melDrop 0.6.0 (maya script)

melDrop - Maya script installer

Th_meldropenabled

License Type:

Freeware

File ID:

5424

File Size:

8.2 KB

Created / Updated:

Dec 02, 2008 / Dec 04, 2008

Owner:

ewerybody   More free downloads from this user See users marketplace items See this users portfolio Send a Private Message

Platforms:

linux, mac, windows

Downloaded:

705

Maya:

7.x, 8.x, 2008, 2009

Tags:

So here it is: My simple drag and drop Maya script install tool: melDrop



Scripts currently using melDrop:
What you need to do:
  • Download and open the zip
  • drag & drop the files onto the Maya viewport
  • click ok

Voila! Now you are able to install melDrop-enabled scripts the same way. What melDrop can do:
  • copy the script file to your userScriptDir (check `internalVar -userScriptDir ` - in my case: C:Dokumente und EinstellungeneRiCEigene Dateienmaya7.0scripts)
  • create a shelf button if you want
  • copy the icon file to userBitmapsDir (has to have the scriptname + xpm/bmp! - check `internalVar -userBitmapsDir` - in my case: C:/Dokumente und Einstellungen/eRiC/Eigene Dateien/maya/7.0/prefs/icons/)
  • add the script to your userSetup,mel (resists in userScriptDir to source scripts on Maya startup instead of just hashing them)
  • setup a hotkey for the script (of course checks if hotkey is taken already)
  • keep track of the script version (alerts you if you want to drop an older version)

Some more info for interested authors:
How does this work?
If you drop a .mel-file into the viewport Maya kindly sources the file automatically. Now Maya keeps track of all sourced and hashed script files. The locations of any defined procs are saved and whatIs command can get this location.
Zip-apps like winRAR and build in Zip automatically extract to the temp-dir. So its a completely valid location on the harddisk.
melDrop gets this location and if its different from your userScriptDir it offers to copy files there plus handy padding shelfButton, hotkey and version remembering stuff..

To setup all that you are invited to make use of the melDropEnabler:



That already covers a lot of (at least my) needs for script publishing. Trust me: There has been a loooot of thinking already how to improve this. And its not quite finished. So here is what it can NOT do and some problems there still are:
  • copies ONLY to the userScriptDir (or userBitmapsDir for icons)
  • currently does not handle multiple files (1 .mel-file, 1 icon .bmp or .xpm)
  • only offers to start the "scriptname" NO arguments allowed
  • dropping .txt causes an error-message to show but doesn't harm
  • dropping .xpm causes fcheck to pop up for no reason on Maya > 7.0
  • currently does not work with python
Please note that this is all PRE 1.0 - like beta! Use it on your own risk. I'm not responsible for black holes or sudden explosions and stuff resulting in using this.. you know ;]
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