Move selection based on input for X, Y, and Z axes

Question

My first use of classes with Python. Very simple code which I feel may be further simplified. Please break my code or give me input on where it could have been better/efficient.

import maya.cmds as mc
from functools import partial
class MoveSelTool(object):
 '''Tool for moving selected object or objects by a 
 value specified by user on the X, Y, and Z axis.'''
 def __init__(self, *args):
 pass 
 if(mc.window("ak_move_sel_tool_window", query=True, exists=True)):
 mc.deleteUI("ak_move_sel_tool_window")
 def build_window_UI(self):
 '''Builds the window for GUI''' 
 self.window = mc.window("ak_move_sel_tool_window", 
 title="Move Selection Tool")
 self.columnLayout = mc.columnLayout()
 self.txt_directions = mc.text(align="left", 
 label="Directions: Input translation increment.\n")
 self.rowColumn = mc.rowColumnLayout(numberOfColumns=8)
 self.txt_x = mc.text(label=" X: ", 
 align="right") 
 self.txtfld_x = mc.textField("mst_txtfld_x_value",
 text="0", 
 ann='input units to move X', 
 width=50)
 self.txt_y = mc.text(label=" Y: ", 
 align="right") 
 self.txtfld_y = mc.textField("mst_txtfld_y_value",
 text="0", 
 ann='input units to move Y', 
 width=50)
 self.txt_z = mc.text(label=" Z: ", 
 align="right") 
 self.txtfld_z = mc.textField("mst_txtfld_z_value",
 text="0", 
 ann='input units to move Z', 
 width=50)
 self.txt_space = mc.text(label=" ") 
 self.move_btn = mc.button(label="Move") 
 #ui commands
 mc.button(self.move_btn, 
 edit=True, 
 command=partial(self.move_selection))
 mc.textField("mst_txtfld_x_value",
 edit=True, 
 enterCommand=partial(self.move_selection))
 mc.textField("mst_txtfld_y_value",
 edit=True, 
 enterCommand=partial(self.move_selection)) 
 mc.textField("mst_txtfld_z_value",
 edit=True, 
 enterCommand=partial(self.move_selection))
 #show ui
 mc.showWindow(self.window)
 def query_mst_user_input(self):
 '''Queries all 3 textfields and returns 
 values of X, Y, and Z in a single list'''
 self.x_value = mc.textField("mst_txtfld_x_value", 
 query=True,
 text=True)
 self.y_value = mc.textField("mst_txtfld_y_value", 
 query=True,
 text=True)
 self.z_value = mc.textField("mst_txtfld_z_value", 
 query=True,
 text=True)
 return (self.x_value, self.y_value, self.z_value) 
 def move_selection(self, *args):
 '''Convert input or lack thereof into floats 
 and plug them into Maya's move command'''
 self.mst_user_selection = mc.ls(selection=True) 
 self.mst_user_inputs = self.query_mst_user_input()
 user_x = self.mst_user_inputs[0]
 user_y = self.mst_user_inputs[1]
 user_z = self.mst_user_inputs[2]
 print len(user_x)
 if len(user_x) == 0:
 user_x = 0
 if len(user_y) == 0:
 user_y = 0
 if len(user_z) == 0:
 user_z = 0 
 print "Your X is {0}".format(float(user_x))
 print "Your Y is {0}".format(float(user_y))
 print "Your Z is {0}".format(float(user_z))
 mc.move(float(user_x), 
 float(user_y), 
 float(user_z),
 self.mst_user_selection, 
 relative=True)
 def show(self):
 '''Display UI'''
 self.build_window_UI()
mst=MoveSelTool()
mst.show()

• SylvainD: Indentation of "if(mc.window..." seems a bit awkward...

Answer 1

Alright, your code looks around but it could be improved slightly:

---

In the lines

def __init__(self, *args):
 pass 
if(mc.window("ak_move_sel_tool_window", query=True, exists=True)):

You should add whitespace between the two lines, and also between if and (.

---

PEP8, Python's official style guide suggests naming your variables like this x_value, rather than self.txtfld_y, and also using text_field_y rather than an abbreviation.

---

I would suggest turning:

 user_x = self.mst_user_inputs[0]
 user_y = self.mst_user_inputs[1]
 user_z = self.mst_user_inputs[2]
 print len(user_x)
 if len(user_x) == 0:
 user_x = 0
 if len(user_y) == 0:
 user_y = 0
 if len(user_z) == 0:
 user_z = 0 

into an array.

---

I would suggest turning ann='input units to move X' into a string elsewhere like: string_elsewhere = 'input units to move ' ... ann = string_elsewhere + 'X'

• Asaph Kim: Can you give a reason for your suggestions? why should i turn those lines into an array? also, why should ann be put into a variable? does it make much of a difference?