bitmap switcher

This work fine for me!!! THANKS!!!

You are Awasome!

Could you please share this script? I would be very useful.

thank you very much

It could be a good tool, but I really need some help to finish it because it's full of bugs!!

Here the complete and commented code (I forget something... but some time has passed, sorry).

I have attacherd a zip file containing the script, a simple scene (max 2010) and 2 textures just to speed up testing process.

----- FACE SWITCHER V.0.1
----- This is a scripted modifier
----- It allows you to change object texture editing bitmap cropping and placement

----- INSTALLATION:
----- put this file in ...maxfolder\stdplugs\stdscripts\ before to open max

----- USE:
----- Create your bitmap with aspect ratio 10:1. This must contain 10 square images side to side
----- Put it in diffuse channel of your material (that must be a VrayMtl, and must be ID#1 of a Multi/Sub-Object material)
----- Set bitmap cropping to W:0.1 H:1.0 (so only the first image is used)
----- Assign Multi/Sub-Object material to your object
----- Add "Face switcher DEV" modifier to your object
----- Click on "Pick Obj": bitmap name should appear in text box and thumbnails in numbered boxes (in this step the script create a lowres version of your bitmap to use in UI, same folder, same format, same name with suffix "_lowres")
----- Done! Now you can change your texture clicking on each thumbnail
----- If you move the time slider and change the texture, keyframes are created automatically (stepped)

----- PROBLEMS/BUGS:
----- Works only with multisubmat
----- Material with bitmap to switch must have ID#1
----- If you use a bitmap with alpha the small one created for UI is terrible (tried jpg, bmp, tiff, png... no way, but this is a max problem I think)
----- If you use it on more than one object with different materials (and bitmap of course) UI icons are always the same, even if texture name displayed is right
----- Something that I forgot for sure...

----- Probably there are errors and inaccuracies in this script, but this is one of my first tries and I know I miss the basics


plugin modifier Face_switcher_DEV
name:"Face switcher DEV"
classID:#(0x133078, 0x54409)
version:1


--- CREATE UI
(	
	parameters main rollout:test
	(
		obj type: #string  ui:obj animatable:false
	)
	
	rollout test "FACE SWITCHER" width:162

	(	
	button pickObj "Pick Obj" pos:[5,5] width:50 height:20
	edittext obj "" pos:[55,5] width:100 height:20
	
	button btn01 "01" pos:[5,30] width:50 height:50  
	button btn02 "02" offset:[-1,-55] width:50 height:50
	button btn03 "03" offset:[49,-55] width:50 height:50  
	button btn04 "04" offset:[-51,-5] width:50 height:50
	button btn05 "05" offset:[-1,-55] width:50 height:50
	button btn06 "06" offset:[49,-55] width:50 height:50
	button btn07 "07" offset:[-51,-5] width:50 height:50
	button btn08 "08" offset:[-1,-55] width:50 height:50
	button btn09 "09" offset:[49,-55] width:50 height:50  
	button btn10 "10" offset:[-51,-5] width:50 height:50

		
--- PICK OBJECT TEXTURE, CREATE LOWRES VERSION, SAVE IT AND PUT IT IN UI
	on pickObj pressed do
	(
		--- GET MATERIAL TEXTURE
		local TEXTURE_NAME = $.material[1].TEXMAP_diffuse.filename
		
		--- FUNCTION TO OPEN TEXTURE
		local TEXTURE = openbitmap $.material[1].TEXMAP_diffuse.filename
		
		--- CANT'T REMEMBER SORRY
		local TEXMAP = bitmaptexture bitmap:(openBitmap TEXTURE_NAME)
		
		--- TEXTURE WIDTH, HEIGHT AND ASPECT RATIO
		w = TEXTURE.width
		h = TEXTURE.height
		c = w/h
		
		--- THUMBNAIL SIZE, BASED ON ORIGINAL TEXTURE ASPECT RATIO
		local THUMB_SIZE = [c*50, 50]
		
		--- GENERATE THUMBNAIL
		local THUMBNAIL = renderMap TEXMAP size:THUMB_SIZE filter:on
		THUMBNAIL.filename = (getFilenamePath TEXTURE_NAME + getFilenameFile TEXTURE_NAME + "_lowres" + getFilenameType TEXTURE_NAME)   
		
		--- SAVE THUMBNAIL
		save THUMBNAIL
		
		--- CLOSE THUMBNAIL
		close THUMBNAIL
				
		--- CANT'T REMEMBER SORRY AGAIN
		filename = filterstring TEXTURE_NAME "\\"
		filename = filename[filename.count]
		
