@@How does the script langage of xsi compare with mel ?
XSI uses ActiveX scripting technology for all it's scripting needs. That means you can use any ActiveX compliant scripting language such as VBscript, Jscript, PerlScript, PythonScript, and more. When .NET is launched, the choice of languages will grow as .NET will support 23 languages out of the box with more expected to come over time.
the idea behind XSI scripting is that you can communicate with other softwares natively because they speak the same language. For example, you can write Photoshop actions based on events occurring within XSI at a given moment. Those actions could be applied to an image which could then be used as a texture in your scene and rendered. You just tell Photoshop which actions you want and in which order and it'll make them and ship them back to you in XSI (applied on a specified image of course).
Another example is exporting camera data to Microsoft Excel (a common task). With XSI, you just send the raw data over from the camera and tell Excel you want it in 6 columns. Excel will do all the formatting work for you. With MEL, you would have to hack the Excel file format to get the data in and out. If Excel should ever change file formats between versions, you would have to rewrite your MEL script to accomodate. But with XSI, you wouldn't because Excel does all the formatting work - you just send the data over.
If that isn't enough. Because you are using standard languages in XSI, you have access to more libraries for coding. Python has excellent math utilities, Jscript is the default language of the web, Perlscript is very deep with existing modules freely available. When you use XSI scripting, you have more tools at your disposal than just XSI. You have an entire community. With Jscript, for example, you can access the internet through Internet Explorer and communicate with your email, remote servers, cell phone, pager, PDA and other devices. This truly means you can work in a global community - your partners do not have to be in the same room any longer as data can be shared from anywhere around the world.
Also, because you use standard languages, you can let the language experts continue to develop the various languages and not have to rely on Softimage (or A|W with MEL). If a language falls out of fashion or off the face of the earth, no problem, plenty of others to choose from. Likewise, should a new ActiveX language emerge, then you have the choice of using it too. It's up to you.
XSI scripting is about productivity through collaboration, not just with people, but through softwares too.
Matt
Matt Lind
Animator / Technical Director
Softimage certified instructor:
Softimage|3D
Softimage|XSI
speye_21@hotmail.com