Functions

Member Enumeration Documentation

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

Member Function Documentation