RfM 21
Customizing

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Introduction

The instructions on this page have been extensively altered to match the features of version 21 of Pixar's RenderMan. Additional instructions have been added (3rd Sept. 2018) because of an "undocumented-feature" relating to passing of values of environment variables set by the Maya.env file to the RenderManForMaya plugin.

Step 1

Download customize_rfm.zip and unzip its contents - as shown on the right.

Step 2 - Maya.env

Move the Maya.env file to,

Windows
    C:\Users\YOUR_NAME\Documents\maya\2017\Maya.env
  
Linux
   /home/YOUR_NAME/maya/2017/Maya.env
  
MacOSX
    /Users/YOUR_NAME/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/2017/Maya.env

Additional Instructions for Windows Maya2018

The first two environment variables (lines 12 and 18) in the Maya.env file must be deleted. Both MAYA_USER_DIR and RMS_SCRIPT_PATHS must be set as "system environment variables". Users who are unsure about how this is done should perform a google search using "windows setting environment variables".

MacOSX Users

Readers who are using MacOSX must edit the Maya.env so that it looks like this edited version.

Step 3 - Custom Mel Scripts

Move the 9 mel scripts from the directory named "scripts" to your maya/scripts directory. For example, on Windows,

    C:\Users\YOUR_NAME\Documents\maya\projects\scripts\
                                                       |_ addColorAttr.mel
                                                       |_ addFloatAttr.mel
                                                       |_ addStringAttr.mel
                                                       |_ aimY.mel
                                                       |_ getNormals.mel
                                                       |_ getParticleData.mel
                                                       |_ getVertices.mel
                                                       |_ maya_proj_utils.py
                                                       |_ userSetup.mel

The most important script is the one named userSetup.mel. It sets up the python environment used by several custom scripts.

MacOSX Users

Because the Maya.ini script (step 2) adds a path to the users maya/scripts directory you can create a scripts folder in your Documents/maya directory. In this way general purpose .mel and .py scripts can be conventiently stored the Documents/maya/scripts folder rather than in the (hidden) Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/2017/scripts folder.

Step 4

Move the seven directories that begin with the prefix "RfM_" to your maya/projects/ folder. For example, on Windows,

    C:\Users\YOUR_NAME\Documents\maya\projects\
                                              |_ RfM_ini
                                              |_ RfM_it
                                              |_ RfM_mel
                                              |_ RfM_osl
                                              |_ RfM_python
                                              |_ RfM_rif
                                              |_ RfM_ris
                                              |_ RfM_tcl

Step 5 - Custom Pattern Nodes     (OPTIONAL)

From the maya/projects/RfM_ris directory open all the .cpp files. Follow the instructions in the tutorial "Pixar's Devkit: Cutter's Devkit Authoring Environment" to compile/build each pattern plugin. Additional information about building plugins can be found in the tutorial "RixPattern Plugins: Cutter"

Downloads/customize_rfm/
                       |_ Maya.env
                       |
                       |_ RfM_ini/
                       |         RMS.ini
                       |         RMS.scheme
                       |         RMSWorkspace.ini
                       |         RenderMan_for_Maya.ini
                       |         it.ini
                       |
                       |_ RfM_it/
                       |        EmailImage.py
                       |        Histogram.py
                       |        SaveAll.py
                       |
                       |_ RfM_mel/
                       |        addConstColorPrimVar.mel
                       |        addConstFloatPrimVar.mel
                       |        addFaceColorPrimVar.mel
                       |        addFaceFloatPrimVar.mel
                       |        addVertexColorPrimVar.mel
                       |        addVertexFloatPrimVar.mel
                       |        batchRenderRI.mel
                       |
                       |_ RfM_osl/
                       |         src/
                       |             FaceColor.osl
                       |         FaceColor.oso
                       |
                       |_ RfM_python/
                       |        batchdatabase.py
                       |        batchrender.py
                       |        batchrif.py
                       |        rif_it.py
                       |
                       |_ RfM_rif/
                       |        ShadingRate.cpp
                       |
                       |_ RfM_ris/
                       |        Args/
                       |            CutrBBones.args
                       |            CutrColorByHeight.args
                       |            CutrFaceColor.args
                       |            CutrPaperCup.args
                       |            CutrSideMask.args
                       |            CutrSparky.args
                       |            CutrVelvet.args
                       |        CutrBBones.cpp
                       |        CutrColorByHeight.cpp
                       |        CutrFaceColor.cpp
                       |        CutrPaperCup.cpp
                       |        CutrSideMask.cpp
                       |        CutrSparky.cpp
                       |        CutrVelvet.cpp
                       |
                       |_ RfM_tcl/
                       |         ChainUtils.tcl
                       |         VectorUtils.tcl
                       |
                       |_ scripts/
                                addColorAttr.mel
                                addFloatAttr.mel
                                addStringAttr.mel
                                aimY.mel
                                getNormals.mel
                                getParticleData.mel
                                getVertices.mel
                                maya_proj_utils.py
                                userSetup.mel

Trouble Shooting

Open Maya's script editor and scroll to the top of it's history text panel. Look for the lines of text similar to those shown below in blue.

If the path for MAYA_USER_DIR is incorrect open the Maya.env script. Edit line 12 so that the path is directly specified without the $HOME. For example, on Windows, change,

    MAYA_USER_DIR=$HOME/Documents/maya	
to,
    MAYA_USER_DIR=D:/Users/YOUR_USER_NAME/Documents/maya

Drive "D" is shown above merely as an example. Make sure it matches your actual drive letter. Notice the use of forward slashes - even on Windows. Save any changes that you make to the Maya.env script and restart Maya. Recheck the values of the MAYA_USER_DIR in the script editor. It is very easy to make a mistake when specifying a path so always double-check line 12 in the Maya.env script.