Container : Helper

Manage ContainerMethods

<bool><Container>.LoadContainer() 

Loads the Container's content from its definition and local modifications. Only available when unloaded.

Corresponds to pressing the "Load" button in the Container's UI when the Container is in Unloaded state (see .unloaded property for querying this state). The button will change to "Unload".

Returns true on success, false otherwise.

<bool><Container>.UnloadContainer() 

Unloads the Container by saving the local definition and deleting the content from the scene.

Corresponds to pressing the "Unload" button in the Container's UI when the Container is in the Loaded state (see .unloaded property for querying this state). The button will change to "Load".

Returns true on success, false otherwise.

<bool><Container>.SetOpen <bool>open 

When the argument is true , opens the Container, equivalent to pressing the "Open" button in the Container's UI.

When the argument is false , closes the Container, equivalent to pressing the "Close" button in the Container's UI.

<bool><Container>.IsOpen() 

Returns true if the Container is open, false otherwise. See previous method for controlling the open state.

<bool><Container>.UpdateContainer() 

Updates the content of the Container, preserving local modifications. Corresponds to the "Update" button in the Container's UI.

Returns true on success, false otherwise.

<bool><Container>.MakeUnique() 

Merges the Container's source and recursively merges any nested containers among its content.

Corresponds to pressing the "Make All Content Unique" button in the Container's UI.

<bool><Container>.IsUnique() 

Returns true if the content is unique, false otherwise.

Access Type Control Methods

<void>SetAccessType <enum>accessType 

accessType enums: {#noAccess|#onlyEditInPlace|#onlyAddNewObjects|#anythingUnlocked} 

Sets the access type to the given enum value.

Available in 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

<enum>GetAccessType() 

GetAccessType enums: {#noAccess|#onlyEditInPlace|#onlyAddNewObjects|#anythingUnlocked} 

Returns the access type as an enum value.

Available in 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

<enum>InheritedAccessType() 
InheritedAccessType enums: {#noAccess|#onlyEditInPlace|#onlyAddNewObjects|#anythingUnlocked} 

Returns the inherited access type as an enum value.

Available in 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

<void>SetLockedContents<enum>lockedType <bool>clear 

lockedType enums: {#lockAllMaterials|#lockAllModifiers|#lockAllAnimation|#lockAllObjects} 

Sets the lock for the content component specified by the first argument's enum to the Boolean value of the second argument.

Available in 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

<bool>IsLockedContents <enum>lockedType 

lockedType enums: {#lockAllMaterials|#lockAllModifiers|#lockAllAnimation|#lockAllObjects} 

Returns true if the content component specified by the argument is locked, false if it is unlocked.

Available in 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

 
c = container()
--Check the Modifiers Lock:
$Container001.IsLockedContents #lockAllModifiers
--> false 
--Lock theModifiers:
$Container001.SetLockedContents #lockAllModifiers true
--> OK 
--Check the Modifiers Lock:
$Container001.IsLockedContents #lockAllModifiers
--> true 
--Unlock the materials:
$Container001.SetLockedContents #lockAllMaterials false
--> OK 

<void>ClearLockedContents() 

Clears the locked contents of the Container.

Available in 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

<string>GetStatusString() 

Returns the status string of the Container. This is the same string displayed in the viewport label if the .displayStatus property is set to true.

Available in 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

 
$Container001.GetStatusString()
--> "No Access"
$Container001.UnloadContainer()
--> true
$Container001.GetStatusString()
-->"Unloaded"
$Container001.MakeUnique()
--> true
$Container001.GetStatusString()
--> "Unsaved" 

Manage Container - Edit In PlaceMethods

The"Edit In Place"checkbutton performs two operations internally depending on its state:

• When checked, it merges the content, equivalent to MergeSource()

• When unchecked, it saves the content to disk, equivalent to SaveContainer()

<bool><Container>.CanEditInPlace() 

Returns true if the container can be edited in-place, false otherwise.

The container rule controlling whether the content can be edited in place when inherited is set using the allowInPlaceEditing property in the local container whose content is being inherited.

The content file must have been saved with that rule set to true to allow other containers inheriting that content to edit it in place.

Local ContentMethods

<bool><Container>.AddNodeToContent <node>node 

Adds the specified node and its children/dependents to the Container's content.

