Python for creating a Control Rig on a character

[Neill]

I've been trying to figure out how to create a control rig in Python.
I've gotten all the way to the Characterize stage with my script.
Now I have to apply a control rig.
I have the characterize checkbox selected by python....

.... now HOW do I create a control rig on the character with python?

****NOTE****
I am running 7.5 ext2 Patch C (released 10/11/07):

Bug #274116 FBCharacterPose is not properly exposed to python
- added missing expose of FBCharacterPoseOptions and FBCharacterPoseFlags

There is not any true way for Control rig creation. I was in sutiation, where I asked the same question... To solve this problem, I manually reset value's on existing control rig, then put it on character

[DangerAhead]

I wish the MotionBuilder team would
expose more methods to allow me to characterize a character fully.
I'm pulling my hair out over here.

I have a ton of characters to set control rigs on and I'm getting tired of doing it manually.

[alec.tron]

I wish the MotionBuilder team would
expose more methods to allow me to characterize a character fully.
I'm pulling my hair out over here.

I have a ton of characters to set control rigs on and I'm getting tired of doing it manually.

Yep...same here....
Really, really, really! annoying that one of the essential workflow tools/steps lacks decent automation or methods (achievable by non-programmers)....
c.

[Neill]

I wish the MotionBuilder team would
expose more methods to allow me to characterize a character fully.
I'm pulling my hair out over here.

I have a ton of characters to set control rigs on and I'm getting tired of doing it manually.

If U work under Win, there is the way out to emulate button click, menu selecting, key's pressing events. For me It helps to create custom main menu layout and execute needed python scripts (cause original FBApplication.ExecuteScript method doens't work at all)

[DangerAhead]

Neill,

explain how one goes about doing that. can you post an example .py file here so I can see if I can apply that method to my madness?

Thanks

[alec.tron]

Mornin.
I suspect Neill means recording / writing GUI macros... like recording your keyboard & mouse actions and fire it up at will again... (http://www.google.com/search?hl=de&q=mouse+recorder+keyboard+macro+&btnG=Google-Suche&meta=)
I tried that as well a while ago to work around the issue of having automated characterization, unfortunately there was one issue with the MB Gui that behaved really weird and I postponed it until now... don t remember which issue it was though, I think it was something about the mouse recorder and MBs multi window setup that didnt play nice together....

c.

[DangerAhead]

this is just silly.
We shouldn't have to resort to GUI macros...

Autodesk needs to provide a scripting method for creating hundreds of characters attached to Control Rigs quickly.

SIMPLE:
what is the python code for invoking a Control Rig on a character?.... that's all we need. Why is this so impossible to find?

[alec.tron]

this is just silly.
We shouldn't have to resort to GUI macros...

Autodesk needs to provide a scripting method for creating hundreds of characters attached to Control Rigs quickly.


It indeed is silly...
I couldn t and still can t believe it either... we re trying to find a MB / Python Scripter who has found a way to bypass it for ages now, without any success so far...

c.

[Neill]

It indeed is silly...
I couldn t and still can t believe it either... we re trying to find a MB / Python Scripter who has found a way to bypass it for ages now, without any success so far...

c.

As I said, there is a way in winOS to work retreive/send messages. This may help to make some actions automatic.

[CurtisG]

Hey guys,

We are working on this issue and hope to have some news soon. Just to make sure we understand the desired workflow, you are aiming to have the following steps scriptable via Python:

- load/merge a character into the scene
- map the characters skeleton to a new Character template
- Characterize the character
- Create a control-rig
- Set the new control-rig as input to the Character

Stay tuned!

CG

[alec.tron]

Hiya Curtis.
Thanks for getting in touch here.
Ideally everything do-able to a character standard-ly through the GUI should be scriptable as well, but looking at your list and from the top of me head there s only one thing missing which would be vital for us...
-Character Extension creation

c.

[Neill]

Hey guys,

We are working on this issue and hope to have some news soon. Just to make sure we understand the desired workflow, you are aiming to have the following steps scriptable via Python:

- load/merge a character into the scene
- map the characters skeleton to a new Character template
- Characterize the character
- Create a control-rig
- Set the new control-rig as input to the Character

Stay tuned!

CG

Hi Curtis,

list smells good, but when this features we can use? Are there any date of release?

[DangerAhead]

We are working on this issue and hope to have some news soon. Just to make sure we understand the desired workflow, you are aiming to have the following steps scriptable via Python:

- load/merge a character into the scene
- map the characters skeleton to a new Character template
- Characterize the character
- Create a control-rig
- Set the new control-rig as input to the Character

Great news! this is exactly the work flow. Thanks Curtis! you are going to make my life tons easier! I've pretty much been able to script everything else I need except for sept 4 and 5 there!

[Matte]

I just wanted to express my support to what is suggested here. Like alec.tron said, ideally everything that is accessable via the GUI should be accessable via python. This of course goes to all Character type classes. That would truely make motionbuilder even more powerful.

So, CurtisG, keep ut the good work, and see if you can make this happend.

/Matte

[liquidhalf]

I to am looking forward to this! Would be extremely useful. Please add Character Extension to the list.

[mkapfhammer]

Hey!

Thanks for bringing this up. :D

We have the same issues with Python in MotionBuilder (v7.5 Ext1). It seems like a giant waste of time to be stuck doing those steps manually.

Does anyone know if there were any updates made to fix this in extension 2?

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