Detailed Description

The object class is the base class for all objects.

An object is one of two things: A procedural object or a derived object. Derived objects are part of the system and may not be created by plug-ins. They are containers for modifiers. Procedural objects can be many different things such as cameras, lights, helper objects, geometric objects, etc. Methods of this class are responsible for things such as allowing the object to be deformed (changing its points), retrieving a deformed bounding box, converting the object between different types (to a mesh or patch for example), texture mapping the object (if appropriate) and interacting with the system regarding mapping. There are other methods involved in validity intervals for the object and its channels, and a method used to return the sub-object selection state of the object.

Method Groups:: See Method Groups for Class Object.

See also:: Class BaseObject, Class Deformer, Class Interval, Class GraphicsWindow,; Template Class Tab, Geometry Pipeline System

#include <object.h>

Inheritance diagram for Object:

[legend]

List of all members.

Public Member Functions
CoreExport	Object ()
CoreExport	~Object ()
virtual int	IsRenderable ()=0
	Indicates whether the object may be rendered.
virtual void	InitNodeName (MSTR &s)=0
	This is the default name of the node when it is created.
virtual int	UsesWireColor ()
	This method determines if the object color is used for display.
virtual int	DoOwnSelectHilite ()
	If an object wants to draw itself in the 3D viewports in its selected state in some custom manner this method should return nonzero.
virtual int	IntersectRay (TimeValue t, Ray &r, float &at, Point3 &norm)
	This method is called to compute the intersection point and surface normal at this intersection point of the ray passed and the object.
virtual BOOL	NormalAlignVector (TimeValue t, Point3 &pt, Point3 &norm)
	Objects that don't support the IntersectRay() method (such as helper objects) can implement this method to provide a default vector for use with the normal align command in 3ds Max.
Data Flow Evaluation Methods
Most plug-in procedural objects do not need to be concerned with the following methods associated with locks, channels and shallow copies. The only type of plug-ins that needs to be concerned with these methods are objects that actually flow down the pipeline. Most procedural plug-ins don't go down the pipeline, instead they convert themselves to a TriObject or PatchObject, and these goes down the pipeline. It is these TriObjects or PatchObject that deal with these methods. However plug-in objects that actually flow down the pipeline will use these methods. For more information see the Advanced Topics section on the Geometry Pipeline System.
void	LockObject ()
	Implemented by the System.
void	UnlockObject ()
	Implemented by the System.
int	IsObjectLocked ()
	Implemented by the System.
virtual ObjectState	Eval (TimeValue t)=0
	This method is called to evaluate the object and return the result as an ObjectState.
void	LockChannels (ChannelMask channels)
	Implemented by the System.
void	UnlockChannels (ChannelMask channels)
	Implemented by the System.
ChannelMask	GetChannelLocks ()
	Implemented by the System.
void	SetChannelLocks (ChannelMask channels)
	Implemented by the System.
ChannelMask	GetChannelLocks (ChannelMask m)
	Implemented by the System.
virtual BOOL	CanCacheObject ()
	This method determines if this object can have channels cached.
virtual void	WSStateInvalidate ()
	This is called by a node when the node's world space state has become invalid.
virtual BOOL	IsWorldSpaceObject ()
	Returns TRUE if the object as a world space object; otherwise FALSE.
CoreExport INode *	GetWorldSpaceObjectNode ()
virtual BOOL	IsParticleSystem ()
CoreExport void	CopyChannelLocks (Object *obj, ChannelMask needChannels)
	Implemented by the System.
virtual void	TopologyChanged ()
virtual int	IsDeformable ()
	Indicates whether this object is deformable.
virtual int	NumPoints ()
	The points of a deformable object are accessed through a virtual array interface.
virtual Point3	GetPoint (int i)
	The points of a deformable object are accessed through a virtual array interface.
virtual void	SetPoint (int i, const Point3 &p)
	The points of a deformable object are accessed through a virtual array interface.
virtual BOOL	IsPointSelected (int i)
	Returns TRUE if the 'i-th' point is selected; otherwise FALSE.
virtual float	PointSelection (int i)
	Returns a floating point weighted point selection if the object supports it.
virtual BOOL	HasWeights ()
	Returns TRUE if the object has weights for its points that can be set; otherwise FALSE.
virtual double	GetWeight (int i)
	Returns the weight of the specified point of the object.
virtual void	SetWeight (int i, const double w)
	Sets the weight of the specified point.
virtual BOOL	PolygonCount (TimeValue t, int &numFaces, int &numVerts)
