Wrapping It Up

This chapter covered creating character controls using MEL scripting. As you use MEL more extensively, you should explore other useful commands that were not covered here. Some of these include aliasAttr, scriptedPanelLayout, formLayout, gridLayout, confirmDialogue, promptDialogue, dagPose, eval, switch, blendTwoAttr, and choice. Use the MEL coding examples in the MEL Command Reference, in the MEL section of the online documentation, and in scripts you find online to explore more uses for MEL. You will really earn your stripes when you try to modify an existing script to do something new. Then you will have to troubleshoot error messages and use all the tools in your arsenal to fix the problems. It is, however, a very satisfying feeling to finally get the right combination to make your script work correctly.

Finally, you can take MEL scripting to the point where you automate the entire character setup process. Because everything you do in the setup process involves MEL commands, you can create procedures out of each step, and then create a user interface that facilitates user input through a series of controls.