topic Re: Creating mutilpe curves? in Maya Programming Forum

Creating mutilpe curves?

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 03:41:49 GMT

I don't know much about mel but I am trying to create multiple curves then parent their shapes to make one curve object. I keep getting an error

// Error: Cannot convert data of type string to type string[].

string $cv1[] = `curve -d 3 -p -0.249915 ...etc`;
string $cv2[] = `curve -d 3 -p 0.250085 ...etc`;

I know this works with two circles but why won't it work with two curves? what do I need to do to make it work?

Re: Creating mutilpe curves?

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 07:14:31 GMT

The result of making your curve is just the name of the curve in a single string, not the shape node as well in an array(as it is when you create a primitive).
pickwalking down from there returns an array (or list) with only the shape node in its list...

string $cv6=`curve -d 3 -p -0.55953 0 10.72212 -p -6.697326 0 7.827839 -p -6.530557 0 -2.189619 -p 3.017449 0 0.189942 -k 0 -k 0 -k 0 -k 1 -k 1 -k 1 `;
string $cv7[] =`pickWalk -d down`;

print $cv6;
print $cv7;

The error you're seeing is Maya trying to put that string into a string array (not into a string in the array) and not being happy about that.

Re: Creating mutilpe curves?

Anonymous — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:37:50 GMT

okay so making the first curve a simple string, w/o an array then using `pickWalk -d down` puts the shape in an array, so then now I can use that array in addition to my 3 other shape arrays to combine all my shapes into one object, right?

I just tried it and got this error

// Error: Invalid redeclaration of variable "$cv3" as a different type. //

though if I just execute my curve it creates the curve just fine.

Edit - I found I need to restart Maya to clear the variables, which I did and it now works.

I am modifying a script from a tutorial, which I thought wouldn't be so hard and probably isn't if you know anything about scripting lol. Anyway, I now am trying to select the shapes of those curves and parent them which is not working.

//Parent the shapes
string $relRcrv2[] = `listRelatives -shapes $rcrv2`;
parent -r -shape $relRcrv2 $rcrv1;

//Delete the transform node
select $rcrv2; doDelete;

//Rename the curve
string $rnmCurve = `rename $rcrv1 "myCrv"`;

//Delete history of my curve
select $rnmCurve; DeleteHistory;

but I get an error saying

// Error: Last argument must be a group. //

Which to me says that the parenting is not working. Does this have to do with the fact that my curves are strings within an array?

Re: Creating mutilpe curves?

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:05:09 GMT

no, to do what you suggest, try doing it one shape at a time with the same group node.

The question I have is this though, do you think that getting them grouped together will make them the same object? (they will select together) They won't really be one object, that's ok with you?

Re: Creating mutilpe curves?

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:04:17 GMT

yeah I don't really care if they are a real object I just want them to all select together and behave as one object, having only one transform node etc. I am trying to make a script that will create a control curve with a specific shape for rigging, so anytime I want that shape I can just click a button on my shelf to create it.

Re: Creating mutilpe curves?

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:04:43 GMT

Your way of working is working, you're just tripping on the string array vs string thing...

string $cv11=`curve -d 3 -p -0.55953 0 10.72212 -p -6.697326 0 7.827839 -p -6.530557 0 -2.189619 -p 3.017449 0 0.189942 -k 0 -k 0 -k 0 -k 1 -k 1 -k 1 `;
string $cv12[] =`pickWalk -d down`;
string $cv13=`curve -d 3 -p 3.20667 0 8.105811 -p -1.300473 0 7.292677 -p -8.307956 0 4.785656 -p -8.574424 0 -3.382742 -p -0.248413 0 -5.167987 -k 0 -k 0 -k 0 -k 1 -k 2 -k 2 -k 2 `;
string $cv14[] =`pickWalk -d down`;

parent -r -shape $cv14 $cv11; 
select $cv13; doDelete; 

//Rename the curve
string $rnmCurve = `rename $cv11 "myCrv"`; 

//Delete history of my curve
select $rnmCurve; DeleteHistory;

Re: Creating mutilpe curves?

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 08:25:30 GMT

okay I see where I was going wrong. And now it all works perfectly!

Thank you very much for all your help John!

Re: Creating mutilpe curves?

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 14:16:37 GMT

edit

nvm I figured it out