Creating a Shelf button from a script?

[deane]

I have a script that I want to create a shelf button for. I have tried copying the script into the editor, and MMB dragging it to the shelf, that didn't work. I mean it worked, but when I click the button, my interface doesn't pop up. Is there a special way to do that? Do I have to just make a button that sources the script then runs it?

If anyone can help it is appreciated. Even a pointer to the help file would work.

[ragtag]

If you can run the script from the MEL script window, you should be able to MMB drag it to the shelf and run it.

I'm guessing you're trying to drag a procedure to the shelf. Something like

global proc myProc ()
{
print "This won't work as a shelf.";
}

If you want to have a procedure in the shelf, you can simply save the procedure to the script folder, and call it from the shelf...
In the above example, that would just be myProc;

If not even simply MMB dragging a simple
print "hello"; to the shelf works, there is probably something wrong with you Maya installation.

Ragnar

[deane]

I have the script saved in the script folder under my prefs, not the scripts folder under the AW install location. Does this matter? Although today it seems that when I start Maya, I can just type in the "orthoCam" in the CommandLine, and it all works.

I guess we will find out how this goes tomorrow when I install it on co-workers machines

In the mean time, I made a quick shelf button (with custom graphics, I might add) that contains two lines:

source orthoCam;
orthoCam;

---

will it present a problem that I am sourcing the file every time I click the button?

Pardon the basic questions, but I come from MAX script.

Thanks for the help Ragnar!

[ragtag]

Sourcing it every time I don't think is a problem (not sure if it uses more RAM every time, but I don't think so). Though you don't need to source the script at all, if it's in your script folder. Your scripts folder is My Documentsmaya3.0scripts on Windows. The AW folders can be used, but they are mainly designed for scripts that come with Maya. If you do changes to the script though, you'll need to source it again, so that Maya can register the changes. Also, if your scripts are located elsewhere, you can source them using the full path to use them (e.g. source "C:myScriptFoldernineOldMen.mel"; )

If you want to add script folders of your own, you can do that by creating an environement variable calle MAYA_SCRIPT_PATH , and giving it the path where you want the script. On Windows you'd do this in My Computer>Properties, under the Advanced tab click the Environment variables button. And add a New system variable by hitting New... in the window that opens.

Ragnar

[deane]

So if I install the script on other peoples machines, all I need to do is put it in their My Documentsmaya4.0scripts folder, open Maya, and type the script name?

I'll give it a shot!

I think it would be a good idea to find out if sourcing it multiple times takes up more memory. I wouldn't think so, because it would have to retain the old information in memory each time you source, if it used up more and more memory. I would think that sourcing the script multiple times would just overwrite the old data.

Thakns again,