Noob script help ( curve selection/setAttr based )

[animstar88]

Hey guys,

I am an advanced maya user, however I just started learning mel about a week ago, so bare with me please! 

I am trying to write a basic script that will select all nurbs curves in the scene regardless of the curve names, and set their translate/roation attributes to zero. There is more to the script... sadly that is the part I am stuck on. The naming error keeps getting in the way. This is what I have so far:

{
   string $nurbs[] = ls -type nurbsCurve -v;
   int $i;
   for( $i = 0; $i < size $nurbs; $i++ )
   {
     setAttr ($nurbs[0] + ".translateX") 0;
     setAttr ($nurbs[0] + ".translateY") 0;
     setAttr ($nurbs[0] + ".translateZ") 0;
   }
}

It returns and error saying "No object matches name". I am confused, because the following script does exactly what I want it to do, just without the loop:

{
string $sphere[] = sphere;
setAttr ($sphere[0] + ".scaleY") 13;
print ($sphere[0] + ".scaleY" + "\n");
}

If i take the above script, and replace sphere with ls -type nurbsCurve -v, i get the same " No object matches name" error. 
Help please!!

[joojaa]

ls -type nurbsCurve -v

does not actually do what you think it does, it returns the curve shapes (a curve shape is as far as mayas concerned IS THE CURVE). Its just that users normally think of the transform as the curve (open outliner and enable show shapes and youll instantly get it).

 use :

string $nurbs[] = listRelatives("-parent", ls -type nurbsCurve -v);

instead. By the way please do use a for in loop please makes it cleaner to read (also use script boxes on forums).

{
   string $nurbs[] = listRelatives("-parent", `ls -type nurbsCurve -v`);
   int $i;
   for( $curve in $nurbs )
   {
     setAttr ($curve + ".translateX") 0;
     setAttr ($curve + ".translateY") 0;
     setAttr ($curve + ".translateZ") 0;
   }
}

PS: Advanced is a bit bad qualifier because I'm sure what i consider advanced and what you consider advanced is a bit different. So it doesn't actually bring in any additional information to mention such things. I can see that atleast you know how to focus your efforts towards the right thing that is enough, other skill level is irrelevant.

[animstar88]

Thank you so much for the response, I greatly appreciate it. That makes complete sense. I only mentioned I am an advanced user just in case the person responding wouldnt worry about mentioning terms/theory that I wouldnt understand about maya...but yes your right it is subjective Again, thank you for the informative response.