You cannot assign shortcuts to buttons.
An alternative solution (which I have used in the past) is to create a CommandData plugin for each button, and let the CommandData::Execute call the button. Or instead of a CommandData plugin you could also create a separate script for each button.
Either way, these can then be assigned a shortcut.

If I remember correctly we did discuss the other way (from CommandData to ToolData) quite a while ago (see https://plugincafe.maxon.net/topic/10044/13513_using-objectmessage). But I guess using this same technique could still be applicable to your current request.

Most important is to understand that a CoreMessage is not captured by a ToolData. This type of message can only be captured by a MessageData plugin, where you then could "translate" it into a message that actually is sent to the ToolData.

What I have been successful in using is, performing following from the "transmitter":

BasePlugin* tool = FindPlugin(TOOL_PLUGIN_ID, PLUGINTYPE::TOOL);
if (tool)
	tool->Message(TOOL_MSG_PREPAREDATA);

Where TOOL_PLUGIN_ID is the plugin ID of the ToolData, and TOOL_MSG_PREPAREDATA is a custom defined message, using a unique plugin ID.

And then using following in the "receiver" ToolData:

Bool MyToolData::Message(BaseDocument *doc, BaseContainer &data, Int32 type, void *t_data)
{
	if (type == TOOL_MSG_PREPAREDATA)
	{
		PrepareData();
	}

	return DescriptionToolData::Message(doc, data, type, t_data);
}

@bentraje said in Bug on GetActiveObjects() on R20.057?:

objSel = doc.GetActiveObjects(c4d.GETACTIVEOBJECTFLAGS_SELECTIONORDER)
print objSel[0]
print objSel[1]

Works fine by me.

I have a cube and a plane primitive. With the two selected, I get a printout for both. No out of range.
Running 20.057 (on Windows).

<c4d.BaseObject object called 'Plane/Plane' with ID 5168 at 0x0000004C44847570>
<c4d.BaseObject object called 'Cube/Cube' with ID 5159 at 0x0000004C448476D0>

When I only select a single object then I get an out of range (obviously):

IndexError: list index out of range

EDIT:
Hang on, when I make one the child of the other and have both selected, I do get an out of range.
But this is obvious, since your active objects flag doesn't mention children. As such, you do only have a single parent object selected.

To take children into account as being detected as selected, you need:

 objSel = doc.GetActiveObjects(c4d.GETACTIVEOBJECTFLAGS_SELECTIONORDER | c4d.GETACTIVEOBJECTFLAGS_CHILDREN )

spam frenzy all over again, lately.

I have been in need of something similar as well. And if I remember correctly it has been discussed a few years ago.
Reason is that a ToolData or DescriptionToolData might need to initialize some stuff depending the currently active object. When the user selects a different object in the ObjectManager, the ToolData might need to reinitialize some stuff.

The solution proposed in the past was to use a MessageData and listen to EVMSG_CHANGE to check if a different object has been selected using the object's "unique" id and then trigger the ToolData by sending a SpecialEvent ... or something.

It is quite a complex implementation that seems to work, but probably is very error prone.
I wish we would have had some kind of message telling the active object selection was changed (from inside the ToolData), not via-via. And definitely not using such a hacky and complex solution.
It has been a while, but I seem to remember that the whole use of the object's unique id was rather flawed as the id didn't exactly seem to be that unique after all.

Anyway, I am still hoping for a nice solution to detect when user changes the current active object. But it seems to not be possible after all.

I am less active since a few months, and this will probably not change any time soon, but let that not restrict me for sending Best Wishes for 2021 to everyone of the SDK team.
Not only to those more present and visible in the forums, but also to those behind the scenes that keep everything running.

Thank you for your 2020 support and best wishes for 2021.

You need to obtain the tool's data in order to be able to modify/set it.
The callcommand just activates the tool.

import c4d

def main():

    # activate the command
    c4d.CallCommand(1019952)

    # change its settings
    nTool = c4d.plugins.GetToolData(doc, 1019952)
    nTool[c4d.ID_CA_JOINT_NAMING_REPLACE] = "_L_"
    nTool[c4d.ID_CA_JOINT_NAMING_REPLACE_WITH] = "_R_"

# Execute main()
if __name__=='__main__':
    main()

In the above code "nTool" is a BaseContainer, that won't work.

I also found the following in the legacy forum

import c4d

def main():
    
    toolID = 1019952
    c4d.CallCommand(toolID) 

    tool=c4d.plugins.FindPlugin(toolID, c4d.PLUGINTYPE_TOOL)  
    tool[c4d.ID_CA_JOINT_NAMING_REPLACE] = "_L_" 
    tool[c4d.ID_CA_JOINT_NAMING_REPLACE_WITH]= "_R_"
    c4d.CallButton(tool, c4d.ID_CA_JOINT_NAMING_REPLACE_APPLY)  
    
    c4d.EventAdd()

Another take on modifying the settings, since the "tool" returned from FindPlugin is a BasePlugin which is derived from BaseList2D, exactly what we need for the CallButton

The geometry of an object is stored in hidden tags (points and polygons, namely)
These are not visible, nor selectable ... and thus can theoretically not be deleted by user. But you still can access these via Python, or C++. As such, when removing all tags you also remove critical ones, that are needed by the object in order to exist.

import c4d

def main():
    c4d.gui.ActiveObjectManager_SetObject(c4d.ACTIVEOBJECTMODE_OBJECT, op, 0, c4d.ACTIVEOBJECTMANAGER_SETOBJECTS_OPEN)

if __name__=='__main__':
    main()

@ferdinand
Thanks for the details.