		--- SUBDIVIDE THUMBNAIL OVER 10 UI BUTTONS
		btn01.images = #(THUMBNAIL, THUMBNAIL, c, 1, 1, 1, 1)
		btn02.images = #(THUMBNAIL, THUMBNAIL, c, 2, 2, 1, 1)
		btn03.images = #(THUMBNAIL, THUMBNAIL, c, 3, 3, 1, 1)
		btn04.images = #(THUMBNAIL, THUMBNAIL, c, 4, 4, 1, 1)
		btn05.images = #(THUMBNAIL, THUMBNAIL, c, 5, 5, 1, 1)
		btn06.images = #(THUMBNAIL, THUMBNAIL, c, 6, 6, 1, 1)
		btn07.images = #(THUMBNAIL, THUMBNAIL, c, 7, 7, 1, 1)
		btn08.images = #(THUMBNAIL, THUMBNAIL, c, 8, 8, 1, 1)
		btn09.images = #(THUMBNAIL, THUMBNAIL, c, 9, 9, 1, 1)
		btn10.images = #(THUMBNAIL, THUMBNAIL, c, 10, 10, 1, 1)
		obj.text = filename
	)

	
--- ACTION ON BUTTON PRESSED, SAME FOR ALL
	on btn01 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
	(
		if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
		(
			mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
			if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].TEXMAP_diffuse) bitmaptex do
			(
				
				--- SET AUTOKEY ON AND DEFINE BITMAP PLACEMENT
				with animate on (map.clipu = 0)
				
				--- CREATE KEYFRAME - SET IN & OUT TANGENT TO STEP
				map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step
			)
		)
	)
	
	on btn02 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
	(
		if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
		(
			mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
			if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].TEXMAP_diffuse) bitmaptex do
			(
				with animate on (map.clipu = 0.1)
				map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step
			)
		)
	)
	
	on btn03 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
	(
		if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
		(
			mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
			if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].TEXMAP_diffuse) bitmaptex do
			(
				with animate on (map.clipu = 0.2)
				map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step
			)
		)
	)
	
	on btn04 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
	(
		if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
		(
			mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
			if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].TEXMAP_diffuse) bitmaptex do
			(
				with animate on (map.clipu = 0.3)
				map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step
			)
		)
	)
	
	on btn05 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
	(
		if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
		(
			mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
			if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].TEXMAP_diffuse) bitmaptex do
			(
				with animate on (map.clipu = 0.4)
				map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step
			)
		)
	)
	
	on btn06 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
	(
		if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
		(
			mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
			if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].TEXMAP_diffuse) bitmaptex do
			(
				with animate on (map.clipu = 0.5)
				map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step
			)
		)
	)
	
	on btn07 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
	(
		if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
		(
			mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
			if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].TEXMAP_diffuse) bitmaptex do
			(
				with animate on (map.clipu = 0.6)
				map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step
			)
		)
	)	
	
	on btn08 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
	(
		if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
		(
			mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
			if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].TEXMAP_diffuse) bitmaptex do
			(
				with animate on (map.clipu = 0.7)
				map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step
			)
		)
	)	
	
	on btn09 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
	(
		if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
		(
			mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
			if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].TEXMAP_diffuse) bitmaptex do
			(
				with animate on (map.clipu = 0.8)
				map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step
			)
		)
	)	
	
	on btn10 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
	(
		if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
		(
			mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
			if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].TEXMAP_diffuse) bitmaptex do
			(
				with animate on (map.clipu = 0.9)
				map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step
			)
		)
	)

	)
)

It works!
...with my stupid $ and vraymaterial, but it works!!

...
btn01.images = #(Fdir.text + "\lowres.jpg", undefined, 5, 1, 1, 1, 1)
btn02.images = #(Fdir.text + "\lowres.jpg", undefined, 5, 2, 1, 1, 1)
btn03.images = #(Fdir.text + "\lowres.jpg", undefined, 5, 3, 1, 1, 1)
btn04.images = #(Fdir.text + "\lowres.jpg", undefined, 5, 4, 1, 1, 1)
btn05.images = #(Fdir.text + "\lowres.jpg", undefined, 5, 5, 1, 1, 1)
...
on btn01 pressed do 
( $.material.texmap_diffuse.clipu = 0 )
on btn02 pressed do 
( $.material.texmap_diffuse.clipu = 0.2 )
on btn03 pressed do 
( $.material.texmap_diffuse.clipu = 0.4 )
on btn04 pressed do 
( $.material.texmap_diffuse.clipu = 0.6 )
on btn05 pressed do 
( $.material.texmap_diffuse.clipu = 0.8 )
...

Now I have to make it works with multimaterial and create keyframe automatically :)

Just try

with animate on (selection[1].material.texmap_diffuse.clipu = 0.4)

Perfect on vraymtl, but does not work on multisub material :(

I already post example how to manage nested VRayMtl inside any material (Multimaterial, Blend, VRayBlend, VRayLight etc.)

