VSFX 705

Setting up 
Cutter for Mac
Modifying the run file 
export PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:$RMANTREE/bin
export PATH=$RMANTREE/bin:$PATH
​
export MAYA_USER_DIR=$HOME/Documents/maya
export RMS_SCRIPT_PATHS=$MAYA_USER_DIR/rfm_scripts/image_tool
RMANFB=it
​
# change directory below to where your cutter is
cd /Users/ddu/Desktop/ddu/projects/vsfx_705/cutter
​
# To uncomment the next line - remove the '#' character
​
java -Xms512m -Xmx512m -classpath .:cutter.jar Cutter
Making the text file executable
chmod 777 run
Setting up Maya Env for Mac
​http://fundza.com/rfm/customizing/index.html​
Copy rfm_scripts folder to /Users/ddu/Documents/maya
copy scripts folder to /Users/ddu/Documents/maya
Copy Arnold Shaders to /Users/ddu/Documents/maya/projects
copy maya.env file to /Users/ddu/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/2020
Maya  > Window > Plugin manager > Ensure Renderman for Maya is loaded and auto-loaded
check script editor for environment and preferences 
Student web spaces
Go myScad > my info > Web Space Activation​
Go to: https://studentpages.scad.edu/instructions.html > Myfile 
Upload your html and asset files to https://sav-myfile.scad.edu/myfile/ws-idrive/Savannah/Webspaces/Studentpages/web_pages
​Atom​
Core: font size: 20, source code pro, 4 spaces tab, Scroll past end 
Packages: Turn off auto-complete-plus & snippets
apm install script autocomplete-python minimap file-icons python-autopep8 linter-flake8 
maya language-mel
pip install autopep8
pip install flake8 
if linter does not show up, delete your Atom config files located: /Users/userName/.atom/config.cson
Notes
keep in mind Renderman Attribute Editor, Shelf, Menu bar
Using cutter
cmd+click on a function (eg.print) to read the Built-in Functions documentation
Resources
Documentation
​Python built-in functions​
Learning Python for Maya
​Autodesk Introduction to Python Scripting in Maya ​
​Python Scripting for Maya Artists (on-line), Chad Vernon
Learning Python
​Guru99: Python Tutorial for Beginners​
​Learning Python, Mark Lutz, O'Reilly Media
​Think Python(on-line), Allen Downey   
Getting started with Python
Key terms: list, tuple, dictionary 
# script is called test.py but it 
# implements a module called "test"
# a modules contrains attributes
# an attribute can be, eg. name of a variable 
​
# the built-in datatypes are, nubmers, text(string),
# (and collections) list, tuple, dictionary. file.
​
​
age = 26
name = "tom"
family = 'jones'
nationatlity = 'welsh'
​
# an attribute can also be the name of function 
#create function
def person() 
    print(age)
    print(name)
    print(family)
​
#creating list 
countries = []
countries.append('usa')
countries.append('china')
countries.append('new zealand')
countries.append('england')
#countries.sort() 
#countries.reverse
​
# using a tuple (fixed value list) - for vertices data structures transfer
locked = (2,4,3,6,8,9)
# i can test my code by printing some value 
# this call the values 
# but comment it out if used asa module
person() 
​
​
if __ name__ == '__main__':
    #person() #(debugging purposes) 
    
    #for place in countries:
        # print(place)
    
    #print(countries[3])
    
    print(locked[0])
​
#print(__name__) # return name of module from where it was run
​
fileWriting
Python
importRandom
fileWriting
# file_test.py
# an example of how to store text in a document 
​
out_file= open('file directory', 'w')
for n in range(10):
    out_file.write('sphere -r 1;\n)
    out_file.write('move %f %f 0;\n' % (n,(n-2))) # placeholder %
     