Unfortunately, the z-order of the texture is not in my hands.
I am actually using a DrawTexture in order to emulate a 3rd party GPU render preview.
As such, I have no control how that preview is drawn. What I am trying to achieve is draw some mesh objects in front of said preview, and for this I was experimenting with the DrawPolygonObject on top of a DrawTexture.

From the replies so far I understand there is no adequate solution.

I have also experimented with DrawLine and Line Strip drawing.
While these provide some useful results, they're more labor intensive then a simple DrawPolygonObject. And are rather slow, especially DrawLine.

If no further comments are to be given, I will consider the case closed, since no appropriate solution is at hand.

May I again suggest to provide a way to prevent anyone creating an account to start spamming around.
I had provided some suggestions in my first post, like not allowing to post right after having created an account.

I don't mind flagging the offending posts as spam, but it might probably be more efficient to prevent spamming in the first place.

Thanks again for your time.

I am doing some experimentation with a SceneHookData-derived plugin, and would like in the SceneHookData::Draw to perform during SCENEHOOKDRAW::DRAW_PASS the following steps:

• fill the viewport with a color
• draw a wireframe of a sphere on top

To achieve this I create a GeClipMap the size of the viewport, fill it with a color, get its bitmap and perform a BaseDraw::DrawTexture.
I am using BaseDraw::SetMatrix_Screen(lineZoffset). By default the lineZoffset is set to 0.

Then I use BaseDraw::DrawPolygonObject to draw a mesh object.

Unfortunately, I do not see the wireframe of the object, and wonder if this is due some z-offset?
I have tried to perform a ```BaseDraw::LineZOffset(lineZoffset + 1) right before the DrawPolygonObject in order to make sure the z-order of the wireframe is always higher than that of the DrawTexture, although documentation doesn't mention the DrawPolygonObject to be affected by the LineZOffset.

I am wondering how to get the wireframe shown on top of the DrawTexture.

@bentraje said in Global variable for Preferences Folder?:

Unfortunately, it returns me the following path C:\\Program Files\\Maxon Cinema 4D R21\\corelibs'.

I am using the GeGetPluginPath alot in my C++ plugins, but the Python SDK documentation mentions:

Warning

The Python implementation is different from the C++. In the Python SDK, this function returns the path of the Python SDK module. To get the path of your Python plugin use __file__. 

Also note that from R21 (or was it R20) the user can define his/her own path(s) for plugins.
In that case you'll end up with a possibly non-existing path if you simply concatenate "plugins" to the startup-write path.

@bentraje
Since you're looking for the plugins folder it might be advised to use GeGetPluginPath instead?

@WickedP
Not sure what you're after but you can always use a SpecialEventAdd in your "separate" plugin to communicate with your dialog plugin.
Say, for instance, you can register a unique pluginID to use for a handshake message, so your separate plugin can pass its pluginID to the dialog plugin, which would listen to that specific pluginID.

Other solution would be to make use of a "library plugin", providing some sort of API for the separate plugin to communicate with. Or even creating the separate plugin as such library plugin, which your dialog plugin would be calling for specific functionality.

I seem to remember having tried some "library plugin" once in the past ... can't really remember much details, though.

@WickedP

see

GetViewColor(VIEWCOLOR_C4DBACKGROUND);

From there you can find the other viewcolors you need.

@m_magalhaes
Thanks!
I knew about GetEnabling as part of the functions needed to be implemented for nodebase-derived objects, in order to let Cinema4D visualize the state of the attribute.
But never realized we could call these from within a plugin to actually get the state.
Sometimes easy concepts are just lost on me.

Quite a while ago I had brought up the idea to parse the description of an active tool (like i.e. the Extrude tool).
(see https://plugincafe.maxon.net/topic/11186/confusing-tooldata-content/18).

The information provided in that topic was really helpful.
But now I am wondering how to to find out if this MDATA_APPLY button is disabled.

EDIT:
I have digged somewhat deeper in available discussions and examples, and it seems I don't really need to know the state of the MDATA_APPLY button ... but I am still curious how one would proceed to find out when that button is grayed out or not.

No worries, I didn't want to imply that support should help in design decisions.
Not having a complete knowledge of every possibility with the current SDK, I was only wondering if other aspect of the SDK could lead to a solution.
The only problem here is: if one doesn't know what is possible, it's difficult to know what questions to ask.

Anyway, at this point in time I am giving up.
The inbuilt isoline editing seemed to indicate a solution is possible, at least natively.
From the detailed information provided so far, I can only understand there is no solution for 3rd party plugins.

As for your remark regarding the vertex-to-vertex relation of objects and their subdivided counterpart, you are correct. But that is only the case for vertices. Edge and polygon indeces can obviously not be reused.
But as you suggested, I will open a different topic to further discuss this - when needed.

Now, I am not sure what to do with this topic.
I could set it to "solved", but there actually is no solution.