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Rivet Plugin Reduces Nodes Needed For A Rivet Setup In Maya

By February 15, 20128 Comments

Michael Tuttle posts a rivet plugin that he has created in Python for polygon meshes in Maya where you are able to take one or two vertices (with the shapes matrix also) and uses that to ouput matrix, translate, and rotation attriutes which can be used for animation or other purposes. Check out the Advanced Rivet -Python Plugin for Maya 1.0.0 here.

For basic use just select one or two vertices from the mesh and in the mel command line type and execute the command “vRivetCommand,” which will create a locator positioned and oriented to the selected vertex(ices). You can also set it manually with createNode -type vRivet (or in Python createNode(“vRivet); and connect your shape’s mesh and matrix attributes to inMesh and inMatrix, respectively. The upVector can be used to have a custom up rotation axis instead of using a second vertex. The upVector is only used if the upIndex attribute is set to -1. Use the rotationAxis attribute to specify which rotate axis points up, forward and tangent.

lesterbanks

3D, VFX, design, and typography. Twenty year veteran instructor in all things computer graphics.

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