The container node becomes the parent of the content node. Some nodes are automatically added to the local content along with the input node:

• The children of the node are added.

• If the node is part of a system (like biped or bones), all nodes in the system are also added.

• If the node has a target - for instance a camera target-then its target is added

• If the node is a target, the targeting node is also added.

Returns true on success, false otherwise.

<bool><Container>.AddNodesToContent <&node array>nodes

nodes is In and Out parameter 

Adds the provided array of nodes and all their children and dependents to the Container's content. See previous method for details.

Returns true on success, false otherwise.

b = Box()
-->$Box:Box01 @ [0.000000,0.000000,0.000000]
s = Sphere pos:[100,0,0]
-->$Sphere:Sphere01 @ [100.000000,0.000000,0.000000] 
--Will be created at the origin unless position is provided.
--Compare to Containers.CreateContainer() which creates
--at the average position of all content nodes
c = Container()
-->$Container:Container01 @ [0.000000,0.000000,0.000000] 
c.addNodeToContent b--adding single node
-->true
c.addNodesToContent #(s)--adding an array of one or more nodes
-->true 
c.GetContentNodes false &theNodes
--> OK
theNodes
--> #($Box:Box01 @ [0.000000,0.000000,0.000000],$Sphere:Sphere01 @ [100.000000,0.000000,0.000000]) 

<void><Container>.GetContentNodes <bool>nestedContainerNodes<&node array>contentNodes 

contentNodes is Out parameter 

Returns an array of the content nodes of the container into the second by-reference parameter.

If the first argument is passed as true , nested containers are also processed.

If the first argument is passed as false , only the content of the current container is returned.

<bool>IsNodeInContent <node>node <bool>nestedContainerNodes 

Returns true if the specified node is in the content.

If the second argument is true , nested containers in the inherited content are also searched.

If false , only the current container is searched.

<bool><Container>.RemoveNodeFromContent <node>node <bool>detach 

Removes the node specified as first argument from the Container's content.

If the second argument is specified as true , unlinks the node from the Container. If false , the node will remain a child of the Container but will not be in the content of the Container anymore.

<bool><Container>.SaveContainer <bool>newFileNamesaveAsVersion:<integer> 

saveAsVersion default value: 0

Saves the content and rules of the Container as the new definition.

Returns true on success, false otherwise.

If the newFileName argument is true , a save file dialog is shown to specify a new file name, making the method behave like the "Save As" button in the UI.

If the newFileName argument is false , the current file name is used. If the file name is not defined, the save file dialog is shown. This makes the method behave like the "Save" button in the UI.

In 3ds Max 2011 and higher, if the saveAsVersion: optional keyword argument is supplied, is different than 0 and equals a supported version number, the MAXC file is saved in that format. If the argument is unsupplied or 0, the MAXC file is saved in the format of the current 3ds Max Version.

Valid value is 2010 in 3ds Max 2011, and 2011 in 3ds Max 2012

<bool><Container>.ReloadContainer() 

Reloads the Container. Same as LoadContainer(), but does not depend on the state of the .unloaded property and is thus always available. Discards unsaved changes.

Corresponds to pressing the "Reload" button in the Container's UI.

Returns true on success, false otherwise.

Inherited ContentMethods

<bool><Container>.MergeSource() 

Turns an inherited container into an unsaved local container content, merging its content into the scene. Does not merge nested container's content.

Corresponds to pressing the "Merge Source Definition" button in the Container's UI.

Returns true on success, false otherwise.

EXAMPLE:

