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[Closed] multi-node angle tool

I’ve designed a little tool made out of several different points, 2D circles, and a grid, all used together to find a point in 3D space which is used to determine the center and orientation for an arc or circle so it passes perfectly between two points in 3D space (the chord of a circle). The tool works but it’s made up of about 8 point nodes and about 5 circles and a few other helpers and a bunch of constraints and scripted behaviors.

I want to package this all into one plug-in that is created once and does all the processing behind closed doors. Things like targeted cameras and lights as well as a few different helpers that I can think of the top of my head, create multiple nodes when initially created and delete all associated nodes when one is deleted.

I can’t find any examples in the help file that walks through how multiple nodes are created through the creation of one tool and how to set up the connections between them all

How do I create a node that makes 2 other point helper objects when the tool is created?

Is there a way to create 2 different colored guide lines (not a spline object) that connect the tool and 2 point helpers together, each with their own color, kind of like a rubber band but not dotted and remains when nothing is selected?

Any and all help, even a step in the right direction or a link to an example of code that I can cannibalize is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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(@denist)
Joined: 11 months ago

Posts: 0

the node (or plug-in) that you are asking about is Scripted Manipulator (see MXS help for details and samples). Also you can find some samples in this forum (for example http://forums.cgsociety.org/showpost.php?p=6182839&postcount=6 ).

You may give Bobo’s DiMaster 2.0 and see if it can show you how to do what you want. He uses a couple of things like creating helpers for some of the tools.

-Eric