	Retreives the number of faces and vertices of the polyginal mesh representation of this object.
virtual void	PointsWereChanged ()
	Informs the object that its points have been deformed, so it can invalidate its cache.
virtual CoreExport void	Deform (Deformer *defProc, int useSel=0)
	This is the method used to deform the object with a deformer.
virtual CoreExport void	GetDeformBBox (TimeValue t, Box3 &box, Matrix3 *tm=NULL, BOOL useSel=FALSE)
	This method computes the bounding box in the objects local coordinates or the optional space defined by tm.
virtual int	IsMappable ()
	This method lets you know if the ApplyUVWMap() method is available for this object.
virtual int	NumMapChannels ()
	Returns the maximum number of channels supported by this type of object.
virtual int	NumMapsUsed ()
	Returns the number of maps currently used by this object.
virtual void	ApplyUVWMap (int type, float utile, float vtile, float wtile, int uflip, int vflip, int wflip, int cap, const Matrix3 &tm, int channel=1)
	This method may be called to map the object with UVW mapping coordinates.
virtual CoreExport int	CanConvertToType (Class_ID obtype)
	Indicates whether the object can be converted to the specified type.
virtual CoreExport Object *	ConvertToType (TimeValue t, Class_ID obtype)
	This method converts this object to the type specified and returns a pointer it.
virtual Class_ID	PreferredCollapseType ()
	This method allows objects to specify the class that is the best class to convert to when the user collapses the stack.
virtual CoreExport void	GetCollapseTypes (Tab< Class_ID > &clist, Tab< MSTR * > &nlist)
	When the user clicks on the Edit Stack button in the modify branch a list of 'Convert To:' types is presented.
virtual Object *	CollapseObject ()
	This method is called on the world space cache object when the stack gets collapsed, that lets the pipeline object decide, if it wants to return a different object than itself.
virtual DWORD	GetSubselState ()
	For objects that have sub selection levels, this method returns the current selection level of the object.
virtual void	SetSubSelState (DWORD s)
CoreExport void	ReadyChannelsForMod (ChannelMask channels)
	Implemented by the System.
virtual CoreExport Interval	ChannelValidity (TimeValue t, int nchan)
	Retrieve the current validity interval for the nchan channel of the object.
virtual CoreExport void	SetChannelValidity (int nchan, Interval v)
	Sets the validity interval of the specified channel.
virtual CoreExport void	InvalidateChannels (ChannelMask channels)
	This method invalidates the intervals for the given channel mask.
virtual CoreExport Interval	ObjectValidity (TimeValue t)
	This method returns the validity interval of the object as a whole at the specified time.
virtual Object *	MakeShallowCopy (ChannelMask channels)
	This method must make a copy of its "shell" and then shallow copy (see below) only the specified channels.
virtual CoreExport void	ShallowCopy (Object *fromOb, ChannelMask channels)
	This method copies the specified channels from the fromOb to this and copies the validity intervals.
virtual CoreExport void	FreeChannels (ChannelMask channels)
	This method deletes the memory associated with the specified channels and set the intervals associated with the channels to invalid (empty).
virtual CoreExport void	NewAndCopyChannels (ChannelMask channels)
	This method replaces the locked channels with newly allocated copies.
virtual CoreExport void	MaybeEnlargeViewportRect (GraphicsWindow *gw, Rect &rect)
	This method allows the object to enlarge its viewport rectangle, if it wants to.
CoreExport bool	IsBaseClassOwnedChannel (int nchan)
CoreExport void	UpdateValidity (int nchan, Interval v)
	When a modifier is applied to an object, it needs to include its own validity interval in the interval of the object.
Interval	GetNoEvalInterval ()
void	SetNoEvalInterval (Interval iv)
virtual CoreExport void	ReduceCaches (TimeValue t)
	This method give the object the chance to reduce its caches.
virtual int	IsConstObject ()
	This is called to determine if this is a construction object or not.
virtual int	NumPipeBranches (bool selected=true)
	This method returns the number of pipeline branches combined by the object.
virtual Object *	GetPipeBranch (int i, bool selected=true)
	Retrieves sub-object branches from an object that supports branching.
virtual INode *	GetBranchINode (TimeValue t, INode *node, int i, bool selected=true)
	When an object has sub-object branches, it is likely that the sub-objects are transformed relative to the object.
Shapes Within Objects
Shape viewports can reference shapes contained within objects, so the system needs to be able to access the shapes within an object. The following four methods provide this access. These methods are used by the loft object. Since loft objects are made up of shapes, this gives the system the ability to query the object to find out if it is a shape container. Most objects don't contain shapes so they can just use the default implementations.
