pymel.core.general.addAttr¶

addAttr(*args, **kwargs)¶

This command is used to add a dynamic attribute to a node or nodes. Either the longName or the shortName or both must be specified. If neither a dataType nor an attributeType is specified, a double attribute will be added. The dataType flag can be specified more than once indicating that any of the supplied types will be accepted (logical-or). To add a non- double attribute the following criteria can be used to determine whether the dataType or the attributeType flag is appropriate. Some types, such as double3can use either. In these cases the -dtflag should be used when you only wish to access the data as an atomic entity (eg. you never want to access the three individual values that make up a double3). In general it is best to use the -atin these cases for maximum flexibility. In most cases the -dtversion will not display in the attribute editor as it is an atomic type and you are not allowed to change individual parts of it. All attributes flagged as (compound)below or the compound attribute itself are not actually added to the node until all of the children are defined (using the -pflag to set their parent to the compound being created). See the EXAMPLES section for more details. Type of attribute Flag and argument to use boolean -at bool 32 bit integer -at long 16 bit integer -at short 8 bit integer -at byte char -at char enum -at enum (specify the enum names using the enumName flag) float -at float(use quotes since float is a mel keyword) double -at double angle value -at doubleAngle linear value -at doubleLinear string -dt string(use quotes since string is a mel keyword) array of strings -dt stringArray compound -at compound message (no data) -at message time -at time 4x4 double matrix -dt matrix(use quotes since matrix is a mel keyword) 4x4 float matrix -at fltMatrix reflectance -dt reflectanceRGBreflectance (compound) -at reflectance spectrum -dt spectrumRGB spectrum (compound) -at spectrum 2 floats -dt float2 2 floats (compound) -at float2 3 floats -dt float3 3 floats (compound) -at float3 2 doubles -dt double2 2 doubles (compound) -at double2 3 doubles -dt double3 3 doubles (compound) -at double3 2 32-bit integers -dt long2 2 32-bit integers (compound) -at long2 3 32-bit integers -dt long3 3 32-bit integers (compound) -at long3 2 16-bit integers -dt short2 2 16-bit integers (compound) -at short2 3 16-bit integers -dt short3 3 16-bit integers (compound) -at short3 array of doubles -dt doubleArray array of floats -dt floatArray array of 32-bit ints -dt Int32Array array of vectors -dt vectorArray nurbs curve -dt nurbsCurve nurbs surface -dt nurbsSurface polygonal mesh -dt mesh lattice -dt lattice array of double 4D points -dt pointArray In query mode, return type is based on queried flag.

Modifications:

• allow python types to be passed to set -at type

  str string float double int long bool bool Vector double3

• when querying dataType, the dataType is no longer returned as a list

• when editing hasMinValue, hasMaxValue, hasSoftMinValue, or hasSoftMaxValue the passed boolean value was ignored and the command instead behaved as a toggle. The behavior is now more intuitive:

  >>> addAttr('persp', ln='test', at='double', k=1)
  >>> addAttr('persp.test', query=1, hasMaxValue=True)
  False
  >>> addAttr('persp.test', edit=1, hasMaxValue=False)
  >>> addAttr('persp.test', query=1, hasMaxValue=True)
  False
  >>> addAttr('persp.test', edit=1, hasMaxValue=True)
  >>> addAttr('persp.test', query=1, hasMaxValue=True)
  True
  

• allow passing a list or dict instead of a string for enumName

• allow user to pass in type and determine whether it is a dataType or attributeType. Types that may be both, such as float2, float3, double2, double3, long2, long3, short2, and short3 are all treated as attributeTypes. In addition, as a convenience, since these attributeTypes are actually treated as compound attributes, the child attributes are automatically created, with X/Y/Z appended, unless usedAsColor is set, in which case R/G/B is added. Alternatively, the suffices can explicitly specified with childSuffixes:

