#include
<MFnCharacter.h>
List of all
members.
Detailed Description
Function Set for Characters.
Maya offers "character" nodes to simplify the setting of
keyframes on collections of attributes. The implementation of the
"character" is a sub-class of MFnSet taking advantage of
the fact that attributes can be represented as MObjects and can be
made members of a set. The fact that sets also derive from
MObject means that
characters may have other character sets as members thus
establishing a hierarchy. Only attributes and characters can be
members of a character set. The character node will disallow the
addition of other objects to its set.
Character sets are also part of a partition, meaning that
membership of character sets cannot overlap with other character
sets. Thus, when an attribute already in a character is added to
another character it must be removed from the original
character.
Characters are integral to Maya's nonlinear animation system,
"Trax". Trax allows the user to create "animation clips", which
bundle a set of animation curves so that they can be reused
multiple times, with different timing then the original clip. When
a clip is created, Maya finds the the animation curves that are
attached to the attributes in the character set and moves those
animation curves into the newly created clip. The MFnClip
function set is the Maya function set for clips.
Clips in maya can be of two types: source clips and scheduled
clips. In the Maya UI, source clips are visible in the Visor while
scheduled clips are visible in Trax. A source clip contains the
animation curves for the clip. An scheduled clip contains data
about the placement of an instance of a source clip in the Maya
timeline. In this context, an "instance" means that the animation
curves from the source clip are shared by the scheduled clip.
Scheduled clips never contain their own animation curves, they
always refer to a source clip's curves.
For example, if you create a clip called "run" in maya that
lasts from frames 1-20, a source clip node will be created with a
start of 1, a duration of 19, and dependency graph connections to
all of the animation curves that make up the "run". If you then
place an instance of the run clip at frame 5 and another instance
of the run clip at frame 20, you have 2 scheduled clips: one with a
start frame of 5 and one with a start frame of 20. As mentioned in
the previous paragraph, only a single set of animation curves exist
for the run regardless of the number of times the run is
scheduled.
Trax also allows you to create "blends" between clips, which
enable you to control the transition between the clips. A blend is
represented in the dependency graph by an "animBlendInOut" node,
which uses an animation curve to determine the transition type.
In the dependency graph, when a character has animation clips,
the character node will always be connected to a "clipLibrary" node
and a "clipScheduler" node. The clipLibrary node is connected to
all of the source clips and their animation curves. The
clipScheduler node is connected to the scheduled clips and blends.
It is the clipScheduler that computes the final animation by
looking at the placement and overlap of the clips and feeding the
attribute data back into the character set.
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Public Member Functions
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virtual MFn::Type |
type
() const |
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Function set type.
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virtual |
~MFnCharacter
() |
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Destructor.
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MFnCharacter
() |
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Default constructor.
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MFnCharacter
(MObject &object,
MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
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Constructor.
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MStatus |
attachSourceToCharacter
(MObject
&sourceClip, MDGModifier &dgMod) |
MStatus |
attachInstanceToCharacter
(MObject
&instanceClip, MDGModifier &dgMod) |
MStatus |
addCurveToClip
(MObject &curve,
MObject
&sourceClip, MPlug
&characterPlug, MDGModifier &dgMod) |
MObject |
createBlend
(MObject
&instancedClip1, MObject &instancedClip2, MObject &blendAnimCurve,
MDGModifier
&dgMod, MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
bool |
blendExists
(MObject
&instancedClip1, MObject &instancedClip2, MObject &blendResult) |
bool |
removeBlend
(MObject
&instancedClip1, MObject &instancedClip2, MDGModifier &dgMod,
MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
bool |
getCharacterThatOwnsPlug
(MPlug &plug,
MObject &result)
const |
MStatus |
getMemberPlugs
(MPlugArray
&result) const |
MStatus |
getSubCharacters
(MSelectionList &result)
const |
MObject |
getClipScheduler
(MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
int |
getScheduledClipCount
(MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
MObject |
getScheduledClip
(int index, MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
int |
getSourceClipCount
(MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
MObject |
getSourceClip
(int index, MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
int |
getBlendCount
(MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
MObject |
getBlend
(int index, MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
MStatus |
getBlendClips
(int index, MObject
&clip1, MObject
&clip2) |
|
MFnCharacter
(const MObject
&object, MStatus
*ReturnStatus=NULL) |
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Constructor.
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Protected Member Functions
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virtual const char * |
className
() const |
|
Class name.
