Hud Problem !

[kilik]

Hi there !

I working on script, where the user can build his own text based heads up displays, for example for playblasting, to put information for himself or others on the screen. It is importend for me that the user has the freedom to put the HUDs on the screen wherever he want. So, the user has to define the section and the block through the GUI.

My problem is, that some of the blocks are occupied by the default HUDs, as well when they are not visible.I was trying to move the default HUDs temporarily on a place , where nobody place a HUD, but editing HUDs seems to behave sometimes a bit strange.What i have done so far is to remove them from the current maya session, but this isn`t the best way.

Have anyone an idea, how i can restore them in the current maya session without closing maya ? I was looking in some of the startup scripts(buildDisplayMenu.mel, initHUDScripts.mel) but i cant find any information for rebuilding the HUDs.

Thanks in advance Kilik

[ewerybody]

Oh people!!! Yea I know scripting is cool but why do you create stuff that already exists at the spot where you come blubbering if something won't work at your new? .. I noticed are at least 2 of such scripts already here.

Nahh... whatever. Why don't you just find out what standard-HUD-element is on wich position and then replace it there afterwards. Couldn't you just move them to a spot where you don't place anything? I mean without overwriting or deleting?

[kilik]

From time to time, when you learn stuff, it can happen that you made things that already exists, its new for me that this is bad. I have not said that I made this accessibly here or somewhere else for other people.

Anyway, I found a way, is not exactly what i want, but i can live with that.
For anyone who`s interested in here is the code:

int $section = 0; //can be anything from 0 - 9
string $text = "This means nothing";
makeHUD $section $text;

proc makeHUD (int $section, string $text)
{
if( headsUpDisplay -exists blahHUD != 1 )
headsUpDisplay
-section $section
-block getFreeBlock $section
-blockSize "small"
-label $text
-labelFontSize "small"
-dataFontSize "small"
-labelWidth 0
blahHUD;
else
headsUpDisplay -remove blahHUD;
}

proc int getFreeBlock (int $section)
{
// list all HUDs
string $hList[] =headsUpDisplay -listHeadsUpDisplays;
int $bContent[];
// go through all the HUDs
for( $currentHUD in $hList )
if( headsUpDisplay -query -section $currentHUD == $section )
{
int $block = headsUpDisplay -query -block $currentHUD;
$bContent[$block] = 1 ;
}
// find the free block
for( $i = 0; $i < size( $bContent ); $i++ )
if( ! $bContent[$i] )
break;
return $i;
}

[ewerybody]

Kilik? Hey I'm sorry. nevermind. I was pissed because of somethng else..

Of course everyone creates redundant stuff sometimes. I have my very own rename-tool because I didn't like the stuff that was here.
And if you just download, of course you learn nothing. So I hope you get along with your script.

If you finished set up a download and let me know.

My adwise: Why not make a nice UI for it?

[keilun]

There are two flags that might be of use for finding the next free block and last occupied block for a given section of the HUD:

headsUpDisplay -nextFreeBlock
headsUpDisplay -lastOccupiedBlock

I don't recall when I put these into the command but I'm pretty sure they're there in 5.0. Ideally, you shouldn't have to edit the existing HUDs. You should just have to add your HUD to the next free block for the given section. If you hide the ones above it, they will collapse. The only time a HUD block doesn't collapse is if there is a gap in the list:

eg.

Block 0: Poly Count
Block 1: Poly Count
Block 2: Poly Count
Block 3: Poly Count
Block 4: <--- Will not collapse.
Block 5: New HUD

[kilik]

Thank you Keilun, you have opened my eyes. Now the whole command becomes more clearly to me, I have tried to use these "nextFreeBlock" flags, but in a wrong way, and now i have tried again, and bang it works.
I did this :

{
if( headsUpDisplay -exists testHUD != 1 )
{
int $block = headsUpDisplay -nextFreeBlock 0;

headsUpDisplay
-section 0
-block $block
-blockSize "small"
-label "This is a test"
-labelFontSize "small"
-dataFontSize "small"
-labelWidth 0
testHUD;
}
else
headsUpDisplay -remove testHUD;
}

No problem ewerybody, the script is almost finished, with a nice GUI and all the cool things what a nice script needs.
I`ll show it you, when I have implemented the new Stuff, and then we can decide whether it is worth to make it for other ones accesible.

Kilik