How is scripting in XSI compared to 3DSMAX?

[bundleguide]

Hello everybody !

I'm using 3DSMAX now but might change to XSI.

One of the things I really like with MAX is how easy it is to use Maxscript to create new tools and all that.

I need to know if it is just as cool and easy to script things in XSI. (I already know Visual Basic.)

Anybody used both ?

Also, just so we can compare a little better,
how would you script something that removes all the animation keys from anything that is currently selected?
In Max it would be this : deleteKeys $selection

Thanks!

[devdoka]

XSI scripting is very powerful because you get a choice of standard languages to choose from to do your scripting. If a particular language offers a specific advantage to your work, then it's your choice to use that language as you see fit.

XSI ships with both Jscript (Javascript) and VBscript as the available languages. However, you can also freely download PerlScript or Pythonscript to do general scripting as well.

XSI scripting is object oriented and uses a structured approach to scripting to keep things neat and tidy. You have the choice of using XSI commands and/or the XSI object model to dig into your scenes and manipulate information. However, you are not limited to working within XSI. You can communicate directly with other applications such as photoshop, Internet Explorer, or any of the MS Office softwares to facilitate your work. For example, you can create actions in photoshop from XSI and import them onto a texture image within the scene, then use that in your renders. You can also import/export camera motion information to an Excel spreadsheet without having to hack file formats. Just send the raw data over to Excel and using it's object model, you can request the data be formatted in 6 columns in YXZ order. Excel will handle the formatting freeing you up to work on more creative tasks. When file formats change, Excel will acknowledge the change rather than forcing you to rewrite your script. Make sense?

OK, to delete animation on your selected objects within the scene, try this:

RemoveAllAnimation()

That's it!

Matt

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Matt Lind
Animator / Technical Director
Softimage certified instructor:
Softimage|3D
Softimage|XSI
speye_21@hotmail.com

[maya2xsi]

speye_21,

That sounds awesome but 1 question...why would you want to export your camera info into Excell? What am I missing here? Is this so you can use that camera in another 3d or for matching it to live action?

Thanks for the info.

[devdoka]

Sometimes you need an intermediate file format to go between softwares, or in this example, between a 3D software and a motion control camera rig on a live stage. You don't have to use Excel of course, but it's an example of how being able to "talk" to another application through a live connection can simplify both the import/export process and reduce the complexity of your script.

Matt

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Matt Lind
Animator / Technical Director
Softimage certified instructor:
Softimage|3D
Softimage|XSI
speye_21@hotmail.com

[maya2xsi]

thanks for the response...makes more sense now:)

I had no idea the power behind xsi with the above subject. I just thought in order to do stuff like that you need like 20 full time programmers...well in Maya I thought that.

Thanks again,

[nuno89]

Max and XSI make a very good usage of windows capabilities.
They use COM objects which gives them access to a lot of stuff.
For example in Maxscript (I guess XSI lets you also do that) you can embed some application inside of your script. So you could integrate excel for example if you ever need a spreadsheet to edit/visualise some parameters.
Maya is more unix centric and offers less access to windows environment.

But as far as scripting XSI and Max are both very very good.