virtual int	NumberOfContainedShapes ()
	Returns the number of shapes contained inside this object.
virtual ShapeObject *	GetContainedShape (TimeValue t, int index)
	This method returns the ShapeObject specified by the index passed at the time specified.
virtual void	GetContainedShapeMatrix (TimeValue t, int index, Matrix3 &mat)
	Returns the matrix associated with the shape whose index is passed.
virtual BitArray	ContainedShapeSelectionArray ()
	This is used by the lofter.
virtual BOOL	IsShapeObject ()
virtual BOOL	CheckObjectIntegrity ()
	This method is used for debugging only.
virtual BOOL	HasUVW ()
	It is called to find out if the object is has UVW coordinates.
virtual BOOL	HasUVW (int mapChannel)
	It is called to find out if the object is has UVW coordinates for the specified mapping channel.
virtual Object *	FindBaseObject ()
	It is called to return a pointer to the base object (an object that is not a derived object).
virtual BOOL	IsParamSurface ()
	There are several methods used to access a parametric position on the surface of the object.
virtual int	NumSurfaces (TimeValue t)
	Returns the number of parametric surfaces within the object.
virtual Point3	GetSurfacePoint (TimeValue t, float u, float v, Interval &iv)
	This method needs to be implemented if Object::IsParamSurface() returns TRUE.
virtual Point3	GetSurfacePoint (TimeValue t, int surface, float u, float v, Interval &iv)
	This method is used to retrieve a point on the specified surface of the object based on two parameters of the surface, u and v.
virtual void	SurfaceClosed (TimeValue t, int surface, BOOL &uClosed, BOOL &vClosed)
	This method allows the object to return flags that indicate whether the parametric surface is closed in the U and V dimensions.
virtual BOOL	GetExtendedProperties (TimeValue t, MSTR &prop1Label, MSTR &prop1Data, MSTR &prop2Label, MSTR &prop2Data)
	This method allows an object to return extended Properties fields.
CoreExport SvGraphNodeReference	SvTraverseAnimGraph (IGraphObjectManager gom, Animatable owner, int id, DWORD flags)
CoreExport bool	SvHandleDoubleClick (IGraphObjectManager gom, IGraphNode gNode)
CoreExport MSTR	SvGetName (IGraphObjectManager gom, IGraphNode gNode, bool isBeingEdited)
CoreExport COLORREF	SvHighlightColor (IGraphObjectManager gom, IGraphNode gNode)
CoreExport bool	SvIsSelected (IGraphObjectManager gom, IGraphNode gNode)
	Returns true if the object is selected in its schematic view.
CoreExport MultiSelectCallback *	SvGetMultiSelectCallback (IGraphObjectManager gom, IGraphNode gNode)
CoreExport bool	SvCanSelect (IGraphObjectManager gom, IGraphNode gNode)
CoreExport void	AddXTCObject (XTCObject *pObj, int priority=0, int branchID=-1)
	This method adds an extension object into the pipeline.
CoreExport int	NumXTCObjects ()
	Returns the number of extension objects maintained by this Object.
CoreExport XTCObject *	GetXTCObject (int index)
	Returns a pointer to the specified extension object.
CoreExport void	RemoveXTCObject (int index)
	Removes the extension object as indicated by the index.
CoreExport void	SetXTCObjectPriority (int index, int priority)
	Sets the priority for the extension object whose index is passed.
CoreExport int	GetXTCObjectPriority (int index)
	Returns the integer priority number of the extension object whose index is passed.
CoreExport void	SetXTCObjectBranchID (int index, int branchID)
	Sets the branch ID of the extension object whose index is passed.
CoreExport int	GetXTCObjectBranchID (int index)
	Returns the integer branch ID of the extension object whose index is passed.
CoreExport void	MergeAdditionalChannels (Object *from, int branchID)
	This method has to be called whenever the CompoundObject updates a branch (calling Eval() on it).
CoreExport void	BranchDeleted (int branchID, bool reorderChannels)
	This method has to be called on the CompoundObject so it can delete the XTCObjects for the specified branch.
CoreExport void	CopyAdditionalChannels (Object *from, bool deleteOld=true, bool bShallowCopy=false)
	This method copies all extension objects from the "from" object into the current object.
CoreExport void	DeleteAllAdditionalChannels ()
	Implemented by the System.
virtual BOOL	UseSelectionBrackets ()
	This method allows an object to choose whether or not it will display selection brackets in shaded viewports.
virtual BOOL	IsManipulator ()
CoreExport void *	GetInterface (ULONG id)
	Inherited from Animatable.
CoreExport BaseInterface *	GetInterface (Interface_ID id)
	Inherited from Animatable.
virtual void	ReduceDisplayCaches ()
	Should reduce any derived display data to save memory, since the node wont be drawn until the user undhides it.
virtual bool	NeedGWCacheRebuilt (GraphicsWindow gw, Material ma, int numMat)
	This returns whether the Graphics Cache for this object needs to be rebuilt.
virtual void	BuildGWCache (GraphicsWindow gw, Material ma, int numMat, BOOL threaded)
	This builds the graphics window cached mesh.

