fc_projectMgr.py for Maya

Hi folks!

I made up this script to spare the 3d artist from struggling with any kind of file system or project folder structure and keep him/her focused on his work (inside of Maya).

Features

• quickly set a project from your project's main folder (without the need to navigate to your maya root folders)
• browse through the current project's scene folder to change between scenes or simply open any kind of file
• only display projects that concern the 3d department/artist *
• display project names in a more readable way (def makeNiceName())
• open project folders externally (Windows Explorer) from menu

* directories that don't contain a maya subfolder as well as predefined names or patterns of foldernames are not displayed.

Definition
fc_projMenu(menuName , projectsDir, mayaSubDir, [projectSkipDir]*, 
[ browserSkipDir]*, [projectSkipDirPattern]*)  * array lists / optional
Example 1:
fc_projMenu("Project", "x:/projects/", "maya/", ["_newProject"], [".mayaSwatches","skipme"], ["_website","_grading"])
Example 2:
fc_projMenu("Project", "x:/projects/", "maya/", projSkipDir = ["_newProject"],
projBrowseSkipDir = [".mayaSwatches","skipme"], projSkipDirPattern = ["_website","_grading"]) 
Example 3 (use of specific parameters):
fc_projMenu("Project", "x:/projects/", "maya/", projBrowseSkipDir = [".mayaSwatches","skipme"], 
projSkipDirPattern = ["_grading"]) 

Create menu with Maya Startup
1) place fc_projectMgr.py into your maya script folder
2) add python("import fc_projectMgr"); to userSetup.mel

Expandability  
It would easily be possible to display personalized project lists by feeding the script with controlled/administrated input lists.

Note:
Opening files and project folders only works on windows machines. If u would like to use this script on linux or mac just modify the appropriate functions:
def openFilefromMenu(filePath)  and  def openWinExplorer(path).

Don't forget to download: fc_projectMgr.py v1.0 (Windows)

Enjoy! ,)

Create/Quit Virtual Drives by Right Click

Hi folks,

for those of u who manage their projects by working with virtual drives (e.g. "X:\") here's a handy trick how u  can create a drive of the current folder simply by right click.

1. create two .bat-files with the following content (one will create a virtual drive, the other will remove it):

Create_X.bat

@echo off

subst x: /D

subst x: .

if errorlevel 1 (

echo X: couldn't be created!

pause

)

quit_X.bat

@echo off

subst x: /D
if errorlevel 1 (
echo X: could'n be quit. Did it exist? ,).
pause
)

2. create the following Registry Entries and choose the .bat-files as target (if necessary: further instructions creating context items for folders - german, but pictured)

Improvements or Questions are very welcome!
Thanks to Basti for inspiration!

Cheers!

PSTools "Access Denied" (Win 7 Pro to Win XP Pro)

Recently I was struggling with accessing my Network Server (Win XP Pro) remotely with Win 7 Pro using PSTools. After setting up an account on both PCs with the same username and password (which is necessary to get remote-control-permissions) as well as turning off simple file charing on my server I still got the Error-Message "Access denied". This problem was caused by an Win 7 Update which changed a Network Security Option.

Here's how u rearrange the compatibility between Win XP and Win 7(/Vista).

Vista and Buffalo Terastation (English)
Windows 7 Systemfehler 86 Netzwerkkennwort falsch (German)

good luck! ,)