I’m currently working on a Maya <-> Photoshop script.
The goal with it is to keep track of texture maps and just make it easier for artists to work between the softwares.
The plan is to write it all in Python but I’m not sure how to solve the question about UI. should I use MEL or pyQT to write UI?
Since I’m not really doing this for any company, just for portfolio and the community I think MEL has the advantage that people wont need to download and install stuff to get PyQT working.
But, I’ve been working alot with MEL and would like to try doing something in pyQT to increase my knowledge and it also feels easier not having to send variables between MEL and Python.
doesn’t python have the built in Tkinter? If that was used to build the UI than the end user would only need python installed on their computer which, considering you’re building your tool in python, should already be there.
Don’t know too much about Tkinter, but I know of its uses.
i would suggest using qt or wx. For tech art stuff, python is the way to go and from what i hear, ui in mel is a nightmare. For our team, we dont hardly use mel at all really. ask for tkinter, it can probably do what you want but it wont look as good. wx uses the native ui stuff for the oses so it looks right and qt is just an awesome kit to work with. if this is for a reel/portfolio, you want to get the best results. If someone has to download an extra library, then thats what they gotta do
Well, you can use python to build UI in Maya. (Like doing it in mel) so if it comes down to the choice of language python should have no problems building UI for Maya. What I am personally interested is linking to photoshop from 64bit version of Maya that is below 2010 version. I wonder if anyone has succeeded in that.
I have build my Maya script UI completely with Python, using the corresponding commands to the native Mel UI commands. It definitely works, but it is so painful to create the first time, and it become so much more complex to maintain once you try to make your script evolve.
I understand the reason why Alias did it this way I suppose, but I am definitely looking forward for Qt to be integrated directly in Maya.