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

CoreExport Object ( )

CoreExport ~Object ( )

Member Function Documentation

virtual int IsRenderable ( ) [pure virtual]

virtual int IntersectRay	(	TimeValue	t,
		Ray &	r,
		float &	at,
		Point3 &	norm
	)		`[inline, virtual]`

t	The time to compute the intersection.
r	Ray to intersect. See Class Ray.
at	The point of intersection.
norm	Surface normal at the point of intersection.

virtual BOOL NormalAlignVector	(	TimeValue	t,
		Point3 &	pt,
		Point3 &	norm
	)		`[inline, virtual]`

t	The time to compute the normal align vector.
pt	The point of intersection.
norm	The normal at the point of intersection.

CoreExport void CopyChannelLocks	(	Object *	obj,
		ChannelMask	needChannels
	)

obj	The source object.
needChannels	Indicates the channels to copy.

virtual void SetPoint	(	int	i,
		const Point3 &	p
	)		`[inline, virtual]`

virtual void SetWeight	(	int	i,
		const double	w
	)		`[inline, virtual]`

virtual BOOL PolygonCount	(	TimeValue	t,
		int &	numFaces,
		int &	numVerts
	)		`[inline, virtual]`

t	The time at which to compute the number of faces and vertices.
numFaces	The number of faces is returned here.
numVerts	The number of vertices is returned here.

virtual CoreExport void Deform	(	Deformer *	defProc,
		int	useSel = `0`
	)		`[virtual]`

defProc	A pointer to an instance of the Deformer class. This is the callback object that actually performs the deformation.
useSel	A flag to indicate if the object should use the selected points only. If nonzero the selected points are used; otherwise all the points of the object are used.

virtual CoreExport void GetDeformBBox	(	TimeValue	t,
		Box3 &	box,
		Matrix3 *	tm = `NULL`,
		BOOL	useSel = `FALSE`
	)		`[virtual]`

t	The time to compute the box.
box	A reference to a box the result is stored in.
tm	This is an alternate coordinate system used to compute the box. If the tm is not NULL this matrix should be used in the computation of the result.
useSel	If TRUE, the bounding box of selected sub-elements should be computed; otherwise the entire object should be used.

virtual void ApplyUVWMap	(	int	type,
		float	utile,
		float	vtile,
		float	wtile,
		int	uflip,
		int	vflip,
		int	wflip,
		int	cap,
		const Matrix3 &	tm,
		int	channel = `1`
	)		`[inline, virtual]`

type	The mapping type. One of the following values: MAP_PLANAR MAP_CYLINDRICAL MAP_SPHERICAL MAP_BALL MAP_BOX
utile	Number of tiles in the U direction.
vtile	Number of tiles in the V direction.
wtile	Number of tiles in the W direction.
uflip	If nonzero the U values are mirrored.
vflip	If nonzero the V values are mirrored.
wflip	If nonzero the W values are mirrored.
cap	This is used with MAP_CYLINDRICAL. If nonzero, then any face normal that is pointing more vertically than horizontally will be mapped using planar coordinates.
tm	This defines the mapping space. As each point is mapped, it is multiplied by this matrix, and then it is mapped.
channel	This indicates which channel the mapping is applied to. See List of Mapping Channel Index Values.

virtual CoreExport Object* ConvertToType	(	TimeValue	t,
		Class_ID	obtype
	)		`[virtual]`

t	The time at which to convert.
obtype	The Class_ID of the type of object to convert to. See Class Class_ID, List of Class_IDs.

virtual CoreExport void GetCollapseTypes	(	Tab< Class_ID > &	clist,
		Tab< MSTR * > &	nlist
	)		`[virtual]`

clist	The table of allowable Class_IDs.
nlist	The table of pointers to strings that correspond to the table of Class_IDs above.

Object Class Reference

Detailed Description

Public Member Functions

Constructor & Destructor Documentation

Member Function Documentation

virtual CoreExport Interval ChannelValidity	(	TimeValue	t,
		int	nchan
	)		`[virtual]`

t	The time to retrieve the validity interval of the channel.
nchan	Specifies the channel to return the validity interval of. See Object Channel Indices.

virtual CoreExport void SetChannelValidity	(	int	nchan,
		Interval	v
	)		`[virtual]`

nchan	Specifies the channel. See Object Channel Indices
v	The validity interval for the channel.

virtual CoreExport void ShallowCopy	(	Object *	fromOb,
		ChannelMask	channels
	)		`[virtual]`

fromOb	Object to copy the channels from.
channels	Channels to copy.

virtual CoreExport void MaybeEnlargeViewportRect	(	GraphicsWindow *	gw,
		Rect &	rect
	)		`[virtual]`

gw	Points to the GraphicsWindow associated with the viewport.
rect	The enlarged rectangle is returned here.

nchan	The validity interval of the modifier is intersected with this channel of the object. See Object Channel Indices.
v	The interval to intersect.

virtual Object* GetPipeBranch	(	int	i,
		bool	selected = `true`
	)		`[inline, virtual]`