Maya Python API 2.0: no iterators?

Coding
#1

I’m trying to write a script for Maya 2013 using the Maya Python API 2.0. I just noticed that it is missing all of the iterator classes, like MItMeshEdge, MItMeshPolygon, and MItMeshVertex. I know that not all of the classes have been implemented yet. Does anybody know if there is a specific reason these classes haven’t been implemented? (Maybe they aren’t needed in API 2.0?) Or are they supposed to be implemented in the future?

#2

You are allowed to use both APIs as long as you don’t mix the objects.
From Maya documentation:

New and old API classes can be used within the same script, but their objects are not interchangeable. Thus, you can do this:

import maya.api.OpenMaya as newOM
import maya.OpenMaya as oldOM

newAttrObj = newOM.MObject()
oldNodeObj = oldOM.MObject()

…

newAttrFn = newOM.MFnAttribute(newAttrObj)
oldNodeFn = oldOM.MFnDependencyNode(oldNodeObj)

OKAY: Print names from old and new function sets.

print(“Attribute name is %s.%s” % (oldNodeFn.name(), newAttrFn.name))

but not this:

import maya.api.OpenMaya as newOM
import maya.OpenMaya as oldOM

newAttrObj = newOM.MObject()
oldNodeObj = oldOM.MObject()

…

BAD: Passing an old API MObject to a new API method.

newPlug = newOM.MPlug(oldNodeObj, newAttrObj)

#3

I think the idea is to use methods from the function set, i.e. MFnMesh with Python’s for loop. Not sure :stuck_out_tongue:


import maya.api.OpenMaya as om2

sel = om2.MSelectionList()
sel.add('pSphereShape1')
dag = sel.getDagPath(0)

mesh = om2.MFnMesh(dag)

for i in range(mesh.numVertices):
	point = mesh.getPoint(om2.MSpace.kWorld)
#4

I think there are a few things you can do in the iterator classes that you can’t do in the regular MFnMesh class. For example, in MItMeshPolygon, there are functions like isLamina() and getArea(). Luckily I am not using any of those functions right now. What I am trying to do is iterate over a subset of the mesh’s faces, and then iterate over the triangles of those faces. I have been able to do it using only the MFnMesh functions; it just requires keeping track of a lot of array indices.

I saw the documentation where it says you can use both APIs. I’m trying to avoid that if possible, because I’m afraid I would mix them unintentionally. (Maybe there’s some sort of naming convention I could use to tell my variables apart?)

#5

personally i would really just stick with api1. with 2.0 what works is nice, and easier to write, but it lacks so much, so your just best sticking with 1