MaxSDK::ChannelData Namespace Reference

These are classes and enums to support the Data Channel Modifier. More...

Classes
class	IDataChannelEngine
	This is a black box engine that takes some input and outputs some data. More...
class	IInputData
	Descripes an input entry which consists of an type description and pointer to the data. More...
class	IOutputData
	Descripes an output entry which consists of an type description and pointer to the data Also lets the engine tell the modifier what channel it supports Other data that the engine needs to store per instance can also be stored here since the output data is stored on the modifier local data for modifiers. More...

Enumerations
enum	InputDataType { kType_INode = 0 , kType_MNMesh , kType_Stack_Input }
	A list of the input data types to be passed into the engine. More...
enum	OutputDataType {   kType_Int = 0 , kType_Float , kType_Point3 , kType_Matrix3 ,   kType_IntArray , kType_FloatArray , kType_Point3Array , kType_Matrix3Array }
	TBD A custom blind data type for any data that is not covered in OutputDataTypes. More...
enum	ChannelType {   kChannel_Vertex = 0 , kChannel_Edge , kChannel_Face , kChannel_NoChannelAssigned ,   kChannel_DoesNotCare }
	A list of all all the MNMesh channel types you can write to. More...
enum	VertexOutputChannel {   kOutputChannel_XYZ = 0 , kOutputChannel_VertexColor , kOutputChannel_MapChannel , kOutputChannel_Normal ,   kOutputChannel_VertexSelection , kOutputChannel_VertexCreaseWeight , kOutputChannel_VData , kOutputChannel_VertexWeight }
	List of vertex channels you can write to. More...
enum	EdgeOutputChannel { kOutputChannel_EdgeSelection = 0 , kOutputChannel_EdgeCreaseWeight , kOutputChannel_EData }
	List of edge channels you can write to. More...
enum	FaceOutputChannel { kOutputChannel_FaceSelection = 0 , kOutputChannel_MatID , kOutputChannel_SmoothGroup , kOutputChannel_FData }
	List of face channels you can write to. More...
enum	IndexChannel { kIndexChannel_None = 0 , kIndexChannel_Position , kIndexChannel_Normal , kIndexChannel_MapChannel }
	Vertex channels are bit tricky since they are tied to a face index channel this enumerates the different channels. More...
enum	EngineTypes { kEngine_Error = 0 , kEngine_Input , kEngine_Operand , kEngine_Output }
	These are enums that describe the engine type.There are 3 an Input, Operand and Output. More...

Detailed Description

These are classes and enums to support the Data Channel Modifier.

The Data Channel Modifier can be extened by adding additional Engines. This is done by having a plugin derive from IDataChannelEngine and using the SuperClassID DATACHANNELENGINE_SUPER_CLASS_ID. Any plugins that do that will appear in the Data Channel modifiers drop down list.

An IDataChannelEngine is just a black box solution that takes an MNMesh and then outputs an array that describes the mesh. For instance a Curvature engine would compute the curvature at each vertex and then return an array of floats one for each geometric vertex that describe the curvature.

The Data Channel modifier allows the vertex, edge and face channels to be modified. NOTE channels here just represent an array of data that describes part of a mesh and is not related to channels that flow up the stack. Vertex data is a bit tricky since some channels need face information and some do not. For instance the Vertex Selection channel implicitly is attached to the geometry face index so you cannot change that while something like a map channel has an explicit face channel attached to it.
The Map Channel modifier allows you to copy different face index channels around but not edit them directly.

Enumeration Type Documentation

InputDataType

enum InputDataType

A list of the input data types to be passed into the engine.

This will be extended as add more exposure to different types in different spaces.

Enumerator
kType_INode
kType_MNMesh	this entry will be pointer to the inode that owns the geometry in the stack
kType_Stack_Input	this entry will be pointer to the MNMesh in the stack

                           {
            kType_INode = 0,        
            kType_MNMesh,           
            kType_Stack_Input,      
 
        };

OutputDataType

enum OutputDataType

TBD A custom blind data type for any data that is not covered in OutputDataTypes.

A list of the output data to be passed fomr the engine. This will be extended as add more exposure to different types in different spaces.

