2015
cmiVFX
Simon Payne
2:55
English
Welcome to volume 2 part E. This incredible rigging and animation masterclass brings you valuable information on scripting using Mel Script and Python. Our popular mentor, Mr. Simon Payne, finishes off volume 2 with some vital discussions and demonstrations. We'll learn why animators should understand scripting and how to use Mel Script and Python in a way that's directly applicable to our work as animators. We'll learn about navigating the UI's for Mel and Python, using logic and pseudo code, and sharing code between software as well. This is top-notch instruction that simply can't be found anywhere else, and Simon Payne's teaching methods are absolutely fantastic. This is rigging and animation at its finest, so get started with The Creature Creator's Handbook today! NOTE: If you're new to this course, you'll need to watch volume 1, as well as volume 2 parts A, B, C, and D before beginning volume 2 part E. Due to the large amount of information covered in volume 2 of this course, it has been split into five parts labeled A, B, C, D and E. You'll need to watch the entire course to fully understand this material. So, if you're all caught up on the previous material, enjoy Creature Creator's Handbook Volume 2 Part E.
Scripting/Programming
In this final part of volume 2, I am introducing those who are new to scripting/programming, or those who have not yet crossed boarders between Mel script and Python, to both scripting languages. The first, most important thing is to understand what programming/scripting actually is, and why it is a good skill to have as a rigger. In my opinion, it is a must-have skill. For as long as you don’t script, your performance in speed and complexity as a rigger, is greatly limited by comparison to other mid-senior level riggers. For any rigger who does not code, there are plenty of riggers who do, who will be applying for the same jobs. We don’t aim to do the work of a research-&-development coder, but we do aim to be able to produce production level rigging at competitive speed and quality. The idea is to take what software does out of the box, and extend its practicality in order to accomplish more in less time. A comparable example would be Flash or Director... to create any simple button requires some basic scripting/commands. Mel and Python in Maya are the same thing. It is an “echo†of what Maya is doing itself, so that means that we can use the same commands and we don’t have to limit ourselves to using Maya’s menus and buttons. We can batch commands up and run them through multiple times until a desired result is achieved. This is the point of learning to script. As a rigger, your daily work involves a great deal of repetitive tasks, such as joint drawing, orienting, skinning, creating animation controls, etc. Doing this manually every time would take months to rig even a simple character to a high quality, so we put lists of commands used by Maya when we click the mouse or press a button, into our own new buttons, and et voila! A week-long task can now be done in minutes.
What is Mel, What is Python?
I explain that Maya-Embedded-Language is the Maya equivalent of Flash script. Maya’s entire UI and the menus and buttons you use, simply executes Mel commands. The Mel commands call on the underlying C++ code. Python is an independent programming language which has become a standard choice across many DCC’s. Writing code in Python has a far faster learning curve between different software than learning software-specific languages every time. It also allows us to share some code between platforms as a result.
Why Learn Both?
A discussion on the merits of learning both Mel and Python. As Maya is built with Mel, it is important to understand and learn it. It is also a very simple scripting language that is very quick to learn. Python is integrated into Maya but is only really calling Mel commands underneath, or the same Maya C++ API calls that Mel script does. Thus it would be hard to take to the more complex language of Python, if you are new to programming, and also if you are new to coding for Maya if you do not first understand what is happening in the world of Mel script. There are also Maya-specific issues that will arise from time to time, that may require you to use only, either Mel or Python for specific tasks. Converting between is easy, and I will demonstrate that process later in this part of Volume2.
What is Programming/Scripting?
I explain the difference between the two terms, but most importantly, I introduce complete beginners who have never done any programming to the process and I try to put it in very easy-to-understand terms. Programming itself is easy, and does not require a rocket scientist’s brain to accomplish. Anyone can write simple, useful code.
Logic Gates
I use a simple visual demonstration of what all programming is essentially based on... logic. We take inputs, we set a condition and a process, and we get an output. There are many conditions and logics we can use, but there is a handful of main concepts. Here I demonstrate input data-types, and the concepts of logic gates/operators such as “and,†“or,†“while,†“if,†and “not.†I also cover conditions, loops, and outputs, all using just a handful of icons on a screen. All we do when we program is use these concepts in a written/descriptive form.
Introduction to Mel Script
I show you how to “source†(load scripts into memory) Mel scripts automatically, rather than manually sourcing every time. I cover key general-programing terminology as we learn the very basics of Mel script. I cover what is meant by “syntax,†“variable," “scope,†“procedure,†“data types,†“arrays,†“loops,†“incrementing,†and more, and we'll also be using our first “if†statements, we'll be “parsing†data to procedures and creating our commands. I also give you a very brief example of how easy it is to create your own UI’s for your Mel Scripts.
Introduction to Python
Here we learn the difference in “syntax†between Mel and Python and a bunch of additional concepts and data types including “functions,†“namespaces,†“lists,†and “dictionaries.†I show you how to change Mel into Python and how to “import†Python scripts as an equivalent to sourcing Mel. We also do a little more UI stuff, this time in Python. I demonstrate how we can share some Python code with other platforms.
Rounding Up Volume 2
I finish this lesson by providing an overview of everything we have learned in Volume 2, and a preview of what we will be covering in Volume 3.
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