out_file.close()
​
# to run the mel document in Maya use this mel...
#source "filedirectory"
Python
#vsfx705/cutter/using_test.py
# only possible if the python files exist in the same directory
import test 
from importlib import reload
​
print(test.nationality)
test.person
​
importRandom
# importing random
import random
val = random.uniform(0,1)
print(val)
​
for n in range(10):
    val = random.uniform(0,1)
    if val>0.5:
        print(val)
rib_test
gen_points
rib_particles
rib_test
# rib_test.py
"""
Points "P" [0 0 0   3 5 6    5 6 7   9 9 9] "constantwidth" [1.0]
"""
  
import random
  
rib_file = open('/Users/ddu/Desktop/ddu/projects/vsfx_705/cutter/data2.rib', 'w')
  
rib_file.write('##bbox: -5 -5 -5 5 5 5\n')
rib_file.write('Points "P" [\n')
for n in range(100000):
	x = random.uniform(-5, 5)
	y = random.uniform(-5, 5)
	z = random.uniform(-5, 5)
	rib_file.write('%f %f %f\n' % (x,y,z) )
rib_file.write('] "constantwidth" [0.05]')
rib_file.close()
​
#Maya > Renderman menu > Archive > import rib archive 
gen_points
# maya/scripts/gen_points.py
  
import random
  
def cubic(num, side):
    data = []
    n = 0
    while n < num:
        x = random.uniform(-side/2, side/2)
        y = random.uniform(-side/2, side/2)
        z = random.uniform(-side/2, side/2)
        data.append( (x,y,z) )
        n = n + 1
    return data
  
def box(num, width, height, depth):
    data = []
    n = 0
    while n < num:
        x = random.uniform(-width/2, width/2)
        y = random.uniform(-height/2, height/2)
        z = random.uniform(-depth/2, depth/2)
        data.append( (x,y,z) )
        n = n + 1
    return data
    
# how to create a spherical point cloud 
def spherical(num,radius):
    pass # define function but not implemented
rib_particles
# maya/scripts/rib_particles.py
import random
import gen_points
  
rib_file = open('/Users/ddu/Desktop/ddu/projects/vsfx_705/cutter/data2.rib', 'w')
data = gen_points.cubic(10000,10,0.05)
  
rib_file.write('##bbox: -5 -5 -5 5 5 5\n')
rib_file.write('Points "P" [\n')
​
for coord in data:
	rib_file.write('%f %f %f\n' % (coord[0],coord[1],coord[2]) )
	
rib_file.write('] "constantwidth" [0.05]')
rib_file.close()
​
#Maya > Renderman menu > Archive > import rib archive 
questions
    why is my cutter so slow?
    does not have vsfx705
    cannot open hyperlink
Lesson 3
recap
recap
list [] 
tuple () fixed values 
## bbox: -5 5 -5 5 5 5 # read by rib
​
def writeCubic(path
​
cmd E to render in Renderman
​
​Autodesk tuts​
Part 1: Creating and Manipulating Objects
open Script Editor to see echo MEL command 
go to Help > Python reference 
flags: ch,o,w,g,d,name
DAG - direct acyclic graphic: transform node>shape node > data structures
Window > Setting / Preferences >  Preferences > Selection > Track Selection Order
Hotkeys
Cmd T - new python 
keyRotation
aimAtFirst
randomInstances
randomCubes.py
keyRotation
import maya.cmds as cmds
​
def keyFullRotation(pObjectName,pStartTime, pEndTime, pTargetAttribute):
​
    #print '%s type: %s' % (objectname, objectTypeResult)
    cmds.cutKey(pObjectName, time=(pStartTime,pEndTime), attribute=pTargetAttribute)
    cmds.setKeyframe(pObjectName, time= pStartTime, attribute = pTargetAttribute, value=0)
    cmds.setKeyframe(pObjectName, time= pEndTime, attribute = pTargetAttribute, value=360)
    
