UserDataMap

Object Hierarchy | Related C++ Class: UserDataMap

Inheritance

SIObject

ProjectItem

Property

UserDataMap

Introduced

v3.0

Description

The UserDataMap is a Property that can be attached to any cluster. It permits the storage of variable length binary user data on the individual components of a geometry. The data is stored as part of the scene file and can be accessed via plug-ins using the Object Model.

Softimage plug-ins (both persistent and immediate effects) can use this property to save and retrieve data that is associated with individual vertices, polygons, edges, or other components of an object. Example data possibilities include custom game structures, raw simulation data, matrices, comments and images.

There are two ways that a UserDataMap can be used - for binary data or for templated data. With a Binary UserDataMap, the structure of the user data is left completely up to the plug-in. This is well suited to C++ plug-ins. However, as the examples below demonstrate, it is possible to access this data through scripting by using strings. The second type of UserDataMap uses a CustomProperty to strictly define the structure of the user data (see UserDataMap.Template). Templated user data can be inspected in the UI (see InspectUserData) in addition to scripting and C++ access.

UserDataMaps are created with CreateUserDataMap or SceneItem.AddProperty.

UserDataMap differs from the CustomProperty and UserDataBlob objects in that it stores separate data for each individual component of a cluster. For example a cluster with ten polygons will have ten different UserDataItem objects. It is possible to enumerate the UserDataItem objects in a UserDataMap using UserDataMap.Item, or the VBScript "for each" loop construct, or the JScript Enumerator object. It is also possible to access the contents of a UserDataMap directly with UserDataMap.ItemValue.

The UserDataMap is similar to a ClusterProperty, which also stores per-component data, but the UserDataMap allows variable length data, whereas the ClusterProperty objects always store a fixed number of Doubles at each component.

The User Data Map provides similar functionality to that available from the SAAPHIRE SAA_subelement* UserData functions. For example, the Name of the property corresponds to the Tag argument to functions like SAA_subelementSetUserData.

It is possible to save a preset of a user data map and to reapply the user data on a different object. However, for the best results, the number of components in both clusters should be the same.

Methods

AddCustomOp AddScriptedOp AddScriptedOpFromFile AnimatedParameters2
BelongsTo operator Clear operator ClearItem operator EvaluateAt
GetICEAttributeFromName GetItem2 operator GetItemSize2 operator GetItemValue2 operator
IsA IsAnimated2 IsClassOf operator IsEqualTo operator
IsKindOf IsLocked operator IsSelected operator LockOwners
SetAsSelected operator SetCapabilityFlag operator SetLock TaggedParameters
UnSetLock      
       

Properties

Application Branch operator BranchFlag operator Capabilities operator
Categories Count operator EvaluationID Families operator
FullName operator Help HierarchicalEvaluationID ICEAttributes
IsEmpty operator Item operator ItemSize operator ItemValue operator
LittleEndian operator LockLevel operator LockMasters operator LockType operator
Model Name operator NestedObjects ObjectID
Origin OriginPath Owners PPGLayout operator
Parameters operator Parent Parent3DObject Selected operator
Singleton operator Template operator Type operator  
       

Examples

1. VBScript Example

'example giving an overview of accessing per-component
'user data on a cluster
dim oObj, oCluster, oUDProp, i, oUserDataAtIndex2
set oObj = CreatePrim( "Sphere", "MeshSurface" )
SetValue oObj & ".polymsh.geom.subdivu", 1
SetValue oObj & ".polymsh.geom.subdivv", 1
'Create a cluster covering all edges on the geometry
set oCluster = oObj.ActivePrimitive.Geometry.AddCluster( siEdgeCluster,"UserDataCls" )  
set oUDProp = oCluster.AddProperty( "UserDataMap",,"UserDataExample" )  
'UserDataMap
logmessage oUDProp.Type
'Assign user data to a particular index
oUDProp.ItemValue(2) = "Some String Data"
'Another way to do the same thing is to use a UserDataItem object
oUDProp.Item(3).Value = "String data for index 3"
'Erase the data we just placed at 3
oUDProp.ClearItem(3)
'Now look at all the user data in the property looking for non-empty content
for i = 0 to oUDProp.Count
        if ( not oUDProp.IsEmpty(i) ) then
                logmessage "Found data with size " & oUDProp.ItemSize(i) & " at cluster index " & i
        end if
next 
'Output of this script is:
'INFO : "UserDataMap"
'INFO : "Found data with size 32 at cluster index 2"

