How can I use MEL to animate this?

[boraddd]

i`ll show you one way of doing this,
first, using a script i`ll create an foat array to define each boxes random Y speed than i`ll use those random speeds to move boxes in an expression.... here is how;

1st run this script once;

global float $ySpeed[];
string $box[];
$box=`ls -tr "box*"`;
for($n=0;$n<`size($box)`;$n++){
$ySpeed[$n]=rand(0.1,0.5);
}


than create this expression

global float $ySpeed[];
string $box[];
$box=`ls -tr "box*"`;
for($n=0;$n<`size($box)`;$n++){
if(frame==1) setAttr ($box[$n]+".ty") 0;
move -r 0 $ySpeed[$n] 0 $box[$n];
}

hope this helps

[orgeeizm]

Ahh Thank you. But ehh, I want the box Y speed to be not set.
When you created the array, it created a static Y increment value for the corresponding box.

i.e: lets say $yspeed[23] == 2.4;

$box[23] would always be using 2.4 as its decrement value.

But if i wanted to make it random, i would do this inside the the move loop:

$ySpeed = rand(0.1, 0.5);
move -r 0 $ySpeed 0 $box[$n];

so that for example, box[23] would always have a different Y increment value.

OK Another question:

You say to run that first script once. And so it creates the array $ySpeed and im taking it stores it in the scene file, how would I get to this $ySpeed and delete it or do some things with it?
Basically im looking for like an 'Outliner' for the array created with the script.

Thanks for your help! =)

I should get a MEL book than read the A|W Manual so i can stop asking these noobs questions hehe.

[boraddd]

easiest way is to create an expression like this

global float myarray[];
if(frame==1){
seed 153723;
// set the random values for myarray here
}

you can also write that array to a text file using fopen fwrite and such....


but don`t forget you can also key frame the animation once you get it as you like(->bake simulation)

[orgeeizm]

Thanks! Youve been very helpful.

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