Yup,
and your advice have produced good results :)

on btn03 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
 (
  if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
   (
    mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
     if mtl.count != 0 do 
      if isKindOf  (map = mtl[1].texmap_diffuse) bitmaptex do with animate on (map.clipu = 0.4)
   )
  )

Did I worked well?
:)

Yep. I will explain line by line

-- on button is pressed check first if selection exists
on btn03 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
(
-- check if first item in selection have assigned material
if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
(
-- collect all VRayMtl instance in targeted object material
-- this material can be multimaterial or any other that have VRayMtl nested inside
-- in this case I overide "mtl" variable
-- at first this variable is selection material and then array of VRayMtl's
mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
-- check if array is not empty
if mtl.count != 0 do
-- check if first material in array have texturemap in diffuse slot
if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].texmap_diffuse) bitmaptex do with animate on (map.clipu = 0.4)
-- the rest you get it already ;)
)
)

Wow, something I understood, something I missed :)

Last step is to set created keyframes to step with some

.inTangentType = #step
.outTangentType = #step

but all my attempts are failed.

Try this

on btn03 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
(
if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
(
mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
if mtl.count != 0 do if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].texmap_diffuse) bitmaptex do
(
with animate on (map.clipu = 0.4)
map.clipu.controller.keys[1].inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys[1].outTangentType = #step
)
)
)

Almost right, with your code the 1st keyframe is stepped, while the others are not.

With

map.clipu.controller.keys.inTangentType = map.clipu.controller.keys.outTangentType = #step

works well!

Yep.
In this example I used first object in selection, first material in array and
of course first key

:)

One problem solved, another discovered (::disappointed::)

As a dialog works fine.
Converted into a scripted plugin works too.

But I will have more than one character in my scene and I prefer to use this tool as a modifier: if I apply it to two objects with 2 different material it works, but button thumbnails are the same even if I pick 2 different directories (with different images).

Is a local variable (path) problem?

Path names in EditText disappered also...

Now I fix it with:

 parameters main rollout:test (
  Fdir type: #string ui:Fdir animatable:false
)

they are also saved with scene and restored on open....
but no way to fix thumbnails problem :(

Any idea?

By using below method you can avoid any error.
I hope that you understand what i wrote.
If not then just read mxs help.

If I wrote:

	on btn01 pressed do
	(
--texmap_diffuse because of vray material
		$.material.texmap_diffuse.filename = "C:\\test\\01.png"
	)

it works, but obviously is not what I need... it should be something like this:

	on btn02 pressed do
	(
		$.material.texmap_diffuse.filename = btn02.images
	)

but my knowledge stops here...

I find a solution... is it the right one?

 on btn01 pressed do
  (
   $.material.texmap_diffuse.filename = (Fdir.text + "\01.png")
  )

Better use "selection[1]" then "$" sign ei

on btn01 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
(
if isKindOf (mtl = selection[1].mat) VRayMtl do
mtl.texmap_diffuse.filename = (Fdir.text + "\01.png")
)

You rock!

Thanks, I'm learning a lot from you in these days.

It works fine with a vraymaterial, but does not work (nor mine do) if vraymtl is a submat of a multimaterial...

It's easy to implement this to works with any material that include VRayMtl but
you need to decide which VRayMtl must be changed.
Let say you have multimaterial with 10 sub-materials that is assigned to one object. Which sub-mat you want to have switch operation?

It's the same.. let's say submat 1

on btn01 pressed do if selection.count != 0 do
(
if (mtl = selection[1].mat) != undefined do
(
mtl = getClassInstances VRayMtl target:mtl
if mtl.count != 0 do
if isKindOf (map = mtl[1].texmap_diffuse) bitmaptex do map.filename = (Fdir.text + "\01.png")
)
)

Yes, You are the man!

And now the nice part, I need to keyframe my bitmap change, but I'm not sure it is possible...I just realized that, right?

It's not posible but...
You can use "Mix" procedural map. Put two maps and use mix amount to switch between these. Also this parameter can be animated for sure

Uff...I know!

With mix map I can only mix up two maps.. I need more, at least 10.

I have the idea, but I need help to develop it.

1. We have a folder with 2 textures, each with 5 images side by side

2. First texture is lowres, to use for buttons thumbnail (to sort with .images array, and this is done)

3. Second texture is highres: now I put this texture in diffuse slot of my material, and then with buttons from 1 to 5 I will change its cropping and placement (btn01->place 0 crop 0.2, btn02->place 0.2 crop 0.2, btn03->place 0.4 crop 0.2, btn04->place 0.6 crop 0.2, btn05->place 0.8 crop 0.2), crating keyframes.

Is it a good idea?

I think that this is not possible with mxs, but not sure.