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Constructor & Destructor Documentation
MFnCharacter::MFnCharacter |
( |
MObject & |
object, |
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|
MStatus * |
ReturnStatus =
NULL |
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) |
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Constructor.
Class constructor that initializes the function set to the given
MObject.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
object |
The MObject to
attach the function set to |
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
the return status |
- Status Codes:
-
MFnCharacter::MFnCharacter |
( |
const MObject & |
object, |
|
|
MStatus * |
ReturnStatus =
NULL |
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) |
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|
Constructor.
Class constructor that initializes the function set to the given
MObject.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
object |
The MObject to
attach the function set to |
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
the return status |
- Status Codes:
-
Member Function Documentation
MFn::Type
MFnCharacter::type |
( |
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) |
const [virtual] |
const char * MFnCharacter::className |
( |
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) |
const [protected, virtual] |
Class name.
Return the class name : "MFnCharacter"
Reimplemented from MFnSet.
Attaches a given source clip node (created using MFnClip::createSourceClip)
to the character's clipLibrary. Attaches a clipLibrary and
clipScheduler to the character if they are not attached
already.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
sourceClip |
source clip to be attached |
[in] |
dgMod |
command modifier used for undo and redo |
- Returns:
- The return status
- Status Codes:
-
Attaches an instance of a clip to the character. If the source
clip related to the clip instance is not already attached to the
character, it will be attached as well.
This command will fail if the instanced clip passed in is not
associated with a source clip. The best way to associate an
instanced clip with a source clip is to create the instanced clip
using MFnClip::createInstancedClip.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
instanceClip |
the animClip node representing the clipInstance |
[in] |
dgMod |
command modifier used for undo and redo |
- Returns:
- The return status
- Status Codes:
-
Adds an animation curve to a clip. The user must provide the
animation curve, and the related source clip node (typically
created using MFnCharacter::createSourceClip). The user must also
specify the plug that the clip will drive. The plug must be a
member of the character managed by this MFnCharacter.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
curve |
the animation curve to be added to the clip |
[in] |
sourceClip |
a source clip specifying the start and duratiohn of the
clip |
[in] |
plug |
plug that this animCurve will drive |
[in] |
dgMod |
command modifier used for undo and redo |
- Returns:
- The return status
- Status Codes:
-
Creates a blend between two instanced clips on the character.
The blend is defined by a specified paramCurve, which should be
keyed between times of 0 and 1. Time 0 corresponds to the start
time of the blend. Time 1 corresponds to the end time of the blend.
The blend will be performed on the clips according to the keyed
value of the blend curve, using the equation: (value)*clip1 +
(1-value)*clip2. For example, let's say the blend curve goes from a
value of (0,0) to (1,1). At the start of the blend you will have
100% of clip1, and 0% of clip2. At the end of the blend you will
have 0% of clip1, and 100% of clip2.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
instancedClip1 |
clip to be blended |
[in] |
instancedClip2 |
another clip to be blended |
[in] |
blendAnimCurve |
animCurve defining the type of the blend |
[in] |
dgMod |
command modifier used for undo and redo |
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
return status |
- Returns:
- The resulting animBlend node
- Status Codes:
-
bool MFnCharacter::blendExists |
( |
MObject & |
instancedClip1, |
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MObject & |
instancedClip2, |
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MObject & |
blendResult |
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) |
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Return true if a blend exists between the two instanced clips on
the character. If a blend exists, the animBlend node related to the
blend is also returned.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
instancedClip1 |
clip |
[in] |
instancedClip2 |
another clip |
[in] |
blendResult |
the blend, if a blend is found |
- Returns:
- true, if a blend was found between the two clips
- Status Codes:
-
Remove the blend between the two instanced clips on the
character. If a blend exists and was deleted, returns true. If a
blend did not exist, returns false.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
instancedClip1 |
clip |
[in] |
instancedClip2 |
another clip |
[in] |
dgMod |
command modifier used for undo and redo |
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
the return status |
- Returns:
- true, if a blend was found and deleted
bool
MFnCharacter::getCharacterThatOwnsPlug |
( |
MPlug & |
plug, |
|
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MObject & |
result |
|
|
) |
|
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const |
Given a plug, test the plug to see if it is owned by a
character. If a character controls this plug, the character will be
returned
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
plug |
MPlug containing a
plug for which you want to find the related character |
[in] |
result |
Mobject containing a character if the plug is in a character,
else an empty MObject |
- Returns:
- true, if the plug is in a character
Get the members of the character set that are attributes. Return
them as a plug array. A character set can contain only attributes
and subcharacters. To get all of the members of the character, use
MFnSet::getMembers.
