rmbToolWin 0.2.10 for Maya (maya script)

2014-09-07:  no script update but i wanted to let those interested know the following:

• i hope to complete an initial screencast to go over key featurez soon.
• i have identified 2 subtle bugz in loft polyface tool.  in some casez, the tool appearz to get stuck in a loop, but i cannot reliably replicate the problem.  i don't want to scare folkz but u should be aware.  this appearz to occur if only one polyface (on a plane at the origin) has been selected for processing. the other bug is i noticed that some face loft spanz get deformed with a 90 degree rotation.  probably some vector normal mis-calculation.
• i am finally reworking several gui optionz to make thingz a little more clear.
• i have created a new method to create circular arc face curvez and filletz that i will integrate as soon as i decide how to present the optionz within the loft polyface tool.  this new method should permit the creation of smoother loftz with less spanz.

2014-08-08:  bug fixez

• loft polyface would not work and leave several nodez if u had already performed an operation on a poly mesh with same name.  now, it should handle and process multiple executionz. optional cluster deformz in u direction should now work.

2014-08-06:  i hope to provide more detailed documentation and a short how-to screencast soon.  here is a brief explaination of some of the more "important" toolz:

• loft polyface:  select one or more poly mesh objectz, and/or individual facez.  use face profile control envelope to define what kind of curvez are to be outlined onto each poly face (linear, fillet, or circle [requirez planar facez]...  none is used to skip a section for multiple loctz per face).  outlinez will be created from a face edge to the face center.  default is to loft these outlinez together to derrive new surfacez from facez.  u can also create offset/attached loftz for thickness.  u can enable cluster deform to deform generated surfacez with clusterz, relative to face normalz - using envelopez to determine deform shape.  another envelope can also generate tube extrusionz using same face curvez at certain parametric distancez.  cluster deformz can now be edited later by tweaking a "cluster remap node"...  i made this tool to explore dynamic organic formz based on polyhedra, but almost any poly mesh will work - but be aware of poly countz!  also, face normalz will affect resultz.  this tool far from perfect, but has more than met my needz.

• cover surface:  this tool wil attempt to cover nurbz geometry with designated plotz with can be simple primitivez, nparticlez, and/or custom geometry.  the new radial/hex plot is promising but needz a lot of work - it is a performance hog!  this is the only tool i know of that will try to fully cover a nurbz surface, not just at cv/ep pointz...  and it triez to honor trimmed surfacez.  i'm sure there are better wayz of achieving similar resultz ;-)

• expression rampz:  i'm hopeful for this feature but the current setup gui is almost worthless...  the idea is use an envelope (remap node) to create a mini-animation curve (dynamic length) that can be set to trigger when an input signal exceedz a certain value, then retrigger according to hold, length, and input threshold ("trigIn") attributez.  typically, the attribute "mOut" should be connected to an attribute u want to drive.  i made this to have audio trigger a simple animation when amplitude exceedz a threshold.  an expression doez all the work.  this tool workz but needz more refinement.

2014-08-02:  more featurez, more bugz, a name change, and a brief pdf document...

• u can now alter face loft cluster deformationz after creation through a "cluster remap node" but it doez not work for u-clusters or in conjuction with blendshape optionz.
• experimental expression-ramp animation feature is available but not that easy to use just yet.
• u can map/remap curvez onto surfacez.
• therez a tube maker tool that will attempt to offset a copy to the curve normal (doesnt alwayz work well on sharp cornerz).

• n-sided polygon curve and curve on surface mapping featurez are now included but gui for these still needz refinement.
• a number of fixez and enhancementz have been made to cover surface tool - including a radial hex plot mode which is still buggy and very slow - avoid using radial plot mode for the time being ;-)

2013-10-26:  mini-braindump:  i dont wanna spend too much effort on thingz of little value to otherz, but am considering the following:

• finish some documentation & examplez.
• re-work some logic to permit some construction history & dynamic adjustment of specifc parameterz.
• save/load settingz function.
• allow deformation of surfacez in "u" direction (not just "v" direction).
• create some kind of preview functionz.
• create mini pipelinez that one can selectively use as blendshape sourcez and/or connect one or more "master" attributez for more dynamic control & driven key possibilitiez.

