Really quick boring background (sorry)
I am taking a MaxScript class, and of course we have one of those obligatory assignments where we have to write a script that will generate a pretty/interesting scene using the random functions, etc… (this is not what I am having problems with)
The problem:
The issue is that my scene looks best from a certain angle, so I would like to add to the end of my script some code that will also generate a camera positioned and oriented in this specific way, so that my prof can simple run my script, pick the camera I also provide, and render, and I know she will be seeing the scene as I intend.
So using the perspective view, I aligned as I wanted, and then choose View>Create Camera From View. I was planning on then just using the listener window to get all the relevant info from this new camera($Camera01.position, rotation, fov…) and hardcode the creation of a camera with those values into my script.
But after doing so, I can’t seem to get at a few values that I think I need. I can access $Camera01.position as well as $Camera01.fov, but can’t seem to access .rotation, which being since a camera is a derived obj of Node, I thought I could get to and set. Further, .target returns a Point[3], but if I try to create a camera with a target it won’t take because apparently the target has to be a Node reference.
So I admit I am confused. I am hoping someone can tell me how to create a camera from a view, and then get at the nuts and bolts data (position, rotation/target, fov), which should be all I need, so that I can hardcode a camera with those values into my script.
Really sorry for the long-winded post, I appreciate any help someone can give to a rookie.
you could try using transforms instead…
create a camera and place it to your liking.
select the camara afterwards
foo = $.transform
foo_target = $.target.transform
– these should get your transforms for the camera and its target
now delete your camera and create a new one using this
the_cam = targetcamera()
the_cam.transform = foo
the_cam.target.transform = foo_target
i hope this helps!
Here is some code that does the same as the View>Create Camera From View, but using a simples, Free camera without a target:
newCam = FreeCamera() --create new free camera
newCam.transform = inverse (viewport.getTM()) --set the transform (PRS) to the viewport's ones
newCam.FOV = viewport.getFOV() --set the FOV to match the view
viewport.setCamera newCam --set the camera into the current viewport
Might be of help…
Cheers,
Bobo