Adding Objects

[tcastudios]

To get the basics what is possible, go to www.plugincafe.com and dload the
COFFEE SDK. The latest is R9.5.

Have a look at "Changes" and see the "AllocObject()" link.

Otherwise your description is a little bit unclear what you are trying to do.
Adding a object is pretty straight forward. The q is when, how, under what circumstances
as well as how much control of the adding process is needed.


Cheers
Lennart

[barcombpictures]

Well, I am trying to create a plugin to create a light at the center of any new object i add to the scene. I want to do this as a global illumination work around. The main goal is to have any object also be a light emitter so i can simulate the diffusion of light off objects.

Another thing i want to eventually be able to do with this is to have a material be able to emit light and set up some math to assign its intensity based on various factors, like its distance from the light, etc. But i cannot find a good place to find out about the scripting style and language, about what needs to go where. I dloaded the most recent SDK and it's been little help. And I looked at c4dcafe and saw only one tutorial about the script manager. Ive been able to setup some simple 'Set' commands for rotation and position but not much else.

[tcastudios]

Start with the first, easier part, creating a Object and light.
Look thru the available scripts here at the nearby Script resources thread.
There you'll find the syntax (very much the same as COFFEE) for specific tasks.

A Script is more or less a MenuPlugin. Read thru the COFFEE SDK to be able to search in it.
The fast lane into making your script into a MenuPlugin is to get the brand new and highly recommended COFFEE Book (pdf) by Ruimac at http://www.ruimac.com/coffee_book/

It takes the route from basic description all the way to a Menuplug with user settings.

Cheers
Lennart

[Jorge Arango]

Another thing i want to eventually be able to do with this is to have a material be able to emit light and set up some math to assign its intensity based on various factors, like its distance from the light, etc.

I also recommend Rui's book but this part might be easier with xpresso.


Jorge Arango

[tcastudios]

These two script examples will get you the basics.
Copy and paste each into two new scripts (ScriptManager ->New).

Cheers
Lennart

Example 1

// Add Light Example 1
// Add a light as child of a single selected object
// Only works if a single object is selected
// See example 2 for using several selected objects

var obj = doc->GetActiveObject(); // Do we have a selected object?
if(!obj) return; // Nothing is selected, nothing to do
var objm = obj->GetMg(); // Get the matrix of the selected object
var objname = obj->GetName(); // Get name of obj

doc->StartUndo(); // Start the Undo process

var light = AllocObject(Olight); // Create a Light object
//light#LIGHT_TYPE = 1; // Optionaly Set the light type to something specific, SpotLight etc.
light#ID_BASELIST_NAME = stradd(objname,"_Light");// Set a name based on obj
//light->SetName(stradd(objname,"_Light")); // another way to set a name based on obj
doc->AddUndo(UNDO_OBJECT_NEW,light);

light->InsertUnder(obj); // Insert the light as a child of obj
//doc->InsertObject(light,obj,NULL); // Another way of inserting the light
light->SetMg(objm); // Set the obj matrix into the light
doc->EndUndo(); // Done and regretable


Example 2

// Add Light Example 2
// Add a light as child of all selected objects

var doc = GetActiveDocument(); // Should be really since you are working in it,
if(!doc) return; // but better safe than sorry. More of a plugin issue
var obj = doc->GetFirstObject(); // We are scanning from first object in document
if(!obj) return; // No object in document, nothing to do

if(obj->GetBit(BIT_AOBJ)) obj=obj; // If first object is selected we start from it
else obj=obj->SearchNext(BIT_AOBJ); // else we search for the next selected
doc->StartUndo(); // Start the Undo process

var count = 1; // Start number for the naming process

while(obj) // For each selected object we scan we add a light....
{
var objm = obj->GetMg(); // Get the matrix of the selected object
var objname = obj->GetName(); // Get name of obj

var light = AllocObject(Olight); // Create a Light object

light#ID_BASELIST_NAME = stradd(objname,"_Light_",tostring(count));// Set a numbered name based on obj
doc->AddUndo(UNDO_OBJECT_NEW,light); // load the Undo cue

light->InsertUnder(obj); // Insert the light as a child of obj
light->SetMg(objm); // Set the obj matrix into the light
count++; // Increase the naming number
obj=obj->SearchNext(BIT_AOBJ); // Get next selected object as long as there is any
}

doc->EndUndo(); // Done and regretable

[barcombpictures]

Thank you very much, those are very very helpful examples.

[govinda]

I'm curious what the 'Done and Regrettable' line means in your code notes, Lennart. That's three times I've seen it. :) Is it a little coder's convention?

[tcastudios]

Hehe.. It's maybe down to the fact that english is not my native language:)
Heck, it's not even spelt right, is it !?

So, it could mean: mission completed (Done) but if you didn't like it (regret)
it can be undone (UnDo) and no one would ever know it ever happened!

Cheers
Lennart

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