Create A Stand-alone .exe File From Mel Script

[hnf]

Hi...

I would like to ask you for a help in answering my urgent question.
Q: how to create a stand-alone .exe file that would automatically execute a MEL script ...?
but I don

[failure]

Why would you want to do such a thing?

[rob-bateman]

you can run maya from the command line with

maya -batch "melScript.mel"

For a stand alone exe, you will need to use the API and MLibrary....

CODE
#include
#include

const char* command = "sphere;file -rename \"fred.ma\"; file -save -type \"mayaAscii\";";

int main(int argc,char** argv) {
  MLibrary::initialize(argv[0]);

  MGlobal::executeCommand( command );

  MLibrary::cleanup();
  return 0;
}

[kurianos3d]

You can do this

create a VB Application..then add wht u want to do there..then give a usescript that will laod menu in maya while click menu u can call this allipcation throgh system command..then for tht time u just drop a .mel file to script dir..and source oke..after that delete the source file..simple

Or the best way use Maya API and then compile as .mll

"BUT SHARE WHAT U HAVE THAT GOOD"

[joojaa]

why would anyone want a exe... isnt a doubleclikkaable shellscrip easier to manage. IT works in the same manner as the exe anyway if you just launch mel. form the normal users standpoint theres no visual dfifference

[hnf]

Hi to all

[joojaa]

ok then its api time. on thet chime yoru not trying to build a way to protect teh files for theft now are you? (or password ecryyption), sicne ite easily circumvetted even if teh command is a api one.

UNless it garbages all nodes data ona save /exit!

[rob-bateman]

if you call any mel script (even from an MDgModifier or with MGlobal::executeCommand) it will always be visible in the script editor output window. (with Echo all commands turned on obviously). There is no real way of trying to hide your script, or really any point. API calls can be harder to track, though i know a few methods to reverse engineer that, because as joojaa said, the data modifications are there for the world to see.

[hnf]

Does this suppose to mean that there

[failure]

The thing you want to do is plainly stupid. Reconsider your motives - I bet they are
evil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Script\_language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compilers

[joojaa]

standalone exe yes... nondecipherable no. If someone wantd to know how you didi it they can. I mena you cen even reverse eingeneer modells form vireframe shotws quite accurately.

this is one fo the main problems of copyprotectiopns, iorder for people to be able to view them they must be uncryptable, but because they are theyr alos copiable because the user needs to know what the decryption key is inorder to view it. Thats why they needed legislation to protect their copyprotection.

Wich is a bit lame, they just pushe the problem one step further,

The udnerlying problem is that dta is not secure under any circumstances. You can allwways do stuff harder but yu can nevcer make it impossible (thats a fact), also because you make it harder on others you make it harder for you to make too.

But why would you want to do this at all?

[hnf]

Thank you Joojaa

[joojaa]

Ok, if your actualy afraid of theft then the more SECURE way is to make a cnntract than atleats he is leegaly bound to yor agreements. The fact that ist protected does not coem into play.

As long as you inglude a licence stating its your property your fine, or actualy your fine jsut by posting teh code. YOu automataicaly own it if they rip you you can allways sue.

Its one of thoise paranoia things if you think your getting ripped of then dont send it at all... so if you cat truyst the guys youw work with dont bother. Either you trust or not. Theres nothing in between.

Besideds the oods are your code does not have anything to be protected anyway. If you intend to go tha api way then atleats odo it completely in api, and spend the 10 times longer programming cycle.

If they REALY want to rip you off theres ABSOLUTELY nothing you can do to protect yourself form it anyway. NO piece of computer code is secure. I mena lets take for example aliases PLE wich cant communivcate with the real deal.... RIGHT well its actualy quite easy to make them talk with eachother.

You can do a exe file fine but the problem is that anyone worth their salt can reverse eingeneer your idea. I mean its usualy very easy to do thats why most factories dont allow cameras inside their facility as the compeeting eingeneers sure as hell will know why the machine is mounted a bit slanted. If they reverese eingeneerr the stuff theres NOTHING you can say that makes you have claims on the stuff. IF they had the code thenatleast you could try to say they looked at it.