  >>> addAttr('persp', ln='autoDouble', type='double', k=1)
  >>> addAttr('persp.autoDouble', query=1, attributeType=1)
  u'double'
  >>> addAttr('persp.autoDouble', query=1, dataType=1)
  u'TdataNumeric'
  >>> addAttr('persp', ln='autoMesh', type='mesh', k=1)
  >>> addAttr('persp.autoMesh', query=1, attributeType=1)
  u'typed'
  >>> addAttr('persp.autoMesh', query=1, dataType=1)
  u'mesh'
  >>> addAttr('persp', ln='autoDouble3Vec', type='double3', k=1)
  >>> [x.attrName() for x in PyNode('persp').listAttr() if 'autoDouble3' in x.name()]
  [u'autoDouble3Vec', u'autoDouble3VecX', u'autoDouble3VecY', u'autoDouble3VecZ']
  >>> addAttr('persp', ln='autoFloat3Col', type='float3', usedAsColor=1)
  >>> [x.attrName() for x in PyNode('persp').listAttr() if 'autoFloat3' in x.name()]
  [u'autoFloat3Col', u'autoFloat3ColR', u'autoFloat3ColG', u'autoFloat3ColB']
  >>> addAttr('persp', ln='autoLong2', type='long2', childSuffixes=['_first', '_second'])
  >>> [x.attrName() for x in PyNode('persp').listAttr() if 'autoLong2' in x.name()]
  [u'autoLong2', u'autoLong2_first', u'autoLong2_second']
  

Flags:

Long Name / Short Name		Argument Types	Properties
attributeType / at		unicode
	Specifies the attribute type, see above table for more details. Note that the attribute types float, matrixand stringare also MEL keywords and must be enclosed in quotes.
binaryTag / bt		unicode
	This flag is obsolete and does not do anything any more
cachedInternally / ci		bool
	Whether or not attribute data is cached internally in the node. This flag defaults to true for writable attributes and false for non-writable attributes. A warning will be issued if users attempt to force a writable attribute to be uncached as this will make it impossible to set keyframes.
category / ct		unicode
	An attribute category is a string associated with the attribute to identify it. (e.g. the name of a plugin that created the attribute, version information, etc.) Any attribute can be associated with an arbitrary number of categories however categories can not be removed once associated.
dataType / dt		unicode
	Specifies the data type. See setAttrfor more information on data type names.
defaultValue / dv		float
	Specifies the default value for the attribute (can only be used for numeric attributes).
disconnectBehaviour / dcb		int
	defines the Disconnect Behaviour 2 Nothing, 1 Reset, 0 Delete
enumName / en		unicode
	Flag used to specify the ui names corresponding to the enum values. The specified string should contain a colon-separated list of the names, with optional values. If values are not specified, they will treated as sequential integers starting with 0. For example: -enumName A:B:Cwould produce options: A,B,C with values of 0,1,2; -enumName zero:one:two:thousand=1000would produce four options with values 0,1,2,1000; and -enumName solo=1:triplet=3:quintet=5would produce three options with values 1,3,5. (Note that there is a current limitation of the Channel Box that will sometimes incorrectly display an enumerated attribute’s pull-down menu. Extra menu items can appear that represent the numbers inbetween non-sequential option values. To avoid this limitation, specify sequential values for the options of any enumerated attributes that will appear in the Channel Box. For example: solo=1:triplet=2:quintet=3.)
exists / ex		bool
	Returns true if the attribute queried is a user-added, dynamic attribute; false if not.
fromPlugin / fp		bool
	Was the attribute originally created by a plugin? Normally set automatically when the API call is made - only added here to support storing it in a file independently from the creating plugin.
hasMaxValue / hxv		bool
	Flag indicating whether an attribute has a maximum value. (can only be used for numeric attributes).
hasMinValue / hnv		bool
	Flag indicating whether an attribute has a minimum value. (can only be used for numeric attributes).
hasSoftMaxValue / hsx		bool
	Flag indicating whether a numeric attribute has a soft maximum.
hasSoftMinValue / hsn		bool
	Flag indicating whether a numeric attribute has a soft minimum.
hidden / h		bool
	Will this attribute be hidden from the UI?
indexMatters / im		bool
	Sets whether an index must be used when connecting to this multi-attribute. Setting indexMatters to false forces the attribute to non-readable.
internalSet / internalSet		bool
	Whether or not the internal cached value is set when this attribute value is changed. This is an internal flag used for updating UI elements.
keyable / k		bool
	Is the attribute keyable by default?
longName / ln		unicode
	Sets the long name of the attribute.
maxValue / max		float
	Specifies the maximum value for the attribute (can only be used for numeric attributes).
minValue / min		float
	Specifies the minimum value for the attribute (can only be used for numeric attributes).
multi / m		bool
	Makes the new attribute a multi-attribute.
niceName / nn		unicode
	Sets the nice name of the attribute for display in the UI. Setting the attribute’s nice name to a non-empty string overrides the default behaviour of looking up the nice name from Maya’s string catalog. (Use the MEL commands attributeNiceNameand attributeQuery -niceNameto lookup an attribute’s nice name in the catalog.)
numberOfChildren / nc		int
	How many children will the new attribute have?
parent / p		unicode
	Attribute that is to be the new attribute’s parent.
proxy / pxy		unicode
	Proxy another node’s attribute. Proxied plug will be connected as source. The UsedAsProxy flag is automatically set in this case.
readable / r		bool
	Can outgoing connections be made from this attribute?
shortName / sn		unicode
	Sets the short name of the attribute.
softMaxValue / smx		float
	Soft maximum, valid for numeric attributes only. Specifies the upper default limit used in sliders for this attribute.
softMinValue / smn		float
	Soft minimum, valid for numeric attributes only. Specifies the upper default limit used in sliders for this attribute.
storable / s		bool
	Can the attribute be stored out to a file?
usedAsColor / uac		bool
	Is the attribute to be used as a color definition? Must have 3 DOUBLE or 3 FLOAT children to use this flag. The attribute type -atshould be double3or float3as appropriate. It can also be used to less effect with data types -dtas double3or float3as well but some parts of the code do not support this alternative. The special attribute types/data spectrumand reflectancealso support the color flag and on them it is set by default.
usedAsFilename / uaf		bool
	Is the attribute to be treated as a filename definition? This flag is only supported on attributes with data type -dtof string.
usedAsProxy / uap		bool
	Set if the specified attribute should be treated as a proxy to another attributes.
writable / w		bool
	Can incoming connections be made to this attribute? Flag can have multiple arguments, passed either as a tuple or a list.

