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Synopsis

gradientControl( [string] , [adaptiveScaling=boolean], [annotation=string], [attribute=name], [backgroundColor=[float, float, float]], [defineTemplate=string], [docTag=string], [dragCallback=script], [dropCallback=script], [enable=boolean], [enableBackground=boolean], [exists=boolean], [fullPathName=boolean], [height=int], [highlightColor=[float, float, float]], [isObscured=boolean], [manage=boolean], [noBackground=boolean], [numberOfControls=uint], [numberOfPopupMenus=boolean], [parent=string], [popupMenuArray=boolean], [preventOverride=boolean], [refreshOnRelease=uint], [selectedColorControl=string], [selectedInterpControl=string], [selectedPositionControl=string], [staticNumberOfControls=boolean], [staticPositions=boolean], [upperLimitControl=string], [useTemplate=string], [verticalLayout=boolean], [visible=boolean], [visibleChangeCommand=script], [width=int])

Note: Strings representing object names and arguments must be separated by commas. This is not depicted in the synopsis.

gradientControl is undoable, queryable, and editable.

This command creates a control that displays the gradient attribute specified. The gradient attribute must be of the correct form and naming. It should be a multi attribute with each entry a compound composed of:
  1. Either a color compound or a float value (the control will automatically detect which and display a ramp or graph accordingly).
  2. A single float attribute for position.
  3. An enum for the interpolation types.
Currently the routines to get the value of a ramp structure (with interpolation) are not available through MEL, which limits the use of this control by end users. The MEL command AEaddRampControl should be used to attach this control to an attribute from attribute editor templates.

Return value

stringThe name of the port created or modified

In query mode, return type is based on queried flag.

Flags

adaptiveScaling, annotation, attribute, backgroundColor, defineTemplate, docTag, dragCallback, dropCallback, enable, enableBackground, exists, fullPathName, height, highlightColor, isObscured, manage, noBackground, numberOfControls, numberOfPopupMenus, parent, popupMenuArray, preventOverride, refreshOnRelease, selectedColorControl, selectedInterpControl, selectedPositionControl, staticNumberOfControls, staticPositions, upperLimitControl, useTemplate, verticalLayout, visible, visibleChangeCommand, width
Long name (short name) Argument types Properties
adaptiveScaling(adaptiveScaling) boolean createqueryedit
Allow the ramp widget display to scale vertically to accommodate values greater than 1.0. True if adaptive scaling is enabled, false (the default) if not.
annotation(ann) string createqueryedit
Annotate the control with an extra string value.
attribute(at) name create
Specifies the name of the gradient attribute to control.
backgroundColor(bgc) [float, float, float] createqueryedit
The background color of the control. The arguments correspond to the red, green, and blue color components. Each component ranges in value from 0.0 to 1.0.
When setting backgroundColor, the background is automatically enabled, unless enableBackground is also specified with a false value.
defineTemplate(dt) string create
Puts the command in a mode where any other flags and args are parsed and added to the command template specified in the argument. They will be used as default arguments in any subsequent invocations of the command when templateName is set as the current template.
docTag(dtg) string createqueryedit
Add a documentation flag to the control. The documentation flag has a directory structure like hierarchy. Eg. -dt render/multiLister/createNode/material
dragCallback(dgc) script createedit
Adds a callback that is called when the middle mouse button is pressed. The MEL version of the callback is of the form:

global proc string[] callbackName(string $dragControl, int $x, int $y, int $mods)

The proc returns a string array that is transferred to the drop site. By convention the first string in the array describes the user settable message type. Controls that are application defined drag sources may ignore the callback. $mods allows testing for the key modifiers CTL and SHIFT. Possible values are 0 == No modifiers, 1 == SHIFT, 2 == CTL, 3 == CTL + SHIFT.

In Python, it is similar, but there are two ways to specify the callback. The recommended way is to pass a Python function object as the argument. In that case, the Python callback should have the form:

def callbackName( dragControl, x, y, modifiers ):

The values of these arguments are the same as those for the MEL version above.

The other way to specify the callback in Python is to specify a string to be executed. In that case, the string will have the values substituted into it via the standard Python format operator. The format values are passed in a dictionary with the keys "dragControl", "x", "y", "modifiers". The "dragControl" value is a string and the other values are integers (eg the callback string could be "print '%(dragControl)s %(x)d %(y)d %(modifiers)d'")

dropCallback(dpc) script createedit
Adds a callback that is called when a drag and drop operation is released above the drop site. The MEL version of the callback is of the form:

global proc callbackName(string $dragControl, string $dropControl, string $msgs[], int $x, int $y, int $type)

The proc receives a string array that is transferred from the drag source. The first string in the msgs array describes the user defined message type. Controls that are application defined drop sites may ignore the callback. $type can have values of 1 == Move, 2 == Copy, 3 == Link.

