Mesh Tools¶

Status: 1.0 Release - Fall 2016

Last update: 08.17.2017

Overview¶

MeshTools are a collection of tools to work with geo (poly or nurbs(for some)). You can find a detailed breakdown on the sections in the links provided.

Core Modules

Main modules this tool is using for those wanting to dig in.

cgm.core.lib.geo_Utils
cgm.core.classes.DraggerContextFactory
cgm.core.lib.shapeCaster
cgm.core.lib.rayCaster

Accessing¶

Top cgm menu - CGM > TD > Mesh > cgmMeshTools
Toolbox - TD Tab> Rigging > Mesh > MeshTools
Python

import cgm.core.tools.meshTools as MESHTOOLS
MESHTOOLS.go()

If you open the ui, you should see something like this:

It's divided into three modes: Math, Cast, Utils

Tip

Previous selections are remembered for subsequent processes if possible
From/to selection is typical.

Math¶

The math section is about using the positional data to do math functions similar to other deformers like blendshapes.

Until we get embeded video sorted. Please use this link: https://player.vimeo.com/video/183549761

Tip

Most math functions now work with soft selection evaluation
The space section of the options menu affects math functions.

Base Object¶

Base [ ] - Text field that displays the base object when loaded
<< - Loads a selected mesh as a base. It is then processed for it's symmetry dict
Reprocess - Recheck the symmetry of a base object to see if you've resolved it
Report - Tells how many asymetrical verts there are
symMode - specify which point to base symmetry calculation from
Tolerance - How close of a tolerance symmetry should be calculated to
x - Value to multiply calculations from on the various buttons
sym - Sym axis to measure symetry from
result - Specify how the result should be used
- New - Create a new mesh
- Modify - modify the target
- Values - report values

Base Select¶

Various methods of selecting helpful bits on the base..

Center - select the base center verts
Pos - select the base positive verts
Neg - select the base negative verts
Asym - select the asymetrical verts (if there are some)

Target Select¶

Same as before but on selected target geo.

Center - select a target's center verts
Pos - select the target's positive verts
Neg - select the targets negative verts
Check Sym- select the target's asymetrical verts (if there are any)
Select Mirror - selected the mirrored verts of those selected
Select Moved - selected the moved verts of the selected objects relative to the base

Targets To Base¶

Functions cast in relation to the base on selected objects. Cumulative effect.

Note

* marks math functions that don't work with soft selection yet

Add - base + target * multiplier
Subtract - base - target * multiplier
Average - average(base,target) * multiplier
Reset - Reset to base
Diff - delta of base - target
+Diff - base + (delta * multiplier)
-Diff - base - (delta * multiplier). This is what you'd use for 'adding' deltas
xDiff - x delta
yDiff - y delta
zDiff - z delta
Blend - acts like a blendshape with multiplier being the weight value
xBlend - x only blendshape
yBlend - y only blendshape
zBlend - z only blendshape

Blend Slider - slider creation of blend

Flip * - Flip the shape across the axis
SymPos * - Mirror the positive side
SymNeg * - Mirror the negative side

Target Math¶

Functions cast on selected objects. Cumulative effect. Last object is treated as the base (except for copyTo). See previous section for more details.

Cast¶

This was our intial pass on rayCasting with geo in a ui form.

Until we get embeded video sorted. Please use this link: https://player.vimeo.com/video/183556460

Cast Targets¶

This is where we load our targets to cast if we want to be specific. If no targets are specified, all mesh and nurbs surface objects in scene will be used.

Load Field - Multi select ability enabled. Displays loaded names and mesh types.
- Popup - loads on right click on an item
  Select - handy if you have a big scene and aren't sure where an item is
  
  Remove Selected
  
  Remove Non-selected
Load Selected - Load selected objects
Load all - Load all eligible targets (geo or nurbs)
Clear all - Clear this. When clear, ALL eligible targets will be used.

Click Mesh¶

For most things toolbox section is probably more intutive except for shapeCasting which it doesn't do.

Mode -
- Surface - first hit
- bisect - Piercing cast or all hits
- midPoint - Mid point of hits
[ ] Drag - When checked, rays are cast as long as you click
Clamp[ 0 ] - Clamp the number of hits
Start - Start the tool
Drop - Force the tool to drop and create non locator objects
Snap - Snap selected objects to cast point based on setting provided
Create - (Options Menu) - What to create for click mesh when tool is released.
- Options: locator,joint,jointChain,curve,follicle,group

Object Cast¶

This is a two part section. Most of the options in the slice section affect the wrap section as well. The general theory is that rays are cast from a given object in order to create curves. To my mind I think of the death blossom from the 80's flick the Last Starfighter spinning around around shooting rays. Works off a given selection of objects and uses the cast targets specified or all if none are.

Slice¶

A slice is a single curve lathe.

Options - Accessed via the options menu

Lathe Axis - curve casting lathe axis
Aim Axis - object aim axis for shooting rays
[] mark - Mark hits. Useful for troubleshooting and using data for other bits.
[] closed - Create closed curve
[] near - Use the nearest hit or use the farthest hit
d [3] - The degree of the curve to create. 1 is linear.
p [9] - Points - Number of rays to cast which translates to points of the curve
[] < [0.0] - Min Range (with toggle) - Specify range of an angle to cast
[] > [0.0] - Max Range (with toggle) - Specify range of an angle to cast
dist - Distance - Range which to cast our rays
Offset: [0.0] [0.0] [0.0] - Offset - Offset of a hit to further process. Use z to push out from the surface
Slice - Make your mesh curve slice

Wrap¶

A wrap is a more complicated lathe often with more than one cast point.

Options - Accessed via the options menu

``Obj Up Axis `` - object up axis for casting curves (lolipop for example)
Extend Mode - extend mode for how curves are wrapped
- Segment - cylider between two points
- radial - single radial cast like the rings of Saturn
- disc -
- cylinder -
- loliwrap -
- endCap - most often used for things like finger tips
Root: [0.0] [0.0] [0.0] - Root Offset - Offset for our root cast object. May be pulling this from gui call.
bank: [0.0] - Bank - Bake for cast object. May be pulling this from gui call.
[] mid - Mid mesh cast. May be pulling this from gui call.
[] join - Join cast curves. Only used in certain modes.
[] Inset [ 0.2] - Inset multplier. Only used with certain modes.
Wrap - Make your mesh wrap

Utils¶

Until we get embeded video sorted. Please use this link: https://player.vimeo.com/video/183669485

Proximity Query¶

Create proxi geometry based on a from to selection. * Expand - Mode by which to expand the found selection.

None -

Grow - Grow selection by amount specified

Soft Select [0.0] - Use soft select to grow by amount specified

Result- What kind of data we want from our processing.
- objs
- face
- edge
- vtx
- mesh - create a proximesh
Mode -
- Ray Cast - Use ray casting to check for precisness
- Bounding Box - Use the much faster bounding box check
Go - Process