MEL Scripting for Maya Animators / Edition 2

by Mark R. Wilkins, Chris Kazmier

Overview

Trying to learn Maya programming from the documentation can be daunting whether or not you are a programmer. The first edition of MEL Scripting for Maya Animators earned the reputation as the best introductory book on MEL, Maya’s scripting language. Now fully revised and updated, the second edition also includes new features, such as a discussion of global procedures, new chapters on fixing programming bottlenecks, advanced user interface techniques, and optimizing character rigs. New chapters on utility nodes and Maya's Web Panel feature provide new ideas on how to use MEL in applications.

This new edition has kept the popular style of the first edition that offered very clear explanations of programming concepts to those without programming experience. A generous collection of code examples and Maya scene files is included on the companion Web site. This is a book for animators, artists, game developers, visual effects developers, and technical directors who want to learn the fundamentals of Maya, how to automate tasks, personalize user interfaces, build custom tools, and solve problems with MEL.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780120887934
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	07/25/2005
Series:	The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	552
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Mark R. Wilkins is a technical director at DreamWorks Animation SKG, where he helped develop a production pipeline using Maya for effects and character animation. Mark also provides training and technical assistance to animators using Maya. He previously worked at Walt Disney Feature Animation in a variety of positions including software engineer and scene setup supervisor. He has contributed to a number of films, including Dinosaur, Mission: Impossible 2, Minority Report, and Madagascar. Mark holds a degree in physics from Harvey Mudd College.

Chris Kazmier is a senior technical director at Sony Pictures Imageworks, where he creates computer-generated effects for live-action films. He has worked on projects ranging from The Haunted Mansion to Sony's first all 3D feature animation Open Season. Previously, Chris worked at DreamWorks on Sinbad and at PDI/DreamWorks on the Intel Aliens ad campaign. Credits also include Fox Animation Studio's Titan AE and Anastasia.

Table of Contents

1. Maya Under the Hood
2. The Basics of MEL Commands
3. Using Expressions
4. Controlling Particles with Expressions
5. Problem Solving with MEL Scripting
6. Variables and Data Types
7. Using MEL Commands
8. Manipulating Nodes in MEL
9. Controlling the Flow of Execution
10. Procedures and Functions
11. Naming Nodes, Scripts, and Variables
12. Designing MEL User Interfaces
13. Simple MEL User Interfaces
14. Custom Dialog Boxes
15. Making Advanced Dialog Boxes with formLayout
16. Making Advanced Dialog Boxes with Web Panels
17. Improving Performance With Utility Nodes
18. Installing MEL Scripts
19. Examples Using MEL with Particle Dynamics
20. Examples Using MEL with Solid Body Dynamics
21. Example of a Simple Crowd System
22. Examples Using MEL in Character Rigging

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

The best introductory book on Maya's scripting language now in a new edition

Editorial Reviews

"Reading and following the lessons of this book provides one of the best ways for a casual Maya user to elevate their skills to a professional level. The fundamental techniques developed in MEL Scripting for Maya Animators are critical for visual effects artists to learn." —Scott Stokdyk, Visual Effects Supervisor, Sony Pictures Imageworks

"While the first edition opened the doors to MEL scripting for interested Maya users, this expanded and updated second edition delves deeper into important programming concepts, and new features in Maya released since the original edition. No longer just for the first steps in MEL programming, this edition takes the reader into the depths of advanced topics such as user interface layout and web panels that are sure to make this book a frequently used and a welcome addition to any technical director's bookshelf." —Doug Cooper, Visual Effects Supervisor, DreamWorks Animation

"MEL Scripting for Maya Animators is the set of keys you need to get under the hood of Maya. The book is well written for both technical and non-technical animators. It is an essential tool in making sophisticated animation not only possible but also practical." —Henry LaBounta, Senior Art Director, Electronic Arts

"This new edition is – as was the first edition – the very best of an extremely small number of books that even attempt to cover the subject of scripting animation. The authors take great pains to explain where pertinent features, graphs, and editors are found, and to paint a picture of the interconnectivity of Maya’s various networked nodes.
If you’re just getting started or are advanced enough to want the second edition’s beefed up content, there’s an empty spot for this book next to your monitor right now. But make sure there is enough space for a few pads of sticky notes and a couple of highlighting markers. You’ll want to ink this one up." —Game Developer, December 2005

From the Publisher