Python API Introduction

Use help and dir

help() and dir() are two of the most useful functions in Python.

For example, you can obtain a list of attributes for a class (list of methods, variables) using help as follows:

import MaxPlus
help(MaxPlus.Asset)

To obtain a list of attributes for an object, you can also use the Python built-in dir() function. The dir(object) function, when passed an argument (object), returns a list of attributes for the object.

For more information regarding these two functions, as well as other tips and tricks, see Tips and tricks for 3ds Max Python scripting.

Printing in your script

If you execute print statements in your script, the output is printed to the MAXScript Listener window.

About properties

A property is an attribute that is the equivalent of a Get() and Set() method pair. You can simply access the attribute to query or set its value.

There exist also read-only properties, which are the equivalent of their corresponding Get() methods.

For example, the ParameterBlock.GetName() method has a corresponding ParameterBlock.Name property.

In the demoApplyMaterial.py example:

m = MaxPlus.Factory.CreateDefaultStdMat()
m.Ambient = color
m.Diffuse = color

is equivalent to:

m = MaxPlus.Factory.CreateDefaultStdMat()
m.SetAmbient(color)
m.SetDiffuse(color)

In the Python API Reference documentation, there are attribute descriptions along the lines of:

tuple Type = _swig_property(GetType)

In this case, Type is a property that you can query to obtain the Type value, and its corresponding method is GetType().

Constants

Constants are represented in the Python API along the lines of ColorSelection = _MaxPlus.Colors_ColorSelection as a result of swig.