Practical Maya Programming with Python

Extending the node factory

The following sections cover extending the node factory's functionality. We will add support for string, color, and enum attributes, transform nodes, and overriding MPxNode methods other than compute.

There are many more features to support than what's covered here, such as string and array attributes. When it comes time to add a new feature to the node factory, I suggest you start by getting comfortable with its implementation using the Maya Python API directly. Only then should you support it in the node factory. This is due, first and foremost, to the fact that many examples and tutorials exist for the API. Second, it is due to the fact that diagnosing issues in the node factory can be difficult due to its dynamism. ...