select more loop

I'm all for better tools via mxs. That said, Ctrl+ PageDown will select all children. PageUp selects parent, PageDown selects child.

 

 

just a quick question. what version of 3dsmax are you using. the "appendifunique" function was added to the maxscript language in 3dsmax version 2008..
------------

I have edited the function somewhat (it still needs 3dsmax 2008 or higher to function)

----------- start code
------------start function
fn selectAllChildren startNodeArray objArray=
(
for startnode in startNodeArray do
(
try (
appendifunique objArray startNode
)catch()
if startNode.children!= 0 then
(
for item in startNode.children do
(
try(
appendifunique objArray item
selectAllChildren item objArray
)
catch()
)
)
)
)

------------end function
objArray =#() --clear the array
--select all children and store in array
selectAllChildren (selection as array) objArray
select objArray -- select all nodes the array
----------- end code

IMPORTANT you need to pass in the objects as an array for this function to work. Either by using the (selection as array) if you want the current selection or create your own array like:
#($bone01,$bone02,$bone52) or
#($onelonleyobject)

OK I tried the second one.. it looked very promising..
The function worked just fine.. but then this happened. Any idea?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
objArray =#() --create an empty array
selectAllChildren $Sequence_Node_SK objArray
#()
-- Error occurred in selectAllChildren()
-- Frame:
-- objArray: #()
-- appendifunique: undefined
-- startNode: $Sequence_Node_SK
-- Type error: Call needs function or class, got: undefined

In theese both examples pretend I have an IK bone structure:
bone01 is the main parent.. the first object in the chain

One way of doing it is:
-----
select $Bone01*...*
-----

the problem with this is building the $bone01*..* dynamically. To do this you need to execute a string that you have put together.

select ( execute ( "$" + item.name + "*...*"))

which converts it to a node name.

another way is to create a little function:
-----start code snippet
-----start function ---
fn selectAllChildren startNode objArray=
(
appendifunique objArray startNode
startNode.children
if startNode.children!= 0 then
(
for item in startNode.children do
(
appendifunique objArray item
selectAllChildren item objArray
)
)
)
---end function
objArray =#() --create an empty array
selectAllChildren $Bone01 objArray
--create an array of
--all children of $bone01
--and when you have them selected just
--run a select on the whole group

select objArray
--------- end code snippet

OK I found this elsewhere..

(

/*
collects all children recursively. arguments:

obj -- the object to collect its children
allChildren -- by-reference argument used to store child objects
includeParent -- whether the original parent object should be included
includeHidden -- whether hidden objects should be included

*/
fn collectChildren obj &allChildren includeParent:true includeHidden:true =
(
-- check if object should be collected
if (includeHidden or not obj.isHiddenInVpt) and includeParent and finditem

allChildren obj == 0 then
append allChildren obj

-- collect current object's children
for c in obj.children do collectChildren c &allChildren includeParent:true

includeHidden:includeHidden
)

-- initialize children array
local allChildren = #()

-- collect all children
for obj in selection do collectChildren obj &allChildren

-- select them
select allChildren

)

HELP.. the above script works... then randomly under the same exact circumstances.. I will get this error

-- Syntax error: at name, expected "then" or "do"
-- In line: allChildren o

any ideas why this happens seemingly at random