[Closed] select an object with a part of his name

not fully tested and no error catching in it, but this should do the job:
if your left and right labels are different, then change them here:
sideIdentifierStrL = “_L”
sideIdentifierStrR = “_R”
This script works with multiple objects as well.

sideIdentifierStrL = "_L"
 sideIdentifierStrR = "_R"
 fn returnObjSideID obj =
 (
 	return (substring obj.name (obj.name.count - 1)  obj.name.count)
 )
 fn returnObjNameWithoutSideID obj =
 (
 	return (substring obj.name 1 (obj.name.count - 2) )
 )
 
 fn selectOppObjs = 
 (
 		theSelObjs = selection as array
 		allRObjs = #();
 		allLObjs = #();
 
 		for i = 1 to theSelObjs.count do
 		(
 			curObj = theSelObjs[i];
 			curObjSideID = returnObjSideID(curObj);
 			curObjNameOnly = returnObjNameWithoutSideID(curObj)
 			if(curObjSideID == sideIdentifierStrL) then
 			(
 				allObjs = $* as array;
 				for obj in allObjs do
 				(
 					if(curObjNameOnly == returnObjNameWithoutSideID(obj)  and returnObjSideID(obj) == sideIdentifierStrR ) then
 						append allRObjs obj
 				)
 			)
 			if(curObjSideID == sideIdentifierStrR) then
 			(
 				allObjs = $* as array;
 				for obj in allObjs do
 				(
 					if(curObjNameOnly == returnObjNameWithoutSideID(obj)  and returnObjSideID(obj) == sideIdentifierStrL ) then
 						append allLObjs obj
 				)
 			)
 		)
 		print allRObjs
 		clearSelection()
 		select allRObjs
 		selectmore allLObjs
 )
 
 selectOppObjs()
 

yes it works ! Very usefull script for a character animator like me.
I put it as macroscript in my Quads.

Arno

hmm … it could do with some enhancements …

1. It currently only looks for the side ID at the end of the object name. So the tool is of no use with bipeds which has default object names like bip L hand or something like that
2. The tool is restricted to the side ID string being of 2 letters eg “_L” or “_U” “_D”

here’s a slightly different method – you can keep the macros, it uses the same function name

  fn selectOpposites report:false = (
  	local curSel = getCurrentSelection()
  	local leftIDs = #("_L", "L ", "Left")
  	local rightIDs = #("_R", "R ", "Right")
  
  	local newSel = #()
  	for o in curSel do (
  		local oppNames = for i = 1 to leftIDs.count collect ( substituteString o.name leftIDs[i] rightIDs[i] )
  		oppNames += for i = 1 to leftIDs.count collect ( substituteString o.name rightIDs[i] leftIDs[i] )
  
  		local opposites = for oppName in oppNames where (oppName != o.name) collect ( oppName )
  
  		local nodes = for opp in opposites collect (getNodeByName opp)
  
  		if (report) do (
  			format "'%' opposites:
" o.name
  			for i = 1 to opposites.count do (
  				format "	'%' (exists: %)
" opposites[i] (nodes[i] != undefined)
  			)
  		)
  
  		for i = nodes.count to 1 by -1 do (
  			if (nodes[i] == undefined) then ( deleteItem nodes i )
  		)
  		join newSel nodes
  	)
  	select newSel
  )
  

Adjust the “leftIDs” and “rightIDs” to match whatever you encounter.
If you call “selectOpposites report:true”, then a small report will be printed. If the report states “exists: false”, it means that the opposite object wasn’t found. That’s usually a good indication of one of two things:

1. it’s not a name that should have been ‘mirrored’
2. your character has lost a limb

Example output and effect in a test scene:

  selectOpposites report:true
  'Arm_L' opposites:
  	'Arm_R' (exists: true)
  'Leg R Lower' opposites:
  	'Leg L Lower' (exists: true)
  'Left Eye' opposites:
  	'Right Eye' (exists: true)
  'L L Cool J' opposites:
  	'R R Cool J' (exists: false)
  OK
  -- and back the other way around
  selectOpposites report:true
  'Arm_R' opposites:
  	'Arm_L' (exists: true)
  'Leg L Lower' opposites:
  	'Leg R Lower' (exists: true)
  'Right Eye' opposites:
  	'Left Eye' (exists: true)
  OK
  

Your script is so much better, Richard. And extendable too