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Synopsis

dockControl( [name] , [allowedArea=string], [annotation=string], [area=string], [backgroundColor=[float, float, float]], [closeCommand=script], [content=string], [defineTemplate=string], [docTag=string], [dockStation=string], [dragCallback=script], [dropCallback=script], [enable=boolean], [enableBackground=boolean], [enableKeyboardFocus=boolean], [enablePopupOption=boolean], [exists=boolean], [fixedHeight=boolean], [fixedWidth=boolean], [floatChangeCommand=script], [floating=boolean], [fullPathName=boolean], [height=int], [highlightColor=[float, float, float]], [isObscured=boolean], [label=string], [manage=boolean], [moveable=boolean], [noBackground=boolean], [numberOfPopupMenus=boolean], [parent=string], [popupMenuArray=boolean], [preventOverride=boolean], [r=boolean], [retain=boolean], [sizeable=boolean], [splitLayout=string], [state=string], [statusBarMessage=string], [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.

dockControl is undoable, queryable, and editable.

Create a dockable control, also known as tool palette or utility window. Dock controls are secondary windows placed in the dock area around the central control in a main window. Dock windows can be moved inside their current area, moved into new areas and floated (e.g. undocked). Dock control consists of a title bar and the content area. The titlebar displays the dock control window title, a float button and a close button. Depending on the state of the dock control, the float and close buttons may be either disabled or not shown at all.

Return value

stringFull path name to the control.

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

Flags

allowedArea, annotation, area, backgroundColor, closeCommand, content, defineTemplate, docTag, dockStation, dragCallback, dropCallback, enable, enableBackground, enableKeyboardFocus, enablePopupOption, exists, fixedHeight, fixedWidth, floatChangeCommand, floating, fullPathName, height, highlightColor, isObscured, label, manage, moveable, noBackground, numberOfPopupMenus, parent, popupMenuArray, preventOverride, r, retain, sizeable, splitLayout, state, statusBarMessage, useTemplate, visible, visibleChangeCommand, width
Long name (short name) Argument types Properties
allowedArea(aa) string createqueryeditmultiuse
Areas where the dock control may be placed. Valid values are "top", "left", "bottom", "right" and "all". The default is "all".
annotation(ann) string createqueryedit
Annotate the control with an extra string value.
area(a) string createqueryedit
The initial dock area for this dock control. This is a required flag.
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.
closeCommand(cc) script createedit
Script executed after the dock control is closed.
content(con) string createquery
The name of the control that is the content of this dock control. This is a required 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)
dockStation(ds) string create
The name of the control the window can be docked into. If this is not set it is assumed to be the main window.
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).
enablePopupOption(epo) boolean createqueryedit
Whether or not the menu option for the dock control in the UI Elements popup menu is enabled.
exists(ex) boolean create
Returns whether the specified object exists or not. Other flags are ignored.
fixedHeight(fh) boolean createqueryedit
Whether or not the dockControl height may be interactively resized.
fixedWidth(fw) boolean createqueryedit
Whether or not the dockControl width may be interactively resized.
floatChangeCommand(fcc) script createedit
The script executed when the floating state of the dock widget changes.
floating(fl) boolean createqueryedit
Whether the dock widget is floating. A floating dock widget is presented to the user as an independent window "on top" of main window, instead of being docked in the main window.
fullPathName(fpn) boolean 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.
isObscured(io) boolean 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.
label(l) string createqueryedit
The label text. The default label is the name of the control.
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.
moveable(mov) boolean createqueryedit
Control over whether or not the dockControl may be undocked/redocked.
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.
numberOfPopupMenus(npm) boolean query
Return the number of popup menus attached to this control.
parent(p) string createquery
The parent layout for this control.
popupMenuArray(pma) boolean 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.
r(r) boolean queryedit
Whether the dock widget is visible and either floating or at the top of its dock widget area.
retain(ret) boolean createqueryedit
Control over whether or not the window and its contents are deleted when closed. The default is true. The window and its contents are retained when closed unless this is set to false.
sizeable(s) boolean createqueryedit
Whether or not the dockControl width may be interactively resized. Deprecated!! Use the fixedWidth flag instead.
splitLayout(sl) string create
When two windows are added to a single docking area they are by default tabbed together. Setting a value for splitLayout will allow it to be placed next to another control in the same area. The flag's argument controls the orientation of the split. Valid values are "horizontal" or "vertical".
state(st) string createqueryedit
When queried this flag will return a string holding the dock control state information. This string is a hexadecimal representation of a binary string and is not meant to be humanly readable, but can be saved and loaded using the optionVar command to restore a dock control's state across sessions of Maya.
statusBarMessage(sbm) string createedit
Extra string to display in the status bar when the mouse is over the control.
useTemplate(ut) string create
Forces the command to use a command template other than the current one.
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 have multiple arguments, passed either as a tuple or a list.

Python examples

import maya.cmds as cmds

myWindow = cmds.window()
buttonForm = cmds.formLayout( parent = myWindow )
cmds.button( parent = buttonForm )
allowedAreas = ['right', 'left']
cmds.dockControl( area='left', content=myWindow, allowedArea=allowedAreas )