Go to: Synopsis. Return value. Flags. Python examples.
helpLine(
[name]
, [annotation=string], [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], [numberOfPopupMenus=boolean], [parent=string], [popupMenuArray=boolean], [preventOverride=boolean], [useTemplate=string], [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.
helpLine is undoable, queryable, and editable.
This command creates a help line where tool help/hints
are shown.
| string | Full path name of control. |
In query mode, return type is based on queried flag.
annotation, backgroundColor, defineTemplate, docTag, dragCallback, dropCallback, enable, enableBackground, exists, fullPathName, height, highlightColor, isObscured, manage, noBackground, numberOfPopupMenus, parent, popupMenuArray, preventOverride, useTemplate, visible, visibleChangeCommand, width
| Long name (short name) |
Argument types |
Properties |
|
annotation(ann)
|
string
|
  
|
|
Annotate the control with an extra string value.
|
|
backgroundColor(bgc)
|
[float, float, float]
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
Enables the background color of the control.
|
|
exists(ex)
|
boolean
|
|
|
Returns whether the
specified object exists or not. Other flags are ignored.
|
|
fullPathName(fpn)
|
boolean
|
|
|
Return the full path name of the widget, which includes all the parents
|
|
height(h)
|
int
|
|
|
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]
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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.
|
|
numberOfPopupMenus(npm)
|
boolean
|
|
|
Return the number of popup menus attached to this control.
|
|
parent(p)
|
string
|
|
|
The parent layout for this control.
|
|
popupMenuArray(pma)
|
boolean
|
|
|
Return the names of all the popup menus attached to this
control.
|
|
preventOverride(po)
|
boolean
|
|
|
If true, this flag disallows overriding the control's
attribute via the control's right mouse button menu.
|
|
useTemplate(ut)
|
string
|
|
|
Force the command to use a command template other than
the current one.
|
|
visible(vis)
|
boolean
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
Command that gets executed when visible state of the control changes.
|
|
width(w)
|
int
|
|
|
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.
|
import maya.cmds as cmds
# Create a window with a menu bar, some buttons and a help
# line. Attach some annontations to the UI so that they
# appear in the help line.
#
window = cmds.window( menuBar=True )
cmds.menu( label='File' )
cmds.menuItem( label='New', annotation='Help for New' )
cmds.menuItem( label='Open', annotation='Help for Open' )
cmds.menuItem( label='Close', annotation='Help for Close' )
form = cmds.formLayout()
column = cmds.rowLayout(numberOfColumns=4,
columnWidth4=(32, 32, 32, 32),
columnAttach4=('both', 'both', 'both', 'both'))
cmds.button( label='A', height=32, annotation='Help for A' )
cmds.button( label='B', height=32, annotation='Help for B' )
cmds.button( label='C', height=32, annotation='Help for C' )
cmds.button( label='D', height=32, annotation='Help for D' )
cmds.setParent( '..' )
frame = cmds.frameLayout( labelVisible=False )
cmds.helpLine()
cmds.formLayout( form, edit=True,
attachForm=((column, 'top', 0), (column, 'left', 0),
(column, 'right', 0), (frame, 'left', 0),
(frame, 'bottom', 0), (frame, 'right', 0)),
attachNone=((column, 'bottom'), (frame, 'top')) )
cmds.showWindow( window )