AnimKit

Developer: Hongjun Wu

Don't forget to star this project if you like it ヽ(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ)ノ!

Let me know if your studio or project needs a hand :)

Reason of AnimKit's Existence:  

*Encounters a Problem*  

Me: Ok this is so stupid 
    I cannot believe Maya/Ae/Pr does not have a way to do this

*Search on Internet for solutions*

*Thirty minutes later* 

Me: F**k this I'll write my own

*This happens too many times*

Me: Ok might just make all my fixes into a shelf collection

Announcement

• AnimKit is only supported on machines with Maya 2020 and below that uses Python2.
• So it is deprecated with no plans for further development.
• A Python 3 version is in development but with no ETA.

Demo

• Watch the full demo video to learn about all the features of AnimKit!

• Here is a demo project I did using AnimKit.

Installation

Windows Automatic Installer:

• Just run the animkit installation script install_animkit.py.

Windows & macOS & Linux Manually Install(Untested, let me know if it works):

• Copy all icon to your a sub folder of your maya pref directory: \maya\2020\prefs\icons\animkit\.
• Copy all scripts to your maya pref directory: \maya\2020\scripts\.
• Copy all plug-ins to your maya pref directory: \maya\2020\plug-ins\.

In C:\Users\YOUR USER NAME\Documents\maya\scripts\userSetup.py (Your maya pref) add the following line:

# Note if you don't have this file then you can simply copy over the demo userSetup.py file.

# Load AnimKit

from maya import cmds
if not cmds.about(batch=True):
    cmds.evalDeferred("import animkit_shelf; animkit_shelf.animkitshelf()")
    
# Finished loading AnimKit.

Post Installation

• You should see [AnimKit Shelf]: Successfully loaded all components of AnimKit! in your script editor when you start Maya next time.

AnimKit Utilities

AnimKit Installation Script → install_animkit.py

• Automatically one click solution install all scripts and icons to correct folder. (Windows only)

AnimKit Shelf → animkit_shelf.py

• Scalable and highly flexible shelf with button hierarchy shelf container written in Python 3.

AnimKit Wrapper → animkit_wrapper.py

• A wrapper for calling external fucntions like loading plug-ins to keep the shelf clean and tidy.

AnimKit Tools

Playblast+ → animkit_playblast_plus_vp2.py

• Provide functionality in playblasting AVI and MP4, with padding or without padding.

iter++ → animkit_iter_pp.py

• Provide one click solution to save iterations of maya scene, as well as current playblast of animation.

Zoetrope → animkit_zoetrope.py

• Background one click script watermark free batch renderer for Arnold.

Fix-it-Felix → animkit_fix_it_felix.py

• A collection of fixes for common problems.

Integrated Tools

Tools and scripts that are free and avaliable to public.

TweenMachine → tweenMachine.py

• The easiest way to create breakdown poses in Maya.

External Tools

'''
AnimKit Wrapper provides a functionality to load external tools and plug-ins.
You will have to acquire them separately and add them AnimKit. 
I am not allowed to redistribute them.
'''

# Here are a couple examples:  

# Load a plug-in as a .mll file (AnimSchool Picker)
def load_animschool_picker(self):
    mel.eval("loadPlugin AnimSchoolPicker.mll;")
    mel.eval("AnimSchoolPicker();")

# Load a plug-in as a .mel file (reParent)
def load_reParent(self):
    run_mel('reparent_pro_v158.mel')

Animschool Picker → \plug-ins\AnimSchoolPicker.mll

• Character picker for AnimSchool rigs.

reParentPRO → \scripts\reparent_pro_v158.mel

• Tool for transfering animation from control to locator for polishing animation.

What if I don't have these tools and AnimKit failed to load?

• Go to YOUR MAYA PREF\maya\2020\scripts\animkit_shelf.py and at the end of the code delete respective sections.

Credits

• Some of the code are refactored from University of Washington Animation Research Labs shelf.

License

• You are welcome to use this script for non-commercial use. However, if you want to use for commercial please contact me.

Donate

• If you think this is helpful and would like to buy me a coffee, you can do that using WechatPay/AliPay or Venmo!