Modo Script to write a bunch of letters

gistfile1.txt

http://www.csprance.com/shots/letters_master.lxo

textwriter.py

#!/usr/bin/python

import lx
import sys

######################################

# figure out the text we are going to write ERROR HANDLING DONE HERE FOR INPUT!!!!
def grabInput():
	#first we have to create our temp variable that modo uses we set it momentary
	lx.eval('user.defNew name string momentary')
	#this gives us our dialog box
	lx.eval('user.value name')
	#we set the value of the user entered info to test
	#return our lowercased version
	return lx.eval('user.value name ?').lower()

# create the new mesh Item and name it set it as the active selection
def createItem():
	# grab our input
	text = grabInput()
	#create a new layer
	lx.eval('layer.new')
	#name the layer the user input
	lx.eval('item.name {%s} xfrmcore' % text)
	# loop through our text and do the things to the letters
	# idx = index, x = letter, text = the mesh
	for idx , x in enumerate(text):
		if ' ' in x:
			pass
		else:
			selCopyPaste(x, text, idx)
	#lets just do a little bit of cleanup here and merge all of our verts together
	#select all of the polygons
	lx.eval('select.all')
	#run mesh cleanup on the selected polygons
	lx.eval('mesh.cleanup true')



# select and copy our polygon item then return to original item and selCopyPast
# args (letter = letter to select, mesh = name of mesh item, index = position of the current letter [1 based])
def selCopyPaste(letter, mesh, index):
	index = -200 * index
	#reset our selection
	lx.eval('select.drop item')
	#select our letter
	lx.eval('select.subItem {%s}' % letter)
	#select the polygon
	lx.eval('select.type polygon')
	#select all polyongs
	lx.eval('select.all')
	#copy all the polygons
	lx.eval('copy')
	#select the main mesh
	lx.eval('select.drop item')
	lx.eval('select.subItem {%s}' % mesh)
	#set it to polygon mode
	lx.eval('select.type polygon')
	#hide everything
	lx.eval('hide.sel')
	#paste in our polygon
	lx.eval('paste')
	#select all of our polygons
	lx.eval('select.all')
	#unhide all the rest of our polygons
	lx.eval('unhide')
	#move our selected polygons -200 * the letters position in the stack
	lx.eval('tool.set TransformMove on')
	lx.eval('tool.setAttr xfrm.transform TX {%s}' %  index )
	# apply the tool properties
	lx.eval('tool.doApply')
	


###############################
#Main code execution area#
###############################
# call create item which is the function that kicks everything off and calls the other functions in order
createItem()