grid

Go to: Synopsis. Return value. Flags. Python examples.

Synopsis

grid([default=boolean], [displayAxes=boolean], [displayAxesBold=boolean], [displayDivisionLines=boolean], [displayGridLines=boolean], [displayOrthographicLabels=boolean], [displayPerspectiveLabels=boolean], [divisions=uint], [drawInfiniteGrid=boolean], [drawMinimumCameraDistance=float], [fogBase=float], [fogEnabled=boolean], [fogMinimumCameraDistance=float], [fogPower=float], [gridSizeCameraDistanceFactor=float], [gridSizeFixed=boolean], [gridSizeLogFactorAdjustment=float], [gridSizeMinimum=float], [gridSizeVarying=boolean], [lineWidth=float], [majorColor=[float, float, float, float]], [minorColor=[float, float, float, float]], [normalAxis=uint], [orthographicLabelPosition=string], [perspectiveLabelPosition=string], [reset=boolean], [size=linear], [spacing=linear], [style=uint], [toggle=boolean], [xAxisColor=[float, float, float, float]], [yAxisColor=[float, float, float, float]], [zAxisColor=[float, float, float, float]])

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

grid is undoable, queryable, and NOT editable.

This command lets you reset the ground plane, change its size and grid line spacing, grid subdivisions and display options.

Return value

None

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

Flags

Long name (short name)	Argument types	Properties
default(df)	boolean
Used to specify/query default values.
displayAxes(da)	boolean
Specify true to display the grid axes.
displayAxesBold(dab)	boolean
Specify true to accent the grid axes by drawing them with a thicker line.
displayDivisionLines(ddl)	boolean
Specify true to display the subdivision lines between grid lines.
displayGridLines(dgl)	boolean
Specify true to display the grid lines.
displayOrthographicLabels(dol)	boolean
Specify true to display the grid line numeric labels in the orthographic views.
displayPerspectiveLabels(dpl)	boolean
Specify true to display the grid line numeric labels in the perspective view.
divisions(d)	uint
Sets the number of subdivisions between major grid lines. The default is 5. If the spacing is 5 units, setting divisions to 5 will cause division lines to appear 1 unit apart.
drawInfiniteGrid(dig)	boolean
Enables the infinite grid. On by default.
drawMinimumCameraDistance(dmd)	float
Minimum camera distance, below this the infinite grid is not drawn.
fogBase(fb)	float
The fog intensity that controls when the fog starts to appear in the distance.
fogEnabled(fog)	boolean
Enables the fog to make the infinite grid disappear into the distance. On by default.
fogMinimumCameraDistance(fmd)	float
Minimum camera distance, to avoid division by zero when applying fog. Should not need to be changed.
fogPower(fp)	float
The fog exponent used to calculate the fog based on the camera distance.
gridSizeCameraDistanceFactor(cdf)	float
Factor used to decide when to switch between different sub-divisions sizes.
gridSizeFixed(gsf)	boolean
Makes the grid sub-divisions size fixed. Off by default.
gridSizeLogFactorAdjustment(lfa)	float
Factor applied taking the log 10 of the distance, in case a skew is desired when near the grid. Zero by default.
gridSizeMinimum(gsm)	float
Minimum size of the rectangular plane used to draw the infinite grid. Only relevant when the camera is extremely close to the grid.
gridSizeVarying(gsv)	boolean
Makes the grid sub-divisions have multiple sizes based on camera distance. Off by default.
lineWidth(lw)	float
Line width of the infinite grid.
majorColor(mac)	[float, float, float, float]
RGBA color of the major (every 10th) grid lines.
minorColor(mic)	[float, float, float, float]
RGBA color of the grid lines.
normalAxis(na)	uint
Which axis is up in Maya. By default Y is up. The axis numbers are: 0: X, 1: Y, 2: Z. Should be kept in sync with the Maya up-vector settings.
orthographicLabelPosition(olp)	string
The position of the grid's numeric labels in orthographic views. Valid values are "axis" and "edge".
perspectiveLabelPosition(plp)	string
The position of the grid's numeric labels in perspective views. Valid values are "axis" and "edge".
reset(r)	boolean
Resets the ground plane to its default values
size(s)	linear
Sets the size of the grid in linear units. The default is 12 units.
spacing(sp)	linear
Sets the spacing between major grid lines in linear units. The default is 5 units.
style(st)	uint
This flag is obsolete and should not be used.
toggle(tgl)	boolean
Turns the ground plane display off in all windows, including orthographic windows. Default is true.
xAxisColor(xac)	[float, float, float, float]
RGBA color of the X-axis.
yAxisColor(yac)	[float, float, float, float]
RGBA color of the Y-axis.
zAxisColor(zac)	[float, float, float, float]
RGBA color of the Z-axis.

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

#To toggle the grid display of the grid (in all views):
currState = cmds.grid( toggle=True, q=True )
cmds.grid( toggle=(currState == 0) )

# To reset the grid to default values:
cmds.grid( reset=True )

# To change the grid spacing and subdivisions:
cmds.grid( spacing=10, d=10 )

# To set the defaults for inches
cmds.grid( default=True, spacing='1in', size='1ft', divisions=4 )

# To change the size of the grid to 20x20, extending 10 units
# in each direction:
cmds.grid( spacing=10 )

# To query the current size of the grid:
# returns a size in the current linear unit.
cmds.grid( query=True, size=True )

# A typical grid would be a grid size of 20x20, with
# major grid lines every 5 units, with 5 divisions between
# major grid lines. This be done with the following command.
cmds.grid( size='10cm', sp='5.0cm', d=5 )

# Turn on numeric grid labels.
#
cmds.grid( displayPerspectiveLabels=True )

# Display grid labels along the axes.
#
cmds.grid( perspectiveLabelPosition='axis' )