Well right now I have a dotNet listview, looks nice and clean. Reads all the options from an xml file. I will endevor to allow merging of xml files but for now cut and paste would do as well.
As for the filtering I tend to create even a custom filter for shapes that have a given property on them so we can filter exactly what we want. I will include a filter for this helper class in the package so that you can just use it.
I have changed it up from penControl to penHelper as well. So once I release this please get rig of the old.
OK try this on for size.
http://paulneale.com/scripts/penHelpers/PEN_Helper.ms
Certainly not complete but good enough to test.
You don’t need to save the preset for a custom shape to show remain persistent from Max session to Max session. All the data is stored in the modifier for the current shape.
Saving the presets will save the current shape to a predefined XML file stored at plugins/penProductions/penHelper.xml
Duplicate names are not allowed but it is case insensitive so you can have “test” and “Test” for instance.
Scale and size are not saved with the preset, should they be?
When you add a custom shape it takes on the size of the shape that it is copying. Should I look at normalizing the scale of the copied mesh so that size if more relivant?
When shapes are stored they are stored at there original size and the size and scale values are aplied when the shape is displayed.
Let me know what you think.
I have also thought about adding offset position and rotation spinners, what do you think?
Here is a presets file. Needs to go in plugins\PENProductions\penHelper.xml or it will not load.
http://paulneale.com/scripts/penHelpers/penHelper.xml
I will create an install script for it as soon as it is all done. Best to load the script in the same location as well as that is where it will reside.
Major bug, Busted something some where. It doesn’t load the correct option!
Another little bug. With some of those presets they are splines converted to a mesh and they are flat. What this means is you can’t select them from the back side. I will have to rebuild them all with an extude on the spline first.
Very cool little tool here. Perfect for making customizable control objects. Truthfully the stock ones that you have on your website were getting a bit boring.
I would definitely like to see the scale be stored and taken into account when making new shapes. Or maybe just scale whetever mesh is inputed down to 1 unit using the bounding box.
I now have an option for normalizing the mesh when first selected. It work based on the length of the firthest vert, I guess I could use the longest axis of the bounding box as well.
List is now ordered as well and I have several new presets that will ship with it. Any one want to make me a few that will be come defaults? Just send me the XML file that is saved and I will merge them together.
Just drag and dop in your viewport and it will be found under create/helpers/PEN Helpers
Max 9 or higher only as it uses dotNet objects.
Here is the latest: http://paulneale.com/scripts/penHelpers/penHelpers.mzp
Looks great! The only thing I’ve noticed, and this is indeed very minor, is that you can’t seem to undo size and scale changes using the Max undo command.
Great job, though, this will really be useful.