pymel.core.general.parent

static general.parent(*args, **kwargs)

This command parents (moves) objects under a new group, removes objects from an existing group, or adds/removes parents. If the -w flag is specified all the selected or specified objects are parented to the world (unparented first). If the -rm flag is specified then all the selected or specified instances are removed. If there are more than two objects specified all the objects are parented to the last object specified. If the -add flag is specified, the objects are not reparented but also become children of the last object specified. If there is only a single object specified then the selected objects are parented to that object. If an object is parented under a different group and there is an object in that group with the same name then this command will rename the parented object.

Flags:

Long name (short name)		Argument Types	Properties
absolute (a)		bool
	preserve existing world object transformations (overall object transformation is preserved by modifying the objects local transformation) If the object to parent is a joint, it will alter the translation and joint orientation of the joint to preserve the world object transformation if this suffices. Otherwise, a transform will be inserted between the joint and the parent for this purpose. In this case, the transformation inside the joint is not altered. [default]
addObject (add)		bool
	preserve existing local object transformations but don’t reparent, just add the object(s) under the parent. Use -world to add the world as a parent of the given objects.
noConnections (nc)		bool
	The parent command will normally generate new instanced set connections when adding instances. (ie. make a connection to the shading engine for new instances) This flag supresses this behaviour and is primarily used by the file format. Flag can have multiple arguments, passed either as a tuple or a list.
relative (r)		bool
	preserve existing local object transformations (relative to the parent node)
removeObject (rm)		bool
	Remove the immediate parent of every object specified. To remove only a single instance of a shape from a parent, the path to the shape should be specified. Note: if there is a single parent then the object is effectively deleted from the scene. Use -world to remove the world as a parent of the given object.
shape (s)		bool
	The parent command usually only operates on transforms. Using this flags allows a shape that is specified to be directly parented under the given transform. This is used to instance a shape node. (ie. parent -add -shapeis equivalent to the instancecommand). This flag is primarily used by the file format.
world (w)		bool
	unparent given object(s) (parent to world)

Derived from mel command maya.cmds.parent

Example:

import pymel.core as pm

# Create some objects
pm.circle( name='circle1' )
# Result: [nt.Transform(u'circle1'), nt.MakeNurbCircle(u'makeNurbCircle1')] #
pm.move( 5, 0, 0 )
pm.group( n='group1' )
# Result: nt.Transform(u'group1') #
pm.move( -5, 0, 0 )
pm.group( em=True, n='group2' )
# Result: nt.Transform(u'group2') #

# Move the circle under group2.
# Note that the circle remains where it is.
pm.parent( 'circle1', 'group2' )
# Result: [u'circle1'] #

# Let's try that again with the -relative flag. This time
# the circle will move.
pm.undo()
pm.parent( 'circle1', 'group2', relative=True )
# Result: [u'circle1'] #

# Create an instance of the circle using the parent command.
# This makes circle1 a child of group1 and group2.
pm.undo()
pm.parent( 'circle1', 'group2', add=True )
# Result: [u'group2|circle1'] #

# Remove group1 as a parent of the circle
pm.parent( 'group1|circle1', removeObject=True )

# Move the circle to the top of the hierarchy
pm.parent( 'group2|circle1', world=True )
# Result: [u'circle1'] #

# Remove an instance of a shape from a parent
pm.parent('nurbsSphere3|nurbsSphereShape1',shape=True,rm=True)