ud_MayaTools 1.0.0 for Maya (maya plugin)

What is ud_MayaTools?
This will be a collection of tools I’ll attempt to write in Python. The whole purpose for this is to learn python and get familiar with Maya API.

ud_MayaTools v 1.1:

Updated this to a ud_MayaTools which will hold more scripts/tools in future.


ud_MayaTools installation:

1. Extract ud_MayaTools folder anywhere on your system.
2. Copy the userSetup.py to your “maya\VERSION\scripts” directory.
3. On initial Maya startup you’ll be asked to browse to ud_MayaTools directory on system.
4. Once ud_MayaTools directory path is set, run the tools command and make a button.

Updated ud_CameraRigTool:

VERSION – 1.1

•  
  • Changed Master camera name to ShotCAM.
  • ShotCAM is now visible throughout for easy access to camera properties.
  • ShotCAM now switches constrains between other camera types when changing Camera Select.
  • Can now use ShotCAM to see through camera for framing shots.
  • Cleaned up a few constrains attributes and locked them.

**New** Tool addition for v 1.1:

Introducing ud_ImportCurveControl:

 

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import ud_ImportCurveControl reload(ud_ImportCurveControl) ud_ImportCurveControl.ImportCurveControl()

For easy access to all controller shape types for rigging or anything else.

You can expand your collection by placing new ’.ma’ files for each new controller in the‘ud_mayaTools directory + ‘/rigging/mayaFile/MayaRiggingIcons’

Name your Maya control file appropriately. And The ‘ctrlOptions’ Menu will update with any new *.ma files present in the folder.

Usage:

1. Select the icon type you want to import.
2. Give it a name before importing

Note - By default the tool adds ‘_ctrl’ after user defined name.

3. Import Simple Control – Would simply import the single control shape.
4. Import Grouped Control – Will create a hierarchy with groups for each controller imported.

For example:

1.  
   1. control Name: hand_L
   2. Import Simple Control – hand_L_ctrl
   3. Import Grouped Control – hand_L_space–> hand_L_align–> hand_L_sdk–> hand_L_ctrl

Note - Grouped control hierarchy is just the standard one I follow for any rig.

Introducing ud_CameraRigTool:
ud_CameraRigTool is a simple camera rig which can be used for Previs, blocking and final shot setup in Maya. It uses JSON to save camera data and all rig information to external file which can be read and also used to import data onto another camera rig.
At the moment the tool supports Export/ Import with in Maya, but in future I plan to create similar tool for Softimage and share camera data between both applications.(Thats for another day)


ud_CameraRigTool Features:
Reference as many Camera Rigs into scene via custom namespaces.Export camera data and all rig information to external JSON file based on rig selection.Import camera data and all rig information from JSON file on to any other camera rig.Can edit external JSON file data and bring animation into Maya.



ud_CameraRigTool Usage:

1. Set all camera attributes on Master Camera, visible when you first import camera rig.
2. Using the world controller select a camera type – Free Camera, Camera / Aim, Camera / Aim / Up, as per shot requirement.
3. In build Measure Tools for convenience.
4. Visual controllers for Focal Distance, Frustrum, Near & Far planes and camera Offset attributes.
5. Using the included ud_CameraRigTool script you can import as many camera rigs with custom namespaces.
6. Import and Export camera attribute and data to external JSON file, which can be read in other softwares. 


Any bugs or suggestions please feel free to get in touch.

A huge thanks to:
Jeremy Ernst and his Building Maya Interfaces with Python video series on vimeo.
Ryan Trowbridge - Technical Artist at Naughty Dog and his book https://www.maya-python.com/
Awesome guys at https://tdchannel.com/
Chris Zurbrigg’s
Chad Vernon


….. and many more. I’ve learned heaps from all these guys..