topic Re: Mel how to select same faces from current array, but on another object? in Maya Programming Forum

Mel how to select same faces from current array, but on another object?

malcolm_341 — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 22:30:40 GMT

I've often run into this problem where I've got an array of face stored in a variable, but I want to substitute a new object name. I've seen this accomplished online, but I don't understand the code because it's written in short hand. Could someone help me figure this out.

//Store faces from first object string $components[] = `ls -sl -fl`; //Get name of second object manually select here this is just an example string $obj[] = `ls -sl`; //Loop through array swap names string $newComponentSel[] = {}; for ($item in $components) { string $comp = `match "\\..+" $item`; $newComponentSel[size($newComponentSel)] = ($obj[0] + $comp); } select $newComponentSel;

This code works, but I don't understand the second line $newComponenSel[size($newComponentSel)] could someone write that out for me in long hand?

Re: Mel how to select same faces from current array, but on another object?

stuzzz — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 14:06:44 GMT

Hello Malcolm,

$newComponentSel[size($newComponentSel)] = ($obj[0] + $comp);

The line above is in a forLoop as you can see so anytime the loop iterate, the variable $newComponentSel which is an array has a new value.

It looks like a trick to append a new value ($obj[0]+$comp) at the end of the $newComponentSel array.

Re: Mel how to select same faces from current array, but on another object?

malcolm_341 — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 18:09:30 GMT

$newComponentSel[size($newComponentSel)]

What do the square brackets do, I haven't worked with those before?

Re: Mel how to select same faces from current array, but on another object?

stuzzz — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 22:53:12 GMT

The brackets means "the value at this nth index of this variable".

let's say you have this array:

string $myVar[]= {"banana", "toto", "titi"}; print $myVar[0]; // will return the first value which is "banana" print $myVar[1]; // will return the next value which is "toto" print $myVar[2]; // will return the last value which is "titi" print $myVar[size($myVar)-1]; // will return the last value, same as above

Re: Mel how to select same faces from current array, but on another object?

malcolm_341 — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 00:53:42 GMT

Oh interesting, thanks for that clear explanation.