Derived from mel command maya.cmds.addAttr

Example:

import pymel.core as pm

pm.sphere( name='earth' )
# Result: [nt.Transform(u'earth'), nt.MakeNurbSphere(u'makeNurbSphere1')] #
# Add an attribute named ms/mass with a default value of 1 and a
# minimum value of 0.001 and a maximum of 10000.
#
pm.addAttr( shortName='ms', longName='mass', defaultValue=1.0, minValue=0.001, maxValue=10000 )
# Add a multi attribute named ff/forcefield of type double3.
#
pm.addAttr( shortName='ff', longName='forcefield', dataType='double3', multi=True )
# Add a compound attribute named sampson with children homeboy, midge,
# damien, elizabeth, and sweetpea of varying types
#
pm.addAttr( longName='sampson', numberOfChildren=5, attributeType='compound' )
pm.addAttr( longName='homeboy', attributeType='matrix', parent='sampson' )
pm.addAttr( longName='midge', attributeType='message', parent='sampson' )
pm.addAttr( longName='damien', attributeType='double', parent='sampson' )
pm.addAttr( longName='elizabeth', attributeType='double', parent='sampson' )
pm.addAttr( longName='sweetpea', attributeType='double', parent='sampson' )
# To add an attribute that is to be interpreted as a color the
# following attribute group must be used.
#
# Note that the word "float" must be in quotations since it is a
# MEL keyword.
#
pm.addAttr( longName='rainbow', usedAsColor=True, attributeType='float3' )
pm.addAttr( longName='redBow', attributeType='float', parent='rainbow' )
pm.addAttr( longName='greenBow', attributeType='float', parent='rainbow' )
pm.addAttr( longName='blueBow', attributeType='float', parent='rainbow' )
# Other legal attribute types that can be interpreted as colors need
# not specify the "-usedAsColor" flag as it will be assumed.  These
# include "-attributeType spectrum", "-attributeType reflectance",
# "-dataType spectrumRGB", and "-dataType reflectanceRGB".
#
pm.addAttr( longName='implColor', dataType='spectrumRGB' )
pm.addAttr( '.implColor', query=True, usedAsColor=True )
# Result: True #
# Add a double3 attribute named sanders with children bess, les and wes
#
pm.addAttr( longName='sanders', attributeType='double3' )
pm.addAttr( longName='bess', attributeType='double', parent='sanders' )
pm.addAttr( longName='les', attributeType='double', parent='sanders' )
pm.addAttr( longName='wes', attributeType='double', parent='sanders' )