Maya script to find if object located within camera frustum

obj_in_frust.py

import maya.cmds as cmds
import maya.OpenMaya as OpenMaya
import math

# Find if object located within camera frustum
# Usage:
#   from obj_in_frust import in_frustum
#   in_frustum('camera1', 'pCube1')

class Plane(object):
    def __init__(self, normalisedVector):
        # OpenMaya.MVector.__init__()
        self.vector= normalisedVector
        self.distance= 0.0

    def relativeToPlane(self, point):
        # Converting the point as a vector from the origin to its position
        pointVec= OpenMaya.MVector( point.x, point.y, point.z )
        val= (self.vector * pointVec) + self.distance

        if (val > 0.0):
            return 1  # In front
        elif (val < 0.0):
            return -1  # Behind

        return 0  # On the plane

class Frustum(object):
    def __init__(self, cameraName):
        # Initialising selected transforms into its associated dagPaths
        selectionList= OpenMaya.MSelectionList()
        objDagPath= OpenMaya.MDagPath()
        selectionList.add( cameraName )
        selectionList.getDagPath(0, objDagPath)
        self.camera= OpenMaya.MFnCamera(objDagPath)

        self.nearClip = self.camera.nearClippingPlane()
        self.farClip =  self.camera.farClippingPlane()
        self.aspectRatio= self.camera.aspectRatio()

        left_util= OpenMaya.MScriptUtil()
        left_util.createFromDouble( 0.0 )
        ptr0= left_util.asDoublePtr()

        right_util= OpenMaya.MScriptUtil()
        right_util.createFromDouble( 0.0 )
        ptr1= right_util.asDoublePtr()

        bot_util= OpenMaya.MScriptUtil()
        bot_util.createFromDouble( 0.0 )
        ptr2= bot_util.asDoublePtr()

        top_util= OpenMaya.MScriptUtil()
        top_util.createFromDouble( 0.0 )
        ptr3= top_util.asDoublePtr()

        stat= self.camera.getViewingFrustum(self.aspectRatio, ptr0, ptr1, ptr2, ptr3, False, True)

        planes= []

        left= left_util.getDoubleArrayItem(ptr0, 0)
        right= right_util.getDoubleArrayItem(ptr1, 0)
        bottom= bot_util.getDoubleArrayItem(ptr2, 0)
        top = top_util.getDoubleArrayItem(ptr3, 0)

        ## planeA = right plane
        a= OpenMaya.MVector(right, top, -self.nearClip)
        b= OpenMaya.MVector(right, bottom, -self.nearClip)
        c= (a ^ b).normal() ## normal of plane = cross product of vectors a and b
        planeA = Plane(c)
        planes.append(planeA)

        ## planeB = left plane
        a = OpenMaya.MVector(left, bottom, -self.nearClip)
        b = OpenMaya.MVector(left, top, -self.nearClip)
        c= (a ^ b).normal()
        planeB= Plane( c )
        planes.append( planeB )

        ##planeC = bottom plane
        a = OpenMaya.MVector(right, bottom, -self.nearClip)
        b = OpenMaya.MVector(left, bottom, -self.nearClip)
        c= (a ^ b).normal()
        planeC= Plane( c )
        planes.append( planeC )

        ##planeD = top plane
        a = OpenMaya.MVector(left, top, -self.nearClip)
        b = OpenMaya.MVector(right, top, -self.nearClip)
        c= (a ^ b).normal()
        planeD= Plane( c )
        planes.append( planeD )

        # planeE = far plane
        c = OpenMaya.MVector(0, 0, 1)
        planeE= Plane( c )
        planeE.distance= self.farClip
        planes.append( planeE )

        # planeF = near plane
        c = OpenMaya.MVector(0, 0, -1)
        planeF= Plane( c )
        planeF.distance= self.nearClip
        planes.append( planeF )

        self.planes = planes
        self.numPlanes = 6

    def relativeToFrustum(self, pointsArray):
        numInside= 0
        numPoints= len( pointsArray )

        for j in range( 0, 6 ):
          numBehindThisPlane= 0

          for i in range( 0, numPoints ):
            if (self.planes[j].relativeToPlane(pointsArray[i]) == -1):  # Behind
                numBehindThisPlane += 1
            if numBehindThisPlane == numPoints:
                ##all points were behind the same plane
                return False
            elif (numBehindThisPlane==0):
                numInside += 1

        if (numInside == self.numPlanes):
            return True  # Inside
        return True  # Intersect


def in_frustum(cameraName, objectName):
    """
    returns: True if withing the frustum of False if not
    """
    selectionList = OpenMaya.MSelectionList()
    camDagPath = OpenMaya.MDagPath()
    selectionList.add( cameraName )
    selectionList.getDagPath(0, camDagPath)

    cameraDagPath = OpenMaya.MFnCamera( camDagPath )

    camInvWorldMtx = camDagPath.inclusiveMatrixInverse()

    fnCam = Frustum(cameraName)
    points = []

    # For node inobjectList
    selectionList = OpenMaya.MSelectionList()
    objDagPath = OpenMaya.MDagPath()
    selectionList.add(objectName)
    selectionList.getDagPath( 0, objDagPath )

    fnDag = OpenMaya.MFnDagNode(objDagPath)
    obj = objDagPath.node()

    dWorldMtx = objDagPath.exclusiveMatrix()
    bbox = fnDag.boundingBox()

    minx = bbox.min().x
    miny = bbox.min().y
    minz = bbox.min().z
    maxx = bbox.max().x
    maxy = bbox.max().y
    maxz = bbox.max().z

    # Getting points relative to the cameras transmformation matrix
    points.append( bbox.min() * dWorldMtx * camInvWorldMtx )
    points.append( OpenMaya.MPoint(maxx, miny, minz) * dWorldMtx * camInvWorldMtx )
    points.append( OpenMaya.MPoint(maxx, miny, maxz) * dWorldMtx * camInvWorldMtx )
    points.append( OpenMaya.MPoint(minx, miny, maxz) * dWorldMtx * camInvWorldMtx )
    points.append( OpenMaya.MPoint(minx, maxy, minz) * dWorldMtx * camInvWorldMtx )
    points.append( OpenMaya.MPoint(maxx, maxy, minz) * dWorldMtx * camInvWorldMtx )
    points.append( bbox.max() * dWorldMtx * camInvWorldMtx )
    points.append( OpenMaya.MPoint(minx, maxy, maxz) * dWorldMtx * camInvWorldMtx )

    return fnCam.relativeToFrustum(points)

Thank you for sharing this recipe :)

I'm glad it helped!

I just wanted to say thank you. Works like a charm and It's exactly what I need. Thanks!

Hi, I'm a total noob and I had a question how to apply this to use as a geo camera frustum cull.
I executed the script via the script editor and nothing seemed to happen?

thanks, that's awesome!

First of all thanks a lot it really helped but I need your help with one thing, I used you script to change Level of Detail attribute of the object and set it to boundingbox if it's not in frustum, so do you have any idea how can i use it on dynamic moving camera, for ex: If a camera is moving it'll keep changing object's attribute depending upon if it's in the frustum or not ?

Thanks & Regards