In Python, it is similar, but there are two ways to specify the callback. The recommended way is to pass a Python function object as the argument. In that case, the Python callback should have the form:

def pythonDropTest( dragControl, dropControl, messages, x, y, dragType ):

The values of these arguments are the same as those for the MEL version above.

The other way to specify the callback in Python is to specify a string to be executed. In that case, the string will have the values substituted into it via the standard Python format operator. The format values are passed in a dictionary with the keys "dragControl", "dropControl", "messages", "x", "y", "type". The "dragControl" value is a string and the other values are integers (eg the callback string could be "print '%(dragControl)s %(dropControl)s %(messages)r %(x)d %(y)d %(type)d'")

enable(en) boolean createqueryedit
The enable state of the control. By default, this flag is set to true and the control is enabled. Specify false and the control will appear dimmed or greyed-out indicating it is disabled.
enableBackground(ebg) boolean createqueryedit
Enables the background color of the control.
exists(ex) boolean create
Returns whether the specified object exists or not. Other flags are ignored.
fullPathName(fpn) boolean query
Return the full path name of the widget, which includes all the parents
height(h) int createqueryedit
The height of the control. The control will attempt to be this size if it is not overruled by parent layout conditions.
highlightColor(hlc) [float, float, float] createqueryedit
The highlight color of the control. The arguments correspond to the red, green, and blue color components. Each component ranges in value from 0.0 to 1.0.
isObscured(io) boolean query
Return whether the control can actually be seen by the user. The control will be obscured if its state is invisible, if it is blocked (entirely or partially) by some other control, if it or a parent layout is unmanaged, or if the control's window is invisible or iconified.
manage(m) boolean createqueryedit
Manage state of the control. An unmanaged control is not visible, nor does it take up any screen real estate. All controls are created managed by default.
noBackground(nbg) boolean createedit
Clear/reset the control's background. Passing true means the background should not be drawn at all, false means the background should be drawn. The state of this flag is inherited by children of this control.
numberOfControls(nc) uint query
Returns the number of controls in the ramp widget
numberOfPopupMenus(npm) boolean query
Return the number of popup menus attached to this control.
parent(p) string createquery
The parent layout for this control.
popupMenuArray(pma) boolean query
Return the names of all the popup menus attached to this control.
preventOverride(po) boolean createqueryedit
If true, this flag disallows overriding the control's attribute via the control's right mouse button menu.
refreshOnRelease(ror) uint createqueryedit
Define how updates are dispatched during interactive editing of the ramp widget. True causes updates to only dispatch after releasing the mouse button after editing. False (the default) causes updates to dispatch interactively during editing (e.g. while moving ramp curve points). Note that the global update mode, if set to "on release" can disable the effect of this option.
selectedColorControl(scc) string createedit
Specifies the name of a color control to edit the selected color.
selectedInterpControl(sic) string createedit
Specifies the name of an enum control to edit the selected interpolation.
selectedPositionControl(spc) string createedit
Specifies the name of a float slider to edit the selected position.
staticNumberOfControls(snc) boolean createqueryedit
When 'true', this flag disables the creation/deletion of ramp entries (control points) via ramp widget interaction. Default is false.
staticPositions(sp) boolean createqueryedit
When 'true', this flag disables the interactive modification of ramp entry positions. Default is false.
upperLimitControl(ulc) string createqueryedit
Specify the name of a text control which is updated with the current upper display limit for the ramp. This option is only effective when adaptiveScaling is specified.
useTemplate(ut) string create
Force the command to use a command template other than the current one.
verticalLayout(vl) boolean createqueryedit
When 'true', this makes the control orient vertically rather than horizontally. The default is `false` or horizontal.
visible(vis) boolean createqueryedit
The visible state of the control. A control is created visible by default. Note that a control's actual appearance is also dependent on the visible state of its parent layout(s).
visibleChangeCommand(vcc) script createqueryedit
Command that gets executed when visible state of the control changes.
width(w) int createqueryedit
The width of the control. The control will attempt to be this size if it is not overruled by parent layout conditions.
Flag can appear in Create mode of command Flag can appear in Edit mode of command
Flag can appear in Query mode of command Flag can have multiple arguments, passed either as a tuple or a list.

Python examples

import maya.cmds as cmds

# Create a ramp widget for the profileCurve attribute
#
cmds.window( title='Gradient Control For Attribute' )
objName = cmds.createNode('polySplitRing')
cmds.columnLayout()
cmds.gradientControl( at='%s.profileCurve' % objName )
cmds.showWindow()

# To add a ramp widget in the attribute editor, call the
# AEaddRampControl mel script.
#