GPA Script Pak 1

11/29/2003

The GPA script pak is a set of productivity tools and utilities for Poser4 Pro Pack and Poser5. The scripts were written for the Gay Poser Art web community based on requests from members.

Scripts included in this package are:

  • Toggle IK
  • Clone Figure
  • Clone Prop
  • Create Eye Target
  • Floor Tile
  • Dial Focus
  • Dial Symmetry
  • Global Light Settings - Illumination
  • Camera Reset

Though distributed in zip archive format, they should run well on either Mac or Windows versions of Poser.

Installation

No automatic installer is included with this package but it only takes a couple minutes to set them up.

Step 1

Unpack and copy the scripts to your Poser Runtime folder.

Step 2

From the Poser menu click "Window" then "Python Scripts" to display the Python Scripts palette.

The script palette looks like this.

Step 3

Click on an empty ("...") button and locate the scripts in the folder:

...\Runtime\Python\ciFlamingo\gpaSP1

Select the gpaButtons.py script to assign it to the Python palette button. Click on the button to run the script and assign all the other buttons. You can return to the original Poser scripts by clicking on "Main".

Step 4 (optional but recommended)

If you want these scripts to appear on your Python menu when Poser starts you have to edit the ..\Runtime\Python\PoserScripts\mainButtons.py file. There is a sample file included in this readme folder.

Basically, find an unused button in the mainButtons.py file ...

poser.DefineScriptButton(7, "", "...")

And edit it to look something like this ...

poser.DefineScriptButton(7, 
":Runtime:Python:ciFlamingo:gpaSP1:gpaButtons.py", 
"GPA Script Pak 1")

Now, when you start Poser your script menu will look something like this:

For more help installing and using Python scripts, refer to the Poser manual.

Script Descriptions and Use

Toggle IK

When you load new figures IK is usually turned on. This can cause a problem with some library poses. This script quickly toggles the IK settings for the current figure.

Select a figure and run the script.

If the first IK entry was off, all entries are turned on. If the first was on, all are turned off.

Clone Figure

This script creates a duplicate of the currently selected figure.

Select a figure, run the script.

Technical Notes: If you're using EMC Fixer in your scene the script will reload a fresh copy of that and the cloned figure in proper sequence.

Clone Prop

This script creates a duplicate of the currently selected prop.

Select a prop, run the script.

Technical Notes: This script relies on undocumented services in Poser. It may not work properly in future versions of Poser.

This script can only copy Poser4 style materials.

Create Eye Target

In multiple figure scenes it is time consuming to point all the eyes correctly for a realistic look. Ths script creates a target for the focus of the currently selected figure's eyes.

Select a figure, run the script.

The script creates a sphere called "{your_figure} Eye Target", textures the sphere to be transparent and points the eyes to it. When you move the sphere, the eyes follow. You'll find it easier if you set Poser's display mode to "Full Tracking".

Technical Notes: If the selected figure doesn't have eyes, nothing happens (duh). You need to have the Ball.pp2 file installed in your runtime library (it came with Poser).

Floor Tile

The floor tile script simulates the repeat and symmetic mapping modes commonly found in other rendering applications and creates a texture mapped floor for your scene.

Run the script and create a master tile. Texture and scale the master tile as you like, then run the script again to create an array of tiles.

Be careful creating arrays over 10x10, Poser can really slow down however, the Poser display will update so you can follow the progress. You also do not want to be in the Poser 5 material room when the array is being created or removed.

Technical Notes: You need to have the square.pp2 file installed in your runtime library (again, it came with Poser).

This script can only copy Poser4 style materials.

Dial Focus

With the release of each new figure it has become increasingly difficult to navigate the sometimes hundreds of morph channel dials. The dial focus script lets you hide, show and zero logical groups of morph channels. This script acts only on morph dials and the Poser display will refresh to show the currently visible dials.

Select a figure, run the script.

These buttons control the visiblity of morphs for the entire figure. Hiding all morph dials leaves only the posing dials visible. Blank dials are those that have no name like "-". PBM dials are partial body morph dials that you probably don't need to adjust frequently. Hiding dials set to zero leaves only the dials with a non-zero value.

You can also zero groups of morphs.

For Millenium figures the script categorizes the head morphs and shows an expanded display that groups them into logical categories. If the script recognizes your base figure will the head anatomy, head expression and other head tabs be enabled.

Any extra morphs that aren't part of the original base figure are collected in the "Other Head/Extra" category. An example would be morphs included in the Male Pak injected into Victoria 3.0. Morphs in the "Extra" category may be more properly included in other expression or anatomy categories but since the script can't predict every morph that may be loaded they are simply collected here.

As a convenience, two additional groups appear at the bottom of each tab for showing and hiding zero dial and PBM morphs groups. These work just like their counterparts on the figure tab except that they only apply to the figure's head.

The ability to zero some or all morphs is also useful for creating new morphs.

Technical Notes: There is no 'undo' feature with this script. To return the dials to their initial visibility state when the figure was loaded simply Show All Morph Dials. To restore zeroed dials you must reload the figure.

The script currently recognizes and categorizes Victoria 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, Michael 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, The Freak and Stephanie 1.0. Reduced resolution versions of Victoria and Michael are identified as their full resolution counterparts because they have the same morph channels. Reduced resolution figures will usually include at least one morph in the "Extra" category to indicate the difference.

Dial Symmetry

This script copies the morph dial settings from the selected body part to the opposite side body part.

Select a body part, run the script.

Global Light Settings - Illumination

This script manipulates the properties of all or selected types of lights in a scene. Some lighting sets can contain 50 or more individual lights. Adjusting each individually is a time consuming process.

Run the script.

The selection section allows you to apply changes to infinite, spot, local light types or any combination of the three.

The Intensity and hue buttons change the values in small or large increments or set them to zero or full on. It is possible to increase settings above 1.0 or 100% but not below zero. As you change value, the Poser display refeshes so you have some idea of the result.

The shadow intensity buttons change the intensity of the shadows in a similar way.

Shadow maps sets the map size for all selected light types. If you have a large number of lights, set the shadow map size to 256 for a quick preview render, then to a larger value for the final render.

The remove lights section lets you remove all or just the lights that are currently unused or all lights in the scene. When you select one of these buttons the script will close. The remove unused button removes lights that are either off or not visible.

The render section lets you preview render while the script is still running. Flash, quick and full render at different preset quality levels while user renders at the current render settings.

Technical Notes: If there are no lights in the scene, the script will not start.

Camera Reset

This script resets the focal length of all cameras to 55mm. Run the script.

Terms Of Use

By downloading this software you agree to the terms of use. This package is copyright © 2003 Brandenburg Technologies. This software is distributed as "freeware". It is distributed "as is" without warranty or acceptance of liability. Plain English translations included in parenthesis for your convenience.

It may not be distributed as part of a commercial software package however, for non-commercial use it may be distributed freely provided you distribute only the original, unaltered archive (it's free, don't be a jerk and try and sell it). You are not permitted to host the archive for others to download (copies scattered all over the Internet would be impossible to support or update). If you use the code, or part of the code as an example or basis for an original non-commercial derivative work, include a simple credit comment (use what I've figured out and go make your own free stuff for the community, it'd be nice if you mentioned you had a little help).

All other uses require prior written consent. Talk to me, let me know what you think or what you want for next time. Questions or comments to toad@castironflamingo.com.