modo area light to polygon

alp.py

# python
import lx
import traceback
from math import atan2, sqrt, pi


# WIP, will tidy when it's done
# Modo Area light -> Polygon
# https://github.com/underscorediscovery
# To install, see the modo docs, but in short:
# - System -> Open User Scripts Folder -> copy file into folder
# - in the "command panel" (tiny edit field bottom right) type @alp.py and hit enter or assign it to a key/command combo

# todo:
#   - round area lights
#   - suggestions?

#fetch the actual selections

items = lx.evalN("query sceneservice selection ? locator")

#complain if there are none

if not items:
    lx.eval('dialog.setup style:error')
    lx.eval('dialog.title "Need lights"')
    lx.eval('dialog.msg "Please select area lights first before calling the script"')
    lx.eval('dialog.open')
    sys.exit()

for item in items:

    #make sure we aren't using the last created selected polylight
    #by selecting the actual item in the selected list

    lx.eval('select.item ' + item)

    pos = lx.evalN('query sceneservice item.worldPos ? ' + item)
    rot = lx.evalN('query sceneservice item.worldRot ? ' + item)
    scale = lx.evalN('query sceneservice item.scale ? ' + item)

    #extract position

    posx = str(pos[0])
    posy = str(pos[1])
    posz = str(pos[2])

    #extract scale

    scalex = scale[0]
    scaley = scale[1]
    scalez = scale[2]

    #extract rotation in degrees from the radians

    xr = str(lx.eval1('item.channel rot.X ?') * (180/pi))
    yr = str(lx.eval1('item.channel rot.Y ?') * (180/pi))
    zr = str(lx.eval1('item.channel rot.Z ?') * (180/pi))

    #extract the area light width height

    ww = lx.eval1('item.channel areaLight$width ?')
    hh = lx.eval1('item.channel areaLight$height ?')

    #account for the scale values by affecting the w and h

    ww = str(ww * scalex)
    hh = str(hh * scaley)

    #create a mesh to contain the polygon

    lx.eval('item.create mesh')

    #create a cube polygon with the same size in x/y (local inside the parent item)

    lx.eval('tool.set prim.cube on')
    lx.eval('tool.setAttr prim.cube flip true')
    lx.eval('tool.setAttr prim.cube cenX 0.0')
    lx.eval('tool.setAttr prim.cube cenY 0.0')
    lx.eval('tool.setAttr prim.cube cenZ 0.0')
    lx.eval('tool.setAttr prim.cube sizeX ' + ww)
    lx.eval('tool.setAttr prim.cube sizeY ' + hh)
    lx.eval('tool.setAttr prim.cube sizeZ 0.0')
    lx.eval('tool.doApply')

    #set the position and rotation to the extracted values
    #rotation should be first to preserve transform order

    lx.eval('transform.channel rot.X ' + xr)
    lx.eval('transform.channel rot.Y ' + yr)
    lx.eval('transform.channel rot.Z ' + zr)

    lx.eval('item.setPosition x:'+ posx +' y:'+ posy +' z:'+ posz +' mode:world')

    #name it for easy finding

    lx.eval('item.name polylight')