I mean theres lots of companies that have spent literery billions on theft protection and quite frankly only SOME very off mainstream games that are respected by the small vcmmunities they are in DONT end up ripped off. IT DONT WORK, wich shoudl eb evident rightabout now 10 years after the fact

Indeed your more likely to end being ripped of if its a good thing and in plugin form, than if it was a open melscript atleast then people would repect your name.

Bottom line is nothing is secure. IF they REALY REALY want to rip ypu off you allready lost the game, so you realy hav nothing to loose here.

[failure]

It's not clear; you say you want "standalone" exe file. Does this mean that it should run without maya hosting the script?

[naughty]

well he does mention in the original post that "if possibly, I want the Maya to be loaded simultaneously". so what I'm guessing is he just wants to give someone a MEL file but not let them see what's in it or modify it.

I think you're right Failure, he either has evil motives or he's just a miserable tight-wad, which I think is pretty rich considering he's asking for help on a free-knowledge sharing forum..!! in fact we should stop helping him right now!

joojaa. stop helping him. no! STOP IT NOW!.. STOP!

you just can't help yourself can you j..

:nathaN

[joojaa]

no i ges not im just trying to tell him the realitios of the world. like im trying on the idustry discussion forum too.

[failure]

Oh, in my sloppynes I overlooked that he wants to start maya. Anyway after rereading the original post I suddenly reached a state of higher consciousness and noticed that op needs it urgently. Allow me to share tbe truth I've learned about the word "urgent". Behold the mighty truth: When someone use the word "urgent" you can freely, in 99% of cases, translate it literally to "incompetent". This will prevent the virus of urgency to spread further down the command chain. So what one should do when word urgent is spoken in his/hers ear. Just act like word incompetence is spoken. It will make world a better place.

Example 1:

"I need this urgent"
translates to:
"I'm incompetent"

Example 2

"We must have it on monday because it's urgent"
=
"We are not sure when we must have it because we're incompetent"

Example 3:

"Our client needs it urgently"
=
"Client is incompetent to judge why, when and what he wants and we are incompetent too so we are affraid to educate the client"

Example 4:

"The matter is urgent"
=
"Everyone involved is incompetent"

The last form is particulary evil because it arrogantly assumes there is no responsible entity in the whole constelation.

[geordie-martinez]

Hi.

I understand what you're trying to do. I have done it with Flash and ... bear with me... SWF Studio. to create the EXE.

Basically, I have a flash action script that opens a command port in Maya then uses that command port to send a string as a command to run a mel script. Works with Maya 6.0, but not below.

It works like a dream. I'm using Flash to create Character GUIs!

I create the GUI in flash instead of spending HOURS in maya with that retarded columnLayout BS. and it looks better!

If you need, I can convert your MEL to an EXE.

let me know.

[joojaa]

QUOTE(dangerahead @ 12/10/05, 02:10 AM)
I create the GUI in flash instead of spending HOURS in maya with that retarded columnLayout BS. and it looks better!
[snapback]222030[/snapback]

And it works slower and cant have maya actionable callbacks! But yes you can even run maya form a webbrowser quite esily so if you wnat to use javascript to run mel then sure. Thats not the point here. BUt thing is why teh hell would anybody want to use flash in this manner. (you might go ahead ist your right im not against)

On building guis tough theres plenty of graphic tools for you to get maya buttons on place, the code underneath is what counts anywzay.

We are not saing you cant conevrt mel into EXE files we are just telling him that his data is no more secure form being pfilfered than it is without it. Se sending the suff trough commandport still ennables tha recipient to read what it paassed on. THius its NO sequrity measure.

Hes trying to send over work for evaluation thet he then wants protected, but he cant protect himself in any way better wjit this scheme.

Taking the commandport data and reading it is biece of cake. All i need to do is listen to the port.

Anyway if you cant se why mel is used as mayas gui buildingblock then youve missed the entire concept of maya gui. looks nicer or not. Eyecandy is overstimated at anyrate, i mena half the world s skins are worse then anything i produce in the WC.

PS. you can even use flash to do custom guis for adobe photoshop if you wish! Not that ia would but it works very well.

[failure]

Because of the fact that human stupidity is infinite there will always be need for yet another app with nice gui who's main purpose is to produce nice guis

btw. flash player is a software rasterizer. That kind of beasties tend to eat up cpu cycles like crazy. It's a cpu-expensive toy for kids.