Practical Maya Programming with Python

Unleash the power of Python in Maya and unlock your creativity

Overview

• Create and customize UIs using standard tools and libraries
• Understand how Maya can leverage advanced Python features
• Make your tools, and Maya itself, fully automatable

In Detail

Autodesk Maya is a 3D computer graphics software. It offers a vast and flexible set of features utilizing Python. It is not difficult to get started using Python in Autodesk Maya, but it can be difficult to go from writing procedural, MEL-inspired tools to building the powerful yet simple systems that Python promises.

Practical Maya Programming with Python will help you master both Python and Maya. With thorough explanations, illustrative examples, and complete sample projects, you will learn how to use Python to charm Maya into obeying your every command. Practical Maya Programming with Python will teach you how PyMEL works as well as how to deal with errors and write composable code in Python.

What you will learn from this book

• Understand the architecture of Python objects, Maya nodes, and PyMEL
• Write composable code that is modular and re-usable
• Make Maya “Pythonic” through the use of decorators and context managers
• Learn about different Maya UI options and libraries
• Use PySide and PyQt to build Maya user interfaces
• Turn Maya into a server that can be controlled remotely
• Understand how to use Python with Maya’s API
• Conquer custom nodes using Python’s dynamic type creation

Approach

“Practical Maya Programming with Python” is a practical tutorial packed with plenty of examples and sample projects which guides you through building reusable, independent modules and handling unexpected errors.

Who this book is written for

If you are a developer looking to build a powerful system using Python and Maya’s capabilities, then this book is for you. Practical Maya Programming with Python is perfect for intermediate users with basic experience in Python and Maya who want to better their knowledge and skills.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Introspecting Maya, Python, and PyMEL
Chapter 2. Writing Composable Code
Chapter 3. Dealing with Errors
Chapter 4. Leveraging Context Managers and Decorators in Maya
Chapter 5. Building Graphical User Interfaces for Maya
Chapter 6. Automating Maya from the Outside
Chapter 7. Taming the Maya API
Chapter 8. Unleashing the Maya API through Python
Chapter 9. Becoming a Part of the Python Community