To get the subcharacters, use MFnCharacter::getSubcharacters.
- Parameters:
-
[out] |
result |
storage for the returned list of members |
- Returns:
- Return status
- Status Codes:
-
Get a list of the subcharacters that are members of the
character set.
- Parameters:
-
[out] |
result |
storage for the returned list of members |
- Returns:
- Return status
- Status Codes:
-
MObject
MFnCharacter::getClipScheduler |
( |
MStatus * |
ReturnStatus =
NULL |
) |
|
Get the clipScheduler node that manages the playback of clips on
this character. If no clips have been created for this character,
this method will return an empty MObject.
- Parameters:
-
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
return status |
- Returns:
- MObject containing
a clipScheduler node
- Status Codes:
-
int MFnCharacter::getScheduledClipCount |
( |
MStatus * |
ReturnStatus =
NULL |
) |
|
Return the number of clips that have been scheduled on this
character.
- Parameters:
-
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
return status |
- Returns:
- Number of clips scheduled on this character
- Status Codes:
-
MObject
MFnCharacter::getScheduledClip |
( |
int |
index, |
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|
MStatus * |
ReturnStatus =
NULL |
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) |
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Return the scheduled animClip node corresponding to the
specified index. The specified index should range from 0 to
clipCount-1 where clipCount is the value returned by MFnCharacter::getScheduledClipCount.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
index |
Clip index. |
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
return status |
- Returns:
- MObject containing
an animClip node
- Status Codes:
-
- MS::kSuccess
operation successful
- MS::kFailure this function
set does not have a valid character object
- MS::kIndexOutOfRange this index given exceeded the total
clip count
- MS::kObjectDoesNotExist the clip node for this index
does not exist, indicates a missing connection in the dependency
graph
int MFnCharacter::getSourceClipCount |
( |
MStatus * |
ReturnStatus =
NULL |
) |
|
Return the number of source clips managed by the clipLibrary
node of this character. For more information on source clips, refer
to the description of the MFnCharacter node.
- Parameters:
-
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
return status |
- Returns:
- Number of source clips owned by the library on this
character
- Status Codes:
-
MObject MFnCharacter::getSourceClip |
( |
int |
index, |
|
|
MStatus * |
ReturnStatus =
NULL |
|
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) |
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Return the animClip node corresponding to the specified index.
The animClip node will be a source clip node. The specified index
should range from 0 to clipCount-1 where clipCount is the value
returned by MFnCharacter::getSourceClipCount.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
index |
Clip index. |
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
Return status. |
- Returns:
- MObject containing
an animClip node
- Status Codes:
-
- MS::kSuccess
operation successful
- MS::kFailure this function
set does not have a valid character object
- MS::kIndexOutOfRange this index given exceeded the total
clip count
- MS::kObjectDoesNotExist the clip node for this index
does not exist, indicates a missing connection in the dependency
graph
int MFnCharacter::getBlendCount |
( |
MStatus * |
ReturnStatus =
NULL |
) |
|
Return the number of blends that have been added to clips on
this character.
- Parameters:
-
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
return status |
- Returns:
- Number of blends on clips in this character
- Status Codes:
-
MObject MFnCharacter::getBlend |
( |
int |
index, |
|
|
MStatus * |
ReturnStatus =
NULL |
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) |
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Return the animBlendInOut node corresponding to the specified
index.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
index |
Index of the desired node. |
[out] |
ReturnStatus |
return status |
- Returns:
- MObject containing
an animBlendInOut node
- Status Codes:
-
- MS::kSuccess
operation successful
- MS::kFailure this function
set does not have a valid character object
- MS::kIndexOutOfRange this index given exceeded the total
blend count
- MS::kObjectDoesNotExist the blend node for this index
does not exist, indicates a missing connection in the dependency
graph or that no blend exists
Returns the clip nodes that are blended by the blend node
corresponding to the specified index.
- Parameters:
-
[in] |
index |
the index of the blend |
[out] |
clip1 |
the first of the clips being blended |
[out] |
clip2 |
the second of the clips being blended |
- Returns:
- Return status
- Status Codes:
-
- MS::kSuccess
operation successful
- MS::kFailure this function
set does not have a valid character object
- MS::kIndexOutOfRange this index given exceeded the total
blend count
- MS::kObjectDoesNotExist the clip nodes for this index do
not exist, indicates a missing connection in the dependency graph
or an invalid blend