2013-10-19:  version 0.2.5 notez:

• poly face surface generation - create elaborate loftz, extrudez, and cluster deformationz out of poly facez.  avoid large poly countz...  on my systemz, thingz start to get really slow if i try to process more than a 100-150 facez.  note that the tool permitz u to select individual facez.
• tile geometry on or between nurbz surfacez.
• cover/plot/fill nurbz curvez and surfacez with simple nodez, custom objectz, and/or nparticlez.  this tool will honor most trim surfacez.
• envelope controlz have been re-worked (again) and should now be a little more straight forward and flexible.  when controlling a cluster deformation, the default envelope behaviour is to affect surface parameterz from the outer edge in towardz the face center.  an option also existz to apply the envelope relative to parameterization of an individual generated surface.
• new envelope edit optionz have been added.  below the main face curve generation envelope, some "extended" copy/merge/replace optionz now exist.  this should allow one to match/harmonize valuez between multiple envelopez.  i've deliberately avoided option variablez but perhapz i will add a preset/save/load function.
• under the tiling and plotting tool tabz, an option has now been included to duplicate with upstream nodez option.  this was added per request.
• i've finally added some annotation to many (but not all) of the optionz.  hopefully this provide some basic "help" until i can finish proper documentation.
• the surface plotting tool now has a separate option plot the edgez of a trimmed surface (feature didn't work in previous versionz).  note that edge curve plotz are effectively "doubled"; i will correct this bug shortly.
• many subtle bugz have been addressed but i'm sure therez more...

2013-10-01:  working on a update which i hope will not only solve a few lingering issuez, but make general use more intuitive...  or so i hope ;-).  oh, and some documentation/help.  for anyone who carez, i'd love to hear any feedback or use casez; just drop me a message.

2013-09-20:  version 0.2.2 enhancez envelope controlz and addz optionz to tesselate generated geometriez.

2013-09-17:  version 0.2.1 replacez ramp envelope with separate cluster control envelope.  i believe all desired featurez are "good enough" for now, though i will try to include some builtin help in next version.

with this one tool, u can:

• convert polyfacez to elaborate face profilde curvez, nurbz loftz, & offset surfacez.
• displace generated loftz and surfacez using a cluster deformer with control over how surface cv'z are weighted.
• create a basic blendshape (blend between zero cluster displacement and +/-10 weight displacement via connected attribute in main object group).
• extrude face curve profilez
• use the tile tool to tile on or between nurbz surfacez - using arbitrary geometry.
• use the surface plot feature to do just that...  plot nodez/shapez/instancez on nurbz curvez and/or surfacez (feature not full-proof but it doez work with trimmed surfacez).

notez/cautionz:

• recommend processing less than 1000 ployfacez at once!!!  1000 is likely too much ;-)
• control envelopez are not currently persistent & lack a few editing bellz & whistlez.
•  the face surfacing tool was originally intended for quickly creating elaborate loftz on simple polygonz, but one can generate quite a large number or "happy accidentz" - source material for other purposez.
• rmbTileTool is available in 2nd window tab...  please see that page for more info.

• the surface plotting feature doez not work very well with the following:

•  
  • surfacez with 1 span in in either u and/or v direction
  • trim surfacez where most of surface is "trimmed" 
  • trim edgez do yet work as expected :-/
  •  avoid large surfacez with relatively small plot sizez!  i recommend processing a few nurbz at a time instead of all at once!
  • on periodic or closed surfacez/curve, there is a slight overlap of plotz near the end.

2013-09-15:  version 0.1.10 enhancez surface plot feature.  some minor bugz likely remain but core functionz have been tested.  u can now specify custom geometry to plot on surface/curve.  poly cube plot option also available.  ...now to fix control envelopez!!

2013-09-12:  version 0.1.8 added node/instance surface plot feature under new 3rd tab.  it providez a way to "pack" a nurbz surface or curve with whatever.  i strongly recommend against processing large surfacez with relatively small node plotz; this script will consume beaucoupz memory & possibly crash maya.  some planar surfacez and the like may not work as expected (try surface rebuild, perhapz) but the script doez "honor" surface trimz.

2013-09-11:  version 0.1.6 correctz a number of subtle bugz and addz even more confusing optionz ;-)  someday soon i hope to complete some basic help/info, & blend shape - making the deformation control interface more intuitive and usuable is higher priority.  quick notez/summary of enhancementz:

- moving clusterz along surface normalz largely workz albeit not very intuituve or efficient.

- if u add pointz to profile control curve, note that newly-added ramp/gradient control point index numberz may not be in expected order! (fix comming).  this can radicially affect surface creation & deformation, for better and for worse.

- now acceptz nonplanar facez - but circular face curvez may be unavailable (use fillet with greater blend weight as alternative).  u can also require facez to be planar prior to processing...

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