Uses of MEL

# 1 17-09-2003 , 03:22 AM

Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: CA

Posts: 211

Hi,
I've heard a lot about MEL and that it can be used extensively in the CG industry. But can someone explain to me exactly what areas it is used in? What can I DO using MEL? Can I animate a character? Can I make Effects? Can I make an environment? Why is it better/worse than using the GUI?
Are there any website that have examples of what can be done using MEL along with the script that does it?

I'm kinda lost as far as MEL and its uses and I need someone to enlighten me user added image

~nspiratn

Quote

# 2 17-09-2003 , 08:19 AM

Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002

Location: London, UK

Posts: 3,198

Well, the maya GUI is actually a one big MEL interpreter. Every time you issue a menu command, change an attribute, drag the timeslider and whatnot you're actually executing a MEL command. So everything you do manually in the GUI can be done via MEL scripts also. With MEL you can even create your own GUIs. Take a look at the MEL command reference in the online documentation and you'll find a huge amount of commands. Also take a look at the scripts available here at SM or for example highend3d. That should give you an idea what can be done with MEL.

I have written a little MEL tutorial. You can find it here: https://kotisivu.mtv3.fi/karppa/pier.html

Kari
- My Website
- My IMDB

Do a lot, Fail a lot and Learn a lot!

Last edited by kbrown; 17-09-2003 at 08:23 AM.

Quote

# 3 17-09-2003 , 05:13 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: CA

Posts: 211

Yes, I do realise that the Maya is built upon MEL scripts, but my question is, why would I want to learn MEL and not just stick to the GUI? I suppose since I dont know MEL yet, I'm unable to visualize its uses.

And If I do decide to go for MEL, then what kind of jobs am I going to get?

I know this posting is kind of out of the blue, but, hey, I love the simplyamaya forum,and it has always come through for me user added image

~nspiratn

Quote

# 4 17-09-2003 , 05:31 PM

Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002

Location: London, UK

Posts: 3,198

Do my tut and you will see some points where utilizing mel is more powerful than doing the same thing manually.

Kari
- My Website
- My IMDB

Do a lot, Fail a lot and Learn a lot!

Quote

# 5 17-09-2003 , 05:54 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: CA

Posts: 211

Yes, Sir!

~nspiratn

Quote

# 6 18-09-2003 , 02:18 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003

Posts: 161

I have just the book that will answer your questions! user added image

There's MEL, and there are expressions. Expressions are nodes in your scene that get recalculated on the fly by Maya, and MEL scripts are programs that are usually triggered by the user interface and modify the contents of a scene.

You can use MEL scripts to modify your scene or set things up (like a chunk of a character rig, or a dynamics system) while expressions are part of the scene's evaluation and get executed during playback.

Back to the book, there are a ton of examples in here that illustrate how MEL and expressions can be useful. I recommend that you check it out:

https://www.melscripting.com/

-- Mark

Mark R. Wilkins
author of MEL Scripting for Maya Animators
www.melscripting.com

Quote

Uses of MEL

Posting Rules Forum Rules

Similar Threads

Topics

Free Courses

Full Courses

VFX News