v4.0

The CustomOperator object represents a custom operator defined by the user. This operator may have been created in any of the following ways:

- in the Scripted Operator Editor

- as a Self-Installed Custom Operator

- on the fly by running a script (a "runtime" custom operator)

Self-Installed Custom Operators are defined within a Plugin and are the recommended way to create Custom Operators. Runtime operators are still supported but they have a different callback convention and embed the entire implementation of the operator into the scene file. See AddScriptedOp and XSIFactory.CreateScriptedOp for more details about runtime operators.

Prior to v5.1, Custom Operators were often created based on a Preset and SPDL file. This technique is still supported as a legacy feature but Self-Installed Custom Operators are now the recommended alternative.

The easiest way to build a Self-Installed Custom Operator from scripting is by using the AddCustomOp command, (or similar Parameter.AddCustomOp and ProjectItem.AddCustomOp methods).

It is also possible to build a custom operator using the methods of this object. For most operators there is only a single output object, (represented by a single OutputPort) and there may be inputs (represented by InputPorts). If the operator is a deform-style operator it must have both an output and an input to the same object. The output ports should be added before the input ports (or by using CustomOperator.AddIOPort). Most operators only need a single PortGroup, which is created automatically. A typical operator can be defined entirely with these methods:

- XSIFactory.CreateObject

- CustomOperator.AddInputPort

- CustomOperator.AddOutputPort

- XSIFactory.CreateParamDef

- CustomOperator.AddParameter

- Operator.Connect

More advanced operators, in particular ones that dynamically connect to objects after the operator has been created, also use the concept of PortGroup to organize the ports into groups as they are defined. These operators rely on CustomOperator.AddPortGroup, Operator.ConnectToGroup, and CustomOperator.AddInputPortByClassID.

Certain objects are explicitly blocked from being connected to custom operators, these include: X3DObject and Kinematics. Instead of connecting to these objects the operator should connect to the specific data underneath those objects, for example a Primitive, Property or KinematicState.

The actual algorithm of a Self-Installed Custom Operator is implemented in the Update callback. Unlike runtime operators it takes a single argument which is an OperatorContext object. Other callbacks include the Define, DefineLayout, Init, Term and the PPG Logic callbacks (PPGEvent for C# and OnClicked, OnInit, and OnTab).

For more information, see the Custom Operators topic.

Parameter.AddCustomOp ProjectItem.AddCustomOp XSIFactory.CreateObject XSIFactory.CreateParamDef OperatorContext Operator AddCustomOp