New To Maya Api... Trying To Make Sculpting Brush

[sckulp]

Hello,

I am trying to learn how to use the Maya API by making a type of sculpting brush. I have it working almost perfectly, except for a couple things...

When the user drags the cursor over the model, I want the model to visually deform in real time. Right now, as the user drags the cursor, the model doesn't change, but one the user releases the mouse button, everything gets changed all at once. I do not even have a doRelease function in my MPxContext class -- just doPress and doRelease.

Also, when the user drags, I'd like a box around the cursor that shows the selected area. Right now, I have it draw a square, and that part works, but the screen doesn't clear for each time step. So when the user drags, a long string of little squares follows along with it. The squares go away after the user releases, though (maybe it has something to do with the problem above?). Here is the relevant section of code:

CODE
m_View.beginOverlayDrawing();

// clear the overlay planes
m_View.clearOverlayPlane();

// Set up the orthographic projection matix
glMatrixMode( GL_PROJECTION );
glLoadIdentity();
gluOrtho2D( 0.0f, m_View.portWidth(),
        0.0f, m_View.portHeight() );

glMatrixMode( GL_MODELVIEW );
            glLoadIdentity();

// Set line width
glLineWidth( 1.0 );

// Draw  rectangle
glBegin( GL_LINE_LOOP );
    glVertex2i( min.h, min.v );
glVertex2i( min.h, max.v );
glVertex2i( max.h, max.v );
glVertex2i( max.h, min.v );
glEnd();

// done drawing our overlay on the viewport
m_View.endOverlayDrawing();

One last thing (for now)... Whenever I want to use my brushtool, I have to load the program, enter "smoothbrush" (my plugin name) into the command line, and then enter "setToolTo smoothbrushX" where X is some number. Is there a way to streamline this? Maybe make a button or something?

Thanks in advance!

[joojaa]

You shoudl probably try to integrate it with the exsiting sculpting framework, would save you a lot of gui building.

[rob-bateman]

QUOTE(sckulp @ 04/07/09, 02:53 PM) [snapback]305197[/snapback]
Also, when the user drags, I'd like a box around the cursor that shows the selected area. Right now, I have it draw a square, and that part works, but the screen doesn't clear for each time step. So when the user drags, a long string of little squares follows along with it. The squares go away after the user releases, though (maybe it has something to do with the problem above?). Here is the relevant section of code:

If you have a quadro or fireGL graphics card, the problem wouldn't exist (the context's in maya require openGL overlays, which aren't present in the standard geforce cards). The devkit samples feature some very nasty hacks to force these plug-ins to work on lesser hardware.

[sckulp]

QUOTE(Joojaa @ 04/08/09, 03:19 AM) [snapback]305214[/snapback]
You shoudl probably try to integrate it with the exsiting sculpting framework, would save you a lot of gui building.

All right... A google search for "maya api sculpting" doesn't return anything useful, so how would I even start with this one? (Like I said, I'm new with this...)

[sckulp]

QUOTE(Rob Bateman @ 04/08/09, 05:36 AM) [snapback]305230[/snapback]
If you have a quadro or fireGL graphics card, the problem wouldn't exist (the context's in maya require openGL overlays, which aren't present in the standard geforce cards). The devkit samples feature some very nasty hacks to force these plug-ins to work on lesser hardware.

Yeah... this is just for a school project, though, so it'd be silly to purchase that kind of hardware, I think.

Which samples are you referring to, that have the hacks?

Seems weird that nowhere in the documentation that I have yet seen, mentions the fact that overlays won't work on non-ultra-expensive hardware!

[joojaa]

hit f1 and type sculpt or artisan in the search field. And no google isnt the best substitute for the manual. In fact google is often a bit wieldy to find anything if your even remotely close to something right.

Part one is to understand how maya ecosystem works, this means understanding mel and how maya gui works. Only after that can you even begin to start with c code.

QUOTE
nowhere in the documentation that I have yet seen, mentions the fact that overlays won't work on non-ultra-expensive hardware!

It doesn't they assume your using one, because they said you should have qualified hardware before you even got maya. And in thet manual they say all kind sof unexpected stuffs will happen (this si one)

It also reads in the disclaimers of the fine pront of your display card licence wich techically and leagaly your assumed to have read. (I dont think tough anybody has)

This si a known little fact that while the quadro and firegl IS the same card gamer cards are on PURPOSE crippled by the graphic card manufacturers. Its not needed to know this because it applies to ALL opengl graphics and thus is not amaya issue, its a general hardware issue thats been there for last 10 years. So thats why program,mers dont often use the overlays even if it would make sense.

QUOTE
so it'd be silly to purchase that kind of hardware

If you can afford a student licence of maya you can afford a quadro. Thay are not insanely expensive. a car is expensive and a house is insanely expensive. Anything taht costs less than your average 1 months minimum spending money is cheap.

But yes part iof the price is that you must hack your way around. Tahts the way market economy works. wellcome to the real world.

[rob-bateman]

QUOTE(sckulp @ 04/08/09, 05:32 AM) [snapback]305250[/snapback]
Which samples are you referring to, that have the hacks?

marqueeTool.cpp : the code in the USE_SOFTWARE_OVERLAYS sections.

[shadowm8]

Joojaa, can the existing sculpting framework be accessed through the API. I could not find any classes that expose the brush / painting context. If so would you mind pointing me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it!