rmbToolWin

Version 0.2.10_1

8 August 2014

rmbToolWin
Version 0.2.10_1

An overly complicated MEL script to mangle geometries

Background
Im interested in generative modeling, polyhedra, etc. Recent projects in Autodesk Maya 2013+ had me want to explore and
develop a few tools to perform somewhat esoteric (but not necessarily unique) functions. Why not consolidate some this for
public use? After all, Ive learned and used so much from the work of others. I am relatively new to Maya MEL & Python
development; use these tools at your own risk ;-)
Overview
This tool is a single large MEL script that can be executed from a Maya script panel, a shelf button, etc. Simply load/source the
script (rmbToolWin_v0.2.10_1.mel or rmbToolWin.mel). If the code is loaded and the GUI window does not appear, try
running the following command from a MEL prompt:

rmbMainWinUI;

NOTE: Save a copy of this script somewhere within your Maya script search path as rmbToolWin.mel (no version) so that it can
be sourced by a scriptNode (used in Loft PolyFaces tool). If you dont, such nodes may generate an error when a scene is
opened. If you reopen a scene with one of these scriptNodes, it will try to load rmbToolWin.mel which may cause the GUI to
appear.
The Tools
Within this bloated script are a number of tools, each with its own tab within the GUI window (rmbToolWin).
Loft PolyFaces
This first tool uses curve profiles on polygon mesh faces to create lofted surfaces, offset surfaces, and simple tube extrusions.
Select any polygon mesh and/or individual faces, tweak the multitude of confusion options and the quasi-useable control
envelopes, the Apply. Be warned that this tool is not intended for large numbers of polygon faces; I recommend processing no
more than 50-100 faces at a time. Obviously performance will vary.

Select polygon objects and/or individual polyfaces to begin. Make sure face normal are the way you want them or you may find
inverted results. First and foremost, this tool traces individual polyfaces with a number of curve profiles then lofts these together
and/or creates path/tube extrusions. These new surfaces can then be offset, deformed, and finally tessellated. Control envelopes
are used to define curve profiles, deformation envelopes (from face edge to center), and extrusions.

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Heres a simple polygon to start with.

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Note that use cluster env and move cluster are enabled. The face curve profile envelope will create various curves at the
relative parametric distance between the face edge and its center. The cluster envelope will deform the resulting loft(s) with its
dedicated envelope.

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And the result

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Ive re-worked this version to allow cluster deformation editing after creation. Click enable update to refresh.

And voila

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This tool can get pretty crazy and sometimes very interesting results just happen. Be careful not to process to much at once!

Surface Tiles
This second tool encapsulates my first MEL public script rmbTileTool. As the name implies, this tool will tile arbitrary geometry
on a NURBS surface or in between two NURBS surfaces. This tools methodology was inspired and derived primarily from tutorials
by Christopher Whitelaw (thank you!).

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Cover Surface

This tool will plot various node types onto NURBS surfaces and/or curves and attempt to cover/fill them completely. An effort was
made to avoid overlapping or duplicate surface plots but no de-duping or collision/overlap detection is actually performed (at least
not yet). This tool will try to honor trimmed surfaces but I currently lack sufficient understanding of the Maya underworld to
guarantee consistent results. For best results, I recommend using surfaces/curves with at least two spans and rational
parameterization. There is now a radial plot mode that remains a bit buggy and is a huge performance hog you are warned!!

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Heres a trimmed surface plotted with nParticles.

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Expression Ramps
This tool is my attempt to allow a mini-animation curve (the envelope of a remap node) to be triggered by an input signal and drive
other attributes. An animation expression is evaluated every time/frame interval to measure/modulate inputs and remap outputs.
There are other features in the code that have not yet been worked into the GUI, such as converting an existing animation curve
into envelope ramp values. For now, some manual attribute connections are required to make it work.

To create an expression ramp, select a destination node, attribute then click select. This interface will be radically re-worked in
the near future

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Here are the main control attributes for the expression ramp animation Adjust trigger threshold and hold frames to reduce
spastic retriggering with a busy input trigger connection (like from an audio node output).

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The expression ramp makes use of a remap node. The envelope shape will be used as a sort of dynamically triggered animation
curve. Some day, I will stream line all the attributes and interconnects used and allow one to import a real animation
curve/graph with variable length and value offsets... For now, the length of the animation is determined by frame interval size
and envelope length (see above).

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Previously, I can connected an audio node output to the clustEnv (deformation envelope depth) attribute on a cluster remap
node. We must disconnect this so we can insert the expression ramp.

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Here, I reconnect the audio node output to the trigIn (trigger input) on the expression ramp node.

Finally, connect mOut (multiplied output) to the desired destination in this case, the clustEnv cluster remap node attribute so
I can drive the deformation envelope depth with the expression ramp which is now triggered by audio ;-)

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Offset Surface
Similar to other offset tools, this one also permits auto offset lofting (with optional bevel).

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Here, Ive selected a trimmed surface, designated a bevel offset with a slight rounding.

And the results

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Offset Tubes

There are many tools that create tubes out of curves, etc., but this one attempts to offset a copy of the source curve(s), normal to
the curve (a best-effort hack ;-), then create connecting columns between at each non-overlapping edit point. By default, some
history is preserved so you can tweak tube radius later. Unfortunately, the columns have no working length history/control yet.

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Select curves and tweak the settings.

Heres a zoom in on the results

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Surface Tubes

This tool will create circular profile tubes on all surface spans and edges. If you choose multiple surfaces (with same spans/CVs
like an offset surface), tubes will also be created between matching edit points through all surfaces, in the order they are selected.
Think of this function as a sort of nested cage generator.

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Ngons
This tool will generate a grid of regular polygons (3-10 points). Optionally, it will place them on selected NURBS surfaces (if on
surface is also enabled). Most options should be clear but some are not fully functional (history and grid offset/rotations). The
default will create a 10x10 hexgon grid.

Heres part of the default hexagon grid. Note the fillets and spacing

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Surface Curve Map
This tool maps curves (or curves on surfaces) onto another surface. Currently, surface seam wrap-around is not supported. To
map regular curves, you will need to also designate an object to use as a bounding box reference. If the source curves are
grouped, you can just use the group as this reference; all curves must be within the reference bounding box for parametric
mapping to work. Note that this tool expects Y as the up axis.

For an example, Ive selected a group of hexagon curves, used its group as the bounding box reference, and targeted a cylinder
surface.

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And the result

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