2. JScript Example

//example giving an overview of accessing per-component
//user data on a cluster
var oObj = CreatePrim( "Sphere", "MeshSurface" ) ;
SetValue( oObj + ".polymsh.geom.subdivu", 1 ) ;
SetValue( oObj + ".polymsh.geom.subdivv", 1 ) ;
//Create a cluster covering all edges on the geometry
var oCluster = oObj.ActivePrimitive.Geometry.AddCluster( siEdgeCluster, "UserDataCls" ) ;
var oUDProp = oCluster.AddProperty( "UserDataMap",false,"UserDataExample" ) ;
//UserDataMap
logmessage( oUDProp.Type ) ;
//Assign user data to a particular index
oUDProp.ItemValue(2) = "Some String Data"
//Or we can use a UserDataItem object as another way to set data
oUDProp.Item(3).Value = "String data for index 3"
//Erase the data we just placed at 3
oUDProp.ClearItem(3)
//Now look at all the user data in the property looking for non-empty content
for( var i = 0 ; i < oUDProp.Count ; i++ )
{
        if ( !oUDProp.IsEmpty(i) )
        {
                logmessage( "Found data with size " + oUDProp.ItemSize(i) + " at cluster index " +  i ) ;
        }
}
//Output of this script is:
//INFO : "UserDataMap"
//INFO : "Found data with size 32 at cluster index 2"

3. VBScript Example

'example demonstrating the how to display the entire contents
'of a binary user data map in the command history window.
'(For an example showing how to show the contents of a templated user data map
'see the Info OM Netview page that is part of XSI Local\Tools)
dim oObj, oCluster, oUDProp, i
'First set up a little demo scenario
set oObj = CreatePrim( "Arc", "NurbsCurve" )
set oCluster = oObj.ActivePrimitive.Geometry.AddCluster( siVertexCluster,"PntCluster",Array(1,4,7,10,13,16) )   
set oUDProp = oCluster.AddProperty( "UserDataMap",,"UserDataExample" )  
'Fill in the user data with the string version of the index
for i = 0 to oUDProp.Count - 1
        oUDProp.Item( i ).Value = CStr( i )
next
SelectObj oUDProp
'Then dump out all the content that was added
TraceSelectedUserDataMap
'Output of this script will look approximately like this:
'INFO : "User Data Map: arc.crvlist.cls.PntCluster.UserDataExample"
'INFO : "Size of User Data Map 6- Size of Cluster 6"
'INFO : "Property was created on little-endian computer"
'INFO : "Contents:"
'INFO : "Item 0 pnt(1): 0 "
'INFO : "Item 1 pnt(4): 1 "
'INFO : "Item 2 pnt(7): 2 "
'INFO : "Item 3 pnt(10): 3 "
'INFO : "Item 4 pnt(13): 4 "
'INFO : "Item 5 pnt(16): 5 "
'The number of components with user data could get huge so this constant 
'constrains the size of the output to reasonable proportions
const g_MapItemsDisplay = 256
const g_ShowEmptyItems = false
sub TraceSelectedUserDataMap
        'This example could easily to enhanced to loop through multiple selections
        'but for the sake of simplicity it only looks at the first item
        if ( selection.Count > 0 ) then
                if ( typename( selection( 0 ) ) = "UserDataMap" ) then
                        TraceUserDataMap( selection( 0 ) )
                else
                        logmessage "Please select a user data map and try again"
                end if
        else
                logmessage "Please select a user data map and try again"
        end if
end sub
sub TraceUserDataMap( in_oUDM )
        dim i, oItem, cntCluster, byteString, j, str, val
        cntCluster = in_oUDM.Parent.Elements.Count
        Logmessage "User Data Map: " & in_oUDM.FullName
        Logmessage "Size of User Data Map " & in_oUDM.Count & "- Size of Cluster " & cntCluster
        Logmessage "Contents:"
        dim oCluster, oClusterElementsCollection, aElements
        set oCluster = in_oUDM.Parent      
        set oClusterElementsCollection = oCluster.Elements
        aElements = oClusterElementsCollection.Array  
        dim iElementInCluster, strItemDesc
        dim cntItems
        cntItems = in_oUDM.Count
        dim cntDisplayedItems
        cntDisplayedItems = 0
        for i = 0 to ( cntItems - 1)
                if ( i < cntCluster ) then
                        iElementInCluster = aElements(i)  
                        strItemDesc = "Item " & i & " " & oCluster.type & "(" & iElementInCluster & "): "
                else            
                        strItemDesc = "Item " & i & " " & oCluster.type & "(INVALID INDEX): "           
                end if
                set oItem = in_oUDM.Item( i )
                if ( not oItem.IsEmpty ) then
                        'We convert the contents into a byte by byte description
                        'because we don't know if this is a safe to display unicode string
                        strItemDesc = strItemDesc & GetUserDataContentsString( oItem )
                        logmessage strItemDesc
                        cntDisplayedItems = cntDisplayedItems + 1
                        if ( cntDisplayedItems = g_MapItemsDisplay ) then
                                exit for
                        end if
                elseif ( g_ShowEmptyItems ) then
                        logmessage strItemDesc & " is empty"
                end if          
        next
end sub
'Produces a string representation of the user data
function GetUserDataContentsString( in_UserDataItem )
        dim strValue
        strValue = in_UserDataItem.Value
        dim j
        'Also attempt to produce a string representation
        dim strAsString
        for j = 1 to Len( strValue )
                val = Asc( Mid( strValue, j, 1 ) )
                'We only accept the basic ascii values - other content is
                'not necessary safe to print.  For supporting non-English 
                'characters, line breaks and tabs this logic would need 
                'to be more sophisticated
                if (( val < 127 ) AND ( val > 31 )) then
                        strAsString = strAsString & Chr( val )
                else
                        'we assume that there is binary content
                        strAsString = strAsString & "."
                end if
        next 
        GetUserDataContentsString = strAsString
end function