( -- start script

-------------------------Creating a Container:----------------------- resetMaxFile #noprompt --reset the scene cnt01 = container size:50 name:"LocalContent" --create a container cnt01.displaylabel = true --display its label cnt_filename = getDir #scene + "\\_Container01.maxc" --define file name cnt01.localDefinitionFilename = cnt_filename --assign the file name cnt01.accessContent =true --enable access to inherited content cnt01.allowInPlaceEditing = false --disallow in-place editing --------------------------Creating some Content:------------------------ obj01 = Teapot wirecolor:blue --create a blue teapot cnt01.AddNodeToContent obj01 --add to content cnt01.SaveContainer false --save to the current file name -------------------------Display and Wait...:----------------------- max modify mode --switch to modify panel max views redraw --update the viewports select cnt01 --select the container sleep 2 --and wait for two seconds     -------------------------Inherit the Content:----------------------- cnt02 = containers.CreateInheritedContainer cnt_filename --inherit file cnt02.name ="InheritedContent" --name the container cnt02.pos = [0,60,0] --move it to the side cnt02.size = 50 --set the size of the icon cnt02.displayLabel = true --and display the label -------------------------Display and Wait...:----------------------- max tool zoomextents all --zoom the viewports select cnt02 --select the inherited container max views redraw --update the viewports sleep 2 --wait for two seconds     --------------------------Adding MoreContent:------------------------ obj02 = Sphere radius:15 pos:[50,0,15] wirecolor:green --green sphere obj03 = Box pos:[100,0,0] wirecolor:blue --blue box cnt01.AddNodesToContent #(obj02, obj03) --add nodes array to content obj01.wirecolor = red --change the teapot to red cnt01.SaveContainer false save to update the container definition -------------------------------Updating Inherited Content:----------------------------- cnt02.updateContainer() --update the inherited container from disk format "\nCurrently In The Scene: % objects\n" objects.count print objects --print scene objects - inherited content is there! -->Currently In The Scene: 8 objects -->$Container:LocalContent @ [0.000000,0.000000,0.000000] -->$Teapot:Teapot01 @ [0.000000,0.000000,0.000000] -->$Sphere:Sphere01 @ [50.000000,0.000000,15.000000] -->$Box:Box01 @ [100.000000,0.000000,0.000000] -->$Container:InheritedContent @ [0.000000,100.000000,0.000000] -->$Teapot:Teapot01 @ [0.000000,100.000000,0.000000] -->$Sphere:Sphere01 @ [50.000000,100.000000,15.000000] -->$Box:Box01 @ [100.000000,100.000000,0.000000] max views redraw --update the viewports sleep 2 --wait for two seconds     --------------------------Changing Access Rules:------------------------ cnt01.accessContent =false --disallow the access to inherited content cnt01.SaveContainer false --resave to update the rules cnt02.updateContainer() --update the inherited container from disk format "\nCurrently In The Scene: % objects\n" objects.count print objects--print scene objects - inherited content is not there! -->Currently In The Scene: 5 objects -->$Container:LocalContent @ [0.000000,0.000000,0.000000] -->$Teapot:Teapot01 @ [0.000000,0.000000,0.000000] -->$Sphere:Sphere01 @ [50.000000,0.000000,15.000000] -->$Box:Box01 @ [100.000000,0.000000,0.000000] -->$Container:InheritedContent @ [0.000000,100.000000,0.000000] max views redraw --update the viewports sleep 2 --wait for two seconds     ----------------------------------Unloading Inherited Container:-------------------------------- cnt02.UnloadContainer() max views redraw --update the viewports sleep 2 --wait for two seconds     -------------------------------------Making Inherited Container Local:----------------------------------- cnt02.MakeUnique() --make the content unique format "\nCurrently In The Scene: % objects\n" objects.count print objects --print scene objects - the content is now local! -->Currently In The Scene: 8 objects -->$Container:LocalContent @ [0.000000,0.000000,0.000000] -->$Teapot:Teapot01 @ [0.000000,0.000000,0.000000] -->$Sphere:Sphere01 @ [50.000000,0.000000,15.000000] -->$Box:Box01 @ [100.000000,0.000000,0.000000] -->$Container:InheritedContent @ [0.000000,100.000000,0.000000] -->$Teapot:Teapot01 @ [0.000000,100.000000,0.000000] -->$Sphere:Sphere01 @ [50.000000,100.000000,15.000000] -->$Box:Box01 @ [100.000000,100.000000,0.000000] cnt02.localDefinitionFilename = cnt_filename --set the same file name cnt02.name ="AlsoLocal"--rename the object, too for i = 1 to cnt02.children.count do --Stack the content vertically cnt02.children[i].pos = cnt02.pos + [0,0,(i-1)*50] cnt02.SaveContainer false --and save, overwriting the original asset max views redraw --update the viewports sleep 2 --wait for two seconds     -------------------------------------------------Reloading The New File In Original Container:----------------------------------------------- cnt01.ReloadContainer() --reload the content from file cnt01.SetOpen false --close the container )--end script