Applying ICE Compounds
 
 
 

You can add your exported compounds to an ICE tree in the same way as other nodes, for example by using the preset manager, using the Nodes menu, using Compounds Import Compound, or by dragging from a Softimage file browser or folder window.

Applying Trees as Compounds

In addition, you can apply a compound that contains an entire ICE tree directly to objects using the ApplyICEOp command, for example in VBScript:

ApplyICEOp "Roaring Fire.xsicompound", "grid"

This is how the Deform Footprints menu item has been implemented.

To create a compound that can be applied in this way:

  • Compounds must have an output port of type Execute.

  • Input ports with Picking string for operator defined in their port properties launch a picking session using the string as the prompt.

  • If Picking string for operator has not been defined for any input port, then a picking session is launched for every scene reference input.

Adding Compounds to Menus

You can add ICE compounds to menus using User Tools Add Operator to Menu. This automatically creates the command using ApplyICEOp for you. Choosing the operator from the menu applies the compound to the selected object.

To add compounds to menus

  1. Choose User Tools Add Operator to Menu.

  2. In the ICEOperators property panel, enter the names of the compounds you want to add to the available menus. Make sure to use the name of the compound, not the xsicompound file name. Separate multiple entries with commas.