4. VBScript Example

'example of how to access a templated UserDataMap from from scripting.
'In this example we create user data for an imaginary game on the vertices of 
'a sphere.
'
'The user data template is designed to match an associated structure in the game engine,
'and consists of 5 parameters ("ImagePath", "AttachmentPoint", "FixedPoint", "ZetaFactor",
'and "Friction")
'
'This example creates the object and sets some example values on a few points.  (A user could also
'add and edit these values from the user interface using the InspectUserData command)
'
'When you run this example this is the output in the log window:
'
'INFO : "User data on sphere.polymsh.cls.AllVertices.GameData"
'INFO : "pnt[12]:  ZetaFactor:0.2 Friction:64 AttachmentPoint Image: image12.tif"
'INFO : "pnt[31]:  ZetaFactor:0.9 Friction:12 AttachmentPoint FixedPoint Image: unknown"
'INFO : "pnt[44]:  ZetaFactor:0.5 Friction:28 FixedPoint Image: image1.jpg"
option explicit
const g_ClusterName = "AllVertices"
const g_UserDataMapName = "GameData"
const g_TemplateName = "VertexInfoTemplate"
newscene ,false
dim oSphere, oUserDataMap
set oSphere = ActiveSceneRoot.AddGeometry( "Sphere", "MeshSurface" )
'Create templated user data map - currently it is has no user data
set oUserDataMap = SetupObject( oSphere )
'Set these user data values on vertex 44
call AddUserData( oUserDataMap , 44, "image1.jpg", false, true, 0.5, 28 )
'Set different values on points 12
call AddUserData( oUserDataMap , 12, "background14.tif", true, false, 0.1, 39 )
'Change our minds about point 12
call AddUserData( oUserDataMap , 12, "image12.tif", true, false, 0.2, 64 )
call AddUserData( oUserDataMap , 31, "unknown", true, true, 0.9, 12 )
call LogUserData( oUserDataMap )
'On the given object create a UserDataMap for the game data
function SetupObject( in_oObj )
        dim oCluster, oPSet, oUserDataMap
        'Test if we have already setup this object
        on error resume next
        set oUserDataMap = in_oObj.ActivePrimitive.Geometry._
                                                   Clusters( g_ClusterName ).Properties( g_UserDataMapName )
        on error goto 0
        if typename( oUserDataMap ) = "UserDataMap" then
                'Our user data map already exists
                set SetupObject = oUserDataMap
                exit function
        end if 
        set oCluster = in_oObj.ActivePrimitive.Geometry.AddCluster( siVertexCluster, g_ClusterName ) 
        set oPSet = CreateTemplate( oCluster )  
        set oUserDataMap = oCluster.AddProperty( "UserDataMap",,g_UserDataMapName )
        'Associate the template with our user data map
        set oUserDataMap.Template = oPSet
        'Return the newly created User Data Map
        set SetupObject = oUserDataMap
end function
'This function creates the template that defines the format of the data inside our UserDataMap
'The new template is returned.
'Note: this function does not associate the template with any user data map, or set any values on
'the user data map.
function CreateTemplate( in_oParentObject )
        dim oPSet
        set oPSet = in_oParentObject.AddProperty( "Custom_parameter_list",, g_TemplateName )
        oPSet.AddParameter "ImagePath", siString