    #linear tangent
    cmds.selectKey(pObjectName, time-(pStartTime,pEndTime), attribute = pTargetAttribute
    cmds.keyTangent(inTangentType = 'linear', outTangetType='linear')
    
    
selectionList = cmds.ls(selection=True, type = 'transform))
​
if len(selectionList)>=1:
    #print 'Selected items: %s' % (selectionList)
    
    for objectName in selectionList:
    
    startTime = cmds.playBackOptions(query=True,minTime=True)
    endTime = cmds.playBackOptions(query=True,maxTime=True)
​
    #objectTypeResult = cmds.objectType(objectName)
    
    keyFullRotation(objectName, startTime,endTime,'rotateY')
else: 
    print ' Please select at least one object'
aimAtFirst
#aimAtFirst.py
​
import maya.cmds. as cmds
selectionList = cmds.ls (orderedSelection = True)
​
if len(selectionList) >=2:
    print 'Selected itesms: %s' %(selectionList)
    targetName = SelecitonList[0]
    selectionList.remove(targetName)
    
    for objectName in SelectionList:
        print 'Constraining %s towards %s' % (objectName, tartgetName)
        cmds.aimConstraint(targetName, objetName, aimVector = [ 0,1,0])
​
else:
    print 'Please select two or more objects.'
randomInstances
#randomInstances.py
​
import maya.cmds as cmds 
import random
​
random.seed(1234)
​
# selectionOrder 
result = cmd.ls(orderedSelection = True)
print 'result: %s' % (result) # replace string technique
​
transformName = result[0]
# create a group 
instanceGroupName = cmds.group(empty=True,name = transformName + '_instance_grp')
​
#instancing with for loop
for i in range(0,50):
​
    instanceResult = cmds.instance(transformName, name = transformName + ' _instance#'
    
    cmds.parent(instanceRsult,instanceGroupName)
    x = random.uniform(10,10)
    y = random.uniform(0,20)
    z = random.uniform(-10,10)
​
    cmds.move(x,y,z, instanceResult)
    
    #randomize rotation
    xRot= random.uniform (0,360)
    yRot= random.uniform (0,360)
    zRot= random.uniform (0,360)
    cmds.rotation(xRot,yRot,zRot, instanceResult)
    
    # randomize factor
    scalingFactor = random.uniform(0.3, 1.5)
    cmds.scale(scalingFactor, scalingFactor,scalingFactor, instanceResult)
​
# hide original cube & center pivit
cmds.hide(transformName)
cmds.xform(instanceGroupName, centerPiviots=True)
​
randomCubes.py
#randomCubes.py
​
import maya.cmds as cmds 
import random
​
random.seed(1234)
​
#commenting out multiple lines
'''
#fetch all objects who name starts with myCube + wildcard
cubeList = cmds.ls('myCube*') 
​
#delete all cube items in cubeList
if (len(cubeList)) > 0:
    cmds.delete(cubeList)
'''
    
result = cmds.polyCube(w=9,h=9,d=9, name = 'myCube#')
transformName = result[0]
# create a group 
instanceGroupName = cmds.group(empty=True,name = transformName + '_instance_grp')
​
#instancing with for loop
for i in range(0,50):
​
    instanceResult = cmds.instance(transformName, name = transformName + ' _instance#'
    
    cmds.parent(instanceRsult,instanceGroupName)
    x = random.uniform(10,10)
    y = random.uniform(0,20)
    z = random.uniform(-10,10)
​
    cmds.move(x,y,z, instanceResult)
    
    #randomize rotation
    xRot= random.uniform (0,360)
    yRot= random.uniform (0,360)
    zRot= random.uniform (0,360)
    cmds.rotation(xRot,yRot,zRot, instanceResult)
    
    # randomize factor
    scalingFactor = random.uniform(0.3, 1.5)
    cmds.scale(scalingFactor, scalingFactor,scalingFactor, instanceResult)
​
# hide original cube & center pivit
cmds.hide(transformName)
cmds.xform(instanceGroupName, centerPiviots=True)
​
​
​Justin Israel: Python for Maya Artists​
Why
widespread
cross platform 
cross-software 