Nothing to do with stack but rather what nodes the program has. Theres nothing maxs stack does that mayas network doesn't do better. Theres just some nodes (called deformers in max) that can be better in certain jobs than than some of the other individual maya nodes. But max has many nodes someof wich are usefull most are not. If your missing a node complain about that.
So to recap: Theres nothing in the stack that magically makes these things work out easier for you. Maya has ALL Stacks functionalities, jut not all the same NODES. But yes a quite different GUI for handling it.
The road network is not equal to cars.
QUOTE(STZ @ 03/20/08, 03:02 PM) [snapback]282955[/snapback]
Scenario 1: Anyways due to the nature of the stack order in MAX you can create an editiable spline>extrude>edit poly (to edge details for instance)
firts part to do with stack this is more a node, of the exact type that is missing than anything else. Bevel plus is closer to the node your actualy asking for, altough it allways adds a span in the middle (complain to autodesk if enough reprot it will get fixed, i have). Dont know why but otherwise adds for exact same features.
Anyway you don't need to delete the stack you can just redefine the selection. I have a video of this hanging somewhere i have to dig it out. You can use mayas network just in the same capacity as in max. Its just not readily apparent at first.
Aslo see the demo down the post
QUOTE
Scenario 2. I came up with a workflow ages ago and introduced this to our MAX team at a Design Viz company I work for
Again a node of type missing nothing to do with the stack.
Well you will have to unwind your thinking a bit, because its clear that you do not understand mayas networks neither do you really understand the stack because if you did youd see that a stack is just a simplification of mayas network.
in max when you have
curve
then extrude it.
is equal to mayas same thing. Mayas nodes manifest a bit differently but the basic idea is the same in maya it looks like:
curve->bevelplus
This is the exact same stack maya just didn't bother to hide the curve. Because in mayas thinking the curve is still valid for other uses allowing it to exist in many stacks at once. If you want it hidden just mark it intermediary.
lets take a simple example that you will find easy to follow.
clear maya.
Make a poly 10 by 10 spans plane, and extrude some faces (not all)
what you now have is
polyPlane1->PolyExtrudeFace1->polyPlane1->connection to shader
Now if you want to get to the state BEFORE extrude:
just connect the pPlaneShape1 between polyPlane1 and PolyExtrudeFace1... see the stack lives in between the nodes. One note theres one more connection in maya but basically. let me make doing this easy for you by pasting sript. (yes a gui can be made quite easily to facilitate this)
CODE
connectAttr -f polyPlane1.output pPlaneShape1.inMesh;
connectAttr -f pPlaneShape1.worldMesh polyExtrudeFace1.inputPolymesh;
Now you ight want to change the extruded parts lets retrieve the Selection form foly extrude
CODE
select -clear;
for ($item in getAttr polyExtrudeFace1.ics
){
select -add ("pPlane1."+$item);
}
note theres a more elegant way to do this with sets for better interaction and yu dont need to set them back so tediously.
Now change selection:
and run
CODE
{
$string="";
$i=0;
for ($item in ls -sl
){
$string=$string+" "+match("[^.]*$",$item);
$i++;
}
eval("setAttr -type componentList polyExtrudeFace1.ics "+$i+$string);
}
To step back run:
CODE
connectAttr -f polyExtrudeFace1.output pPlaneShape1.inMesh;
connectAttr -f polyPlane1.output polyExtrudeFace1.inputPolymesh;
Wohaa ive changed the selection, this can be done to ANY node that deals with selection (incidentally you can change the selection on the end mesh too with the sets trick)
Now if you wanted to change the shape of the plane BEFORE the poly extrude you can. Just maya doesn't store changes in mesh inside most nodes nodes (tweak does but it has a different purpose ill continue that in private if you care to send me pm).
So what you do is:
CODE
createNode -n intermediateMesh mesh;
connectAttr -f polyPlane1.output intermediateMesh.inMesh;
connectAttr -f intermediateMesh.worldMesh polyExtrudeFace1.inputPolymesh;
Now lets us hide the reshult mesh:
CODE
setAttr "pPlaneShape1.intermediateObject" 1;
Note how the mesh doenst have a shadingroup. lets fix that also:
CODE
sets -add initialShadingGroup intermediateMesh;
modify this mesh and then resume:
CODE
setAttr "pPlaneShape1.intermediateObject" 0;
setAttr "intermediateMesh.intermediateObject" 1;
viola! all the stacks functionality with ability toadd nodes in between aswell.
Again the default gui lacks a bit but this is all easy by modifying 2 things scripts for hyper graph wich allows you to inject the nodes fast. And one script for the channelbox and and all this is one rmb click away.
Mayas about the fabulous modifiability of the gui. And freedom to do whatever you want.
PS: thats all i have time for now.