        oPSet.AddParameter "AttachmentPoint", siBool, , , ,, , false
        oPSet.AddParameter "FixedPoint", siBool, , , ,, , false
        oPSet.AddParameter "ZetaFactor", siDouble, , , , , , 0.0, 0.0, 1.0
        oPSet.AddParameter "Friction", siUByte, , , , , , 64, 0, 128
        set CreateTemplate = oPSet
end function
'Given specific game parameter values, this routine will save those values
'on the specified vertex of the UserDataMap
sub AddUserData( in_oUDM, in_CompIndex, in_ImagePath, in_AttachPoint, in_FixedPoint, in_ZetaFactor, in_Friction )
        'Get access to the Template for this user data map
        dim oTemplate
        set oTemplate = in_oUDM.Template
        'Fill in the parameters on the template
        oTemplate.Parameters( "ImagePath" ).Value = in_ImagePath
        oTemplate.Parameters( "AttachmentPoint" ).Value = in_AttachPoint
        oTemplate.Parameters( "FixedPoint" ).Value = in_FixedPoint
        oTemplate.Parameters( "ZetaFactor" ).Value = in_ZetaFactor
        oTemplate.Parameters( "Friction" ).Value = in_Friction
        'Now that the parameters are specified we need to associated
        'these values with the specified vertex
        in_oUDM.ItemValue(in_CompIndex) = oTemplate.BinaryData                  
end sub
'This routine prints out the contents of our user data map
sub LogUserData( in_oUDM )
        dim oTemplate, i, strAttachPnt, strFixedPnt
        Logmessage "User data on " & in_oUDM
        set oTemplate = in_oUDM.Template
        for i = 0 to in_oUDM.count
                'We can only print out non-empty user data items
                if ( NOT in_oUDM.IsEmpty( i ) ) then
                        'Take the values from the user data and put them in the template
                        'so that we can read them                               
                        oTemplate.BinaryData = in_oUDM.ItemValue( i )
                        'Look at the boolean values to convert into readable strings                    
                        if ( oTemplate.Parameters("AttachmentPoint").Value ) then                       
                                strAttachPnt = "AttachmentPoint "
                        else
                                strAttachPnt = ""
                        end if
                        if ( oTemplate.Parameters("FixedPoint").Value ) then                    
                                strFixedPnt = "FixedPoint "
                        else
                                strFixedPnt = ""
                        end if          
                        'Print a 1 line representation of all the values on this particular point                       
                        logmessage "pnt[" & i & "]: " & _
                                   " ZetaFactor:" & oTemplate.Parameters("ZetaFactor").Value & _
                                   " Friction:" & oTemplate.Parameters("Friction").Value & _
                                   " " & strAttachPnt & strFixedPnt & _
                                                 "Image: " & oTemplate.Parameters("ImagePath").Value        
                end if
        next 
end sub

See Also

UserDataItem UserDataBlob CustomProperty Cluster ClusterProperty