General Utilities

Code author: Jeremy Ernst

This module provides utilities usually for returning information, handling paths, or building strings.

Functions

• convert_to_pynodes
• create_asset
• filter_nodes
• get_joints_in_hierarchy
• get_root_joint_of_component
• import_file
• parent_object
• path_join
• path_unify
• rename_object
• return_settings
• set_attribute
• strip_name

convert_to_pynodes(nodes)

Converts the incoming nodes to PyNodes and returns them.

Parameters:nodes – String list of nodes to convert. Returns:List of PyNodes

create_asset(asset_name)

Create a container asset with the given asset name and return the created container. :param asset_name: Name for container. :return: pyNode of created asset.

filter_nodes(nodes, filter_by='transform')

Filters the given nodes by the given type and returns the filtered nodes as a list. :param nodes: List of nodes to filter. :param str filter_by: Types of nodes to return. :return: List of filtered nodes.

get_joints_in_hierarchy(root=None, as_pynode=False)

Gets the joints in a hierarchy and returns them. If a root joint is given, it will search from there. If not, it will select everything in the scene and find the joints that way instead. :param root: (Optional) Name of joint at the top of the hierarchy you wish to search. :param as_pynode: Bool as whether to return the list as PyNodes or strings. :return: Returns either a list of PyNodes or strings of the joints in the hierarchy.

get_root_joint_of_component(joints)

Finds and returns the top-most joint of a component.

Parameters:joints – List of Pynodes of joints from the component. Returns:Pynode of top-most joint.

import_file(path, return_nodes=False)

Imports the given file into Maya. :param path: Path of file to import :param return_nodes: Whether or not to return created nodes. :return: list of imported nodes

parent_object(child, parent)

Parents the child to the parent object.

Parameters:

• child (str) – Name of node to be parented.
• parent (str) – Name of node that will be the parent.

path_join(path_base, path_tail)

Take the incoming path and file and use os.path.join to create a new file path. Then replace all back slashes with forward slashes.

Parameters:

• path_base (str) – First part of path to join.
• path_tail (str) – Second part of path to join.

Returns:

Joined path with proper separators.

Return type:

str

path_unify(path)

Take the incoming path and replace back slashes with forward slashes.

Parameters:path (str) – Incoming path to manipulate. Returns:Corrected path with correct separators. Return type:str

rename_object(pynode, new_name)

Renames the incoming PyNode with the given new name.

Parameters:

• pynode (pymel.core.PyNode) – PyNode that represents the object to rename.
• new_name (str) – The new name for the node.

return_settings()

Returns ARTv2 settings for the paths to various needed directories.

Returns:Array of path names to directories needed by the tools. Return type:str, []

set_attribute(node, attr, value, attr_type=None)

Sets an attribute on the given node to the given value. Ensures node and attribute is unlocked before doing so, and re-locks them after.

Parameters:

• node (pm.PyNode) – Node to set attribute on.
• attr (str) – Attribute on node to set.
• value (float, int, bool, string) – Value to set attribute to.
• attr_type (str) – Whether or not a special type needs to be defined (string, bool, etc)

strip_name(name_to_strip, prefix, base_name, suffix)

Strip a name down to whatever is left after removing the prefix, base name, and suffix.

Parameters:

• name_to_strip (str) – The name to tokenize.
• prefix (str) – The prefix to remove from the name.
• base_name (str, None) – The base name of the component to remove from the name.
• suffix (str) – The suffix to remove from the name.

Returns:

The name with the prefix, suffix, and base name removed.

Return type:

str