I’m working on a plugin that will affect multiple geometry objects that are picked by the user. In order to control the direction in which these objects interact, I want to have a gizmo or some kind of temporary helper object created that can be manipulated by the user (but which will cease to exist when the plugin is no longer being used).
What would be the best overall approach to this? Gizmos are normally associated with modifiers, but the plugin relies on the interaction of multiple scene nodes, which would make that tricky. The effect is similar to that of a compound object, except that the affected meshes remain separate. For the time being I’ve been developing it as a utility, but the work I have done so far can be adapted for a different type of plugin, and I’d like some input from more experienced plugin developers before I continue further down my current path.
World Space Modifier ?
You could create a helper with maxscript; loop through the selection and link one by one of the objects to that new helper.
After you are done, you delete the helper (and the links should be gone with it)
Helper creation:
fn createHelper objName size =
(
newHelper = Point name:(uniquename objName)
newHelper.position = o.center
newHelper.size = size
newHelper.box = True
)
To create the links:
helperchildren = #()
helperchildren = myHelper.children
append helperchildren objectToLink
Klunk:
You know more about this stuff than I do by far, but I’m just having a hard time seeing how this would work as a WSM. I’m sure it could be done, but it doesn’t seem like the most effective way to go about things. If I were to continue developing the plugin as a utility, can I still make it generate a gizmo? If so, how?
Beatriz:
Thanks, but I’m actually looking for an SDK solution for this. What you’ve described is actually pretty similar to how I handled it in the maxscript prototype I made, but the whole thing was running much too slowly. Now that I’m working in the SDK, I want to do it the “right” way, but I’m not yet experienced enough to know what that is.
Should’ve read the title of the post better sorry man
It’s ok! It’s the thought that counts as they say
Are there any examples of a non-modifier plugin in which a gizmo is created?
Manipulators or something with a controller?