pointOnSurface

Go to: Synopsis. Return value. Flags. MEL examples.

Synopsis

pointOnSurface [-constructionHistory boolean] [-normal] [-normalizedNormal] [-normalizedTangentU] [-normalizedTangentV] [-parameterU float] [-parameterV float] [-position] [-tangentU] [-tangentV] [-turnOnPercentage boolean] [objects]

pointOnSurface is undoable, queryable, and editable.

Return value

In query mode, return type is based on queried flag.

Flags

Long name (short name)	Argument types	Properties
-parameterU(-u)	float
The U parameter value on surface Default: 0.0
-parameterV(-v)	float
The V parameter value on surface Default: 0.0
-turnOnPercentage(-top)	boolean
Whether the parameter is normalized (0,1) or not Default: false
-position(-p)
Returns the (x,y,z) positon of the specified point on the surface
-normal(-no)
Returns the (x,y,z) normal of the specified point on the surface
-normalizedNormal(-nn)
Returns the (x,y,z) normalized normal of the specified point on the surface
-tangentU(-tu)
Returns the (x,y,z) U tangent of the specified point on the surface
-normalizedTangentU(-ntu)
Returns the (x,y,z) normalized U tangent of the specified point on the surface
-tangentV(-tv)
Returns the (x,y,z) V tangent of the specified point on the surface
-normalizedTangentV(-ntv)
Returns the (x,y,z) normalized V tangent of the specified point on the surface
Common flags
-constructionHistory(-ch)	boolean
Turn the construction history on or off

Flag can appear in Create mode of command	Flag can appear in Edit mode of command
Flag can appear in Query mode of command	Flag can be used more than once in a command.

MEL examples

pointOnSurface -u 0.5 -v 1.0 -position surface1;
// Returns the (x,y,z) position of the surface at parameter (u=0.5,v=1.0).

string $infoNode = `pointOnSurface -ch on -u 0.55 -v 0.33 surface1`;
getAttr ($infoNode + ".position");  // returns the position
// The pointOnSurface command returns  a string which is the name of
// a new pointOnSurfaceInfo dependency node.  With this node connected
// to the surface, the output values of the pointOnSurfaceInfo node
// are always current even if, for example, the surface parameters are
// being animated.