There is still time left in the year for new stuff!

Introducing Curve Combiner and Constraint Locator!

Curve Combiner

While messing with rigging I’ve come across the need to combine nurbs curve shapes into a single object. Thankfully it is not something that is hard to do, but the process is tedious and incredibly counter intuitive!

So here is a simple script to help with that!

In your shelf editor, simply make a new shelf button with this PYTHON code:

# Combine nurbs curves into one single nurbs shape!
import maya.cmds as cmds
sel = cmds.ls( sl=True ) # Grab the current selection...
if len(sel) > 1:
	cmds.makeIdentity( sel, a=True) # Freeze Transforms
	parent = sel[-1] # The object we will parent to.
	del sel[-1]
	curves = cmds.listRelatives( sel , s=True) # The curves we want to combine.
	cmds.parent( curves, parent, s=True, r=True )
	cmds.delete( sel )
	cmds.select( parent )
else:
	cmds.confirmDialog(t='Yeah, nah bro.', m="You need to select more than one curve to combine them.")

Then select all the curves you wish to combine and hit the button! Time Saved!

Constraint Locator

Another common task I (and perhaps you too?) find myself doing is creating locators to aid in constraining objects to one another.

Picking up that pencil? Want a parent / parent-constraint heirachy to give maximum flexability? TEDIOUS!

So here is a script that goes and does the hard work for you.

To use it, simply copy and paste the below into a PYTHON button on your shelf.

Select ONE object and a locator will be created, with the object parented to it. So you can use the locator to control the object.

Select TWO objects and a locator will be parented to the first object, and constrained to the second object.

# One object selected: Parent object to a Locator.
# Two objects selected: Set up locator on first object and parent second to the locator.
import maya.cmds as cmds
sel = cmds.ls(sl=True)
if len(sel) < 3:
	if len(sel):
		xyz = {'X':0,'Y':1,'Z':2}
		d = cmds.xform( sel[-1], bb=True, q=True )
		lnb = "locator_"
		n = 1
		ln = lnb+sel[0]
		while cmds.objExists( ln ): # no duplicates
			ln = lnb+str(n)+"_"+sel[0]
			n += 1
		loc = cmds.spaceLocator( n= ln )[0]# create locator
		shape = cmds.listRelatives( loc , s=True)[0]+".localScale"
		for ax in xyz: #scale locator
			cmds.setAttr( shape+ax, d[xyz[ax]+3] - d[xyz[ax]] )
		grp = "world_"+sel[0] if len(sel) == 1 else "constraint_"+sel[0]
		if cmds.objExists( grp ): # check if group already exists (ie more than one constraint setup)
			cmds.parent( loc, grp, r=True )
		else: #doesn't exist? create the group
			grp = cmds.group( loc, n=grp)
			if not len(sel) == 1:
				cmds.parentConstraint( sel[0], grp ) #move locator to position
		cmds.delete( cmds.parentConstraint( sel[-1], loc) )
		cmds.parentConstraint( loc, sel[-1] )
		cmds.select( loc )
	else:
		cmds.confirmDialog(t='Yeah, nah bro.', m="You have nothing selected.\n\nOne object selected: Parent object to a Locator.\nTwo objects selected: Set up locator on first object and parent second to the locator.")
else:
	cmds.confirmDialog(t='Yeah, nah bro.', m="You selected heaps as!\nJust select one or two objects.")