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Synopsis

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

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, clearAttribute, defineTemplate, docTag, dragCallback, dropCallback, enable, enableBackground, enableKeyboardFocus, exists, fullPathName, height, highlightColor, highlightMode, isObscured, manage, noBackground, numberOfControls, numberOfPopupMenus, parent, popupMenuArray, preventOverride, readOnly, refreshOnRelease, selectedColorControl, selectedInterpControl, selectedPositionControl, staticNumberOfControls, staticPositions, statusBarMessage, upperLimitControl, useTemplate, verticalLayout, visible, visibleChangeCommand, width
Long name (short name) Argument types Properties
-adaptiveScaling(-as) 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 createedit
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.
-clearAttribute(-cla) edit
Removes the gradient attribute that controls the widget. A new attribute can be set again using the attribute flag
-defineTemplate(-dt) string create
Puts the command in a mode where any other flags and arguments 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. (e.g., -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 CTRL and SHIFT. Possible values are 0 == No modifiers, 1 == SHIFT, 2 == CTRL, 3 == CTRL + 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.
-enableKeyboardFocus(-ekf) boolean createqueryedit
If enabled, the user can navigate to the control with the tab key and select values with the keyboard or mouse. This flag would typically be used to turn off focus support from controls that get it by default, like Edit and List controls. If disabled, text in text fields can still be selected with the mouse but cannot be copied (except on Linux when "Middle Click Paste" is enabled).
-exists(-ex) create
Returns whether the specified object exists or not. Other flags are ignored.
-fullPathName(-fpn) 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.
-highlightMode(-hlm) string createqueryedit
Specifies when the ramp should be highlighted. Only applies to curves. Possible values are "off", "hover" and "always". Default is "off".
-isObscured(-io) 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) query
Return the number of popup menus attached to this control.
-parent(-p) string createquery
The parent layout for this control.
-popupMenuArray(-pma) query
Return the names of all the popup menus attached to this control.
-preventOverride(-po) boolean createqueryedit
If true, this flag prevents overriding the control's attribute via the control's right mouse button menu.
-readOnly(-ro) boolean createqueryedit
Specifies if the ramp is read only or not. If true, the ramp can't be edited and control points will be hidden.
-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.
-statusBarMessage(-sbm) string createedit
Extra string to display in the status bar when the mouse is over the control.
-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
Forces 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 be used more than once in a command.

MEL examples

// Create a ramp widget for the profileCurve attribute
//
window -title "Gradient Control For Attribute";
string $objName = `createNode polySplitRing`;
columnLayout;
gradientControl -h 90 -at ($objName+".profileCurve");
showWindow;

// Create a ramp widget in the attribute editor for the
// incandescence attribute
//
AEaddRampControl "incandescence";