pymel.core.animation.flow

flow(*args, **kwargs)

The flow command creates a deformation lattice to `bend’ the object that is animated along a curve of a motion path animation. The motion path animation has to have the follow option set to be on.

Flags:

Long name (short name)		Argument Types	Properties
divisions (dv)		int, int, int
	This flag specifies the number of lattice slices in x,y,z.The default values are 2 5 2.When queried, it returns the TuInt32 TuInt32 TuInt32
localCompute (lc)		bool
	This flag specifies whether or not to have local control over the object deformation.Default value: is on when the lattice is around the curve, and is off when the lattice is around the object.When queried, it returns a boolean
localDivisions (ld)		int, int, int
	This flag specifies the extent of the region of effect.Default values are 2 2 2.When queried, it returns the TuInt32 TuInt32 TuInt32
objectCentered (oc)		bool
	This flag specifies whether to create the lattice around the selected object at its center, or to create the lattice around the curve.Default value is true.When queried, it returns a booleanFlag can appear in Create mode of commandFlag can have multiple arguments, passed either as a tuple or a list.

Derived from mel command maya.cmds.flow

Example:

import pymel.core as pm

# Create a simple motion path animation

# create a path, e,g, a curve
path = pm.curve(d=3,p=[(-10, 0, 0),(-6, 0, 10),(-3, 0, -10),(10, 0, 0)],k=[0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1])

# create an object, e.g. a sphere
object = pm.sphere()
pm.scale( 0.5, 2.0, 0.2 )

# animate the object using a motion path with follow on for 30 frames
pm.pathAnimation( object[0], f=1, stu=0, etu=30, c=path )
# Result: u'motionPath1' #

# select only the animated object
pm.select( object[0], r=True )

# Create flow deformation on the selected object with default values:
pm.flow()
# Result: [nt.Flow(u'flow1'), nt.Ffd(u'ffd1'), nt.Transform(u'ffd1Lattice'), nt.Transform(u'ffd1Base')] #

# Create flow deformation on the selected object with
# the lattice around the path, and lattice division of 3,20,2:
pm.flow( oc=False, dv=(3, 20, 2) )

# Create flow deformation on the selected object with
# lattice subdivisions 4, 7, and 3:

pm.flow( dv=(4, 7, 3) )

# When the object is not currently selected, the name of the object
# has to be specified in the command line (note: $object[0] has to
# have a motion path animation):

pm.flow( object[0], dv=(4, 7, 3) )