whatisCmd/whatisCmd.cpp

//-
// ==========================================================================
// Copyright 1995,2006,2008 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
//
// Use of this software is subject to the terms of the Autodesk
// license agreement provided at the time of installation or download,
// or which otherwise accompanies this software in either electronic
// or hard copy form.
// ==========================================================================
//+

// DESCRIPTION:
// 
// Produces the MEL command "whatis".
//
// This simple command prints a message to standard out describing the API
// types of Maya objects. If no Maya objects are passed to the command, then
// it lists the types of all of the currently selected objects.
//
// For each object, the following information is printed: 
//  - name of the object 
//  - API type for the object 
//  - API function sets that can be used on the object. Note that not every function
//    set listed actually exists. 
//
// This list is essentially the class derivation list containing all parent
// classes of this object.
//
// For example, the command 
//
//  whatis nurbsSphereShape1
//
// results in the following output: 
//
//  Name: nurbsSphereShape1
//  Type: kNurbsSurface
//  Function Sets: kBase, kNamedObject, kDependencyNode, kDagNode, kShape,
//  kGeometric, kSurface, kNurbsSurface, kNurbsSurfaceGeom
//
// This is a good example of taking Maya objects as arguments to a command.
//

#include <maya/MSimple.h>
#include <maya/MObject.h>
#include <maya/MGlobal.h>
#include <maya/MFnDependencyNode.h>
#include <maya/MItSelectionList.h>
#include <maya/MSelectionList.h>
#include <maya/MString.h>
#include <maya/MStringArray.h>
#include <maya/MIOStream.h>

DeclareSimpleCommand( whatis, PLUGIN_COMPANY, "3.0");

MStatus whatis::doIt( const MArgList& args )
{

    MSelectionList list;

    if ( args.length() > 0 ) {
        // Arg list is > 0 so use objects that were passes in
        //
        MString argStr;

        unsigned last = args.length();
        for ( unsigned i = 0; i < last; i++ ) {
            // Attempt to find all of the objects matched
            // by the string and add them to the list
            //
            args.get( i, argStr );  
            list.add( argStr ); 
        }
    } else {
        // Get the geometry list from what is currently selected in the 
        // model
        //
        MGlobal::getActiveSelectionList( list );
    } 

    MObject node;
    MFnDependencyNode depFn;
    MStringArray types;
    MString name;

    for ( MItSelectionList iter( list ); !iter.isDone(); iter.next() ) {
        // Print the types and function sets of all of the objects
        //
        iter.getDependNode( node );
        depFn.setObject( node );
        
        name = depFn.name();
        MGlobal::getFunctionSetList( node, types );

        cout << "Name: " << name.asChar() << endl;
        cout << "Type: " << node.apiTypeStr() << endl;
        cout << "Function Sets: ";
        
        int last = types.length();
        for( int i = 0; i < last; i++ ) {
            if ( i > 0 ) cout << ", ";
            cout << types[i].asChar();
        }
        cout << endl << endl;
    }
    return MS::kSuccess;
}