Enumerator
kType_Int
kType_Float	int passed as pointer an int
kType_Point3	float passed as pointer an float
kType_Matrix3	Point3 passed as pointer an point3.
kType_IntArray	Matrix3 passed as pointer an Matrix3.
kType_FloatArray	array of ints passed as pointer to MaxSDK::Array
kType_Point3Array	array of floats passed as pointer to MaxSDK::Array
kType_Matrix3Array	array of Point3's passed as pointer to MaxSDK::Array

                            {
 
            kType_Int = 0,         
            kType_Float,            
            kType_Point3,           
            kType_Matrix3,          
 
            kType_IntArray,         
            kType_FloatArray,           
            kType_Point3Array,          
            kType_Matrix3Array,         
 
            //TBD kType_Custom,         //! custom blind data passed as pointer something derived from CustomDataType
        };

ChannelType

enum ChannelType

A list of all all the MNMesh channel types you can write to.

Enumerator
kChannel_Vertex
kChannel_Edge	Vertex channel which can include the position, normals, selection etc.
kChannel_Face	Edge channel which can include the selection, crease etc.
kChannel_NoChannelAssigned	Face chanel which can include matids, smoothing groups etx.
kChannel_DoesNotCare	Means that this data does not use a channel and should be returned if there is no output.

        {
            kChannel_Vertex = 0,    
            kChannel_Edge,          
            kChannel_Face,          
            kChannel_NoChannelAssigned,     
            kChannel_DoesNotCare,       
 
        };

VertexOutputChannel

enum VertexOutputChannel

List of vertex channels you can write to.

Enumerator
kOutputChannel_XYZ
kOutputChannel_VertexColor	The position channel this also has an implied face channel attached to it.
kOutputChannel_MapChannel	The verte color channel this also has an implied face channel attached to it (really map channel 1)
kOutputChannel_Normal	The map channel this also has an implied face channel attached to it (really map channels -2 to 99)
kOutputChannel_VertexSelection	The explicit normals channel this also has an implied face channel attached to it (really map channels -2 to 99)
kOutputChannel_VertexCreaseWeight	This is the soft selection channel implicitly tied to the position channel.
kOutputChannel_VData	This is the crease weight channel implicitly tied to the position channel.
kOutputChannel_VertexWeight	TBD this is the VData channel implicitly tied to the position channel. This is the vertex weight channel, VDATA_WEIGHT

        {
            kOutputChannel_XYZ = 0,             
            kOutputChannel_VertexColor,         
            kOutputChannel_MapChannel,          
            kOutputChannel_Normal,              
            kOutputChannel_VertexSelection,     
            kOutputChannel_VertexCreaseWeight,  
            kOutputChannel_VData,               
            kOutputChannel_VertexWeight         
        };

EdgeOutputChannel

enum EdgeOutputChannel

List of edge channels you can write to.

Enumerator
kOutputChannel_EdgeSelection
kOutputChannel_EdgeCreaseWeight	Edge selection data.
kOutputChannel_EData	Edge crease weight data.

        {
            kOutputChannel_EdgeSelection = 0,   
            kOutputChannel_EdgeCreaseWeight,    
            kOutputChannel_EData,               
        };

FaceOutputChannel

enum FaceOutputChannel

List of face channels you can write to.

Enumerator
kOutputChannel_FaceSelection
kOutputChannel_MatID	Face selection channel.
kOutputChannel_SmoothGroup	Material ID channel.
kOutputChannel_FData	Smoothing Group ID channel.

        {
            kOutputChannel_FaceSelection = 0,   
            kOutputChannel_MatID,               
            kOutputChannel_SmoothGroup,         
            kOutputChannel_FData,               
        };

IndexChannel

enum IndexChannel

Vertex channels are bit tricky since they are tied to a face index channel this enumerates the different channels.

Enumerator
kIndexChannel_None
kIndexChannel_Position	The data is not associated with any face indices ( things like edge or face data )
kIndexChannel_Normal	Position face indices.
kIndexChannel_MapChannel	Normal face indices.

        {
            kIndexChannel_None = 0,             
            kIndexChannel_Position,             
            kIndexChannel_Normal,               
            kIndexChannel_MapChannel,           
        };

EngineTypes

enum EngineTypes

These are enums that describe the engine type.There are 3 an Input, Operand and Output.

An Input Engine just creates data that is sent to the stack. An Operand takes data flowing thru the stack and modifies it and then puts it back on the stack An Output takes the data and pushes it back to the mesh

Enumerator
kEngine_Error
kEngine_Input	Error condition.
kEngine_Operand	Input Engine just creates data that is sent to the stack.
kEngine_Output	Operand takes data flowing thru the stack and modifies it and then puts it back on the stack.

        {
            kEngine_Error = 0,      
            kEngine_Input,          
            kEngine_Operand,            
            kEngine_Output,             
        };