How can I get MEL to check if surfaces intersect?

[1000101-]

I'm trying to figure out a way to get maya to check to see if 2 or more surfaces are intersecting and have it run a command if they are.

I was digging through the docs and I found a command called intersect; which doesn't appear to do what I want; but tells me that maya allready knows how to do this.
Is this something accessible via MEL?

[jugdish]

I think 'intersect' is the command called by EditNurbs->IntersectSurfaces.

If you're dealing with nurbs, you could try running intersect on the surfaces in question and then count the resultant curves. If there are 0, the surfaces don't intersect!

That's something of a hack but...

• Matthew Durante

[1000101-]

If I turn off history (the only way to keep it from calculating every time an object changes position; I just want every frame)

intersect -ch 0 nurbsSphere1 nurbsSphere2;
// Error: line 1: intersectSurface1 (Intersect Surface Node): failed to compute the result. //
// Error: line 1: Command intersect failed. Open Script Editor for details. //

Won't that error kill whatever script its running in?

[jugdish]

Use the 'catch' command:

if( catch( intersect -ch 0 nurbsSphere1 nurbsSphere2 ))
print( "Caught errorn" );
else
print( "Hello!n");

Now, it's a little strange relying on an error condition to do what you're doing, but that's the nature of the 'intersect' command so if that's what it takes...

Perhaps there's a better way...

• Matthew Durante

[1000101-]

thanks mdurrant I'lll try that this eveningwhen I get to the house
I figure that should behave exactly as I want

[matthew-tucker--2]

I'm using a PoLy Cube, and It's moving around the scene. I need to know if it intersects with any other Nurbs surfaces, or Polygons that are placed around the scene. If there is in fact an intersection, I need the names of those geometries that intersect with the Poly Cube.

It's a toughie... no simple mel script is going to return the information I require, so it's up to you advanced MEL scripters to help me out if you would be so kind.

thanks,

[joojaa]

precice intersection or just know if the bbs overlap.

Theres a kindof underlying idea in maya that per frame and everytime you move arent different in any accords so... hwovwer its possible to limit this. TOugh to be realy honest i dont realy se what anybody woudl realy need this for.

Anyway its something you should do in api.

What is the intersection supposed to do btw! Imena theres probably a MUCH betrter way to do it.