Together with the help from the c4dlounge.eu forum the issues is solved.
The main issue was I did not read the manual good enough.

"Note that Size symbolizes the axis size and not the expansion of the object itself. For planar projections, the true dimension is the two/fold of the axis length."

I did some more testing and I think I got it now.
In MouseInput() get and set your coordinates.
Then call c4d.DrawViews(). This will call Draw(), where you can (and should) do the drawing like bd.DrawLine2D().

class PlaceTool(c4d.plugins.ToolData):       	

    v1 = c4d.Vector(0,0,0)
    v2 = c4d.Vector(0,0,0)
    
    def Draw(self, doc, data, bd, bh, bt, flags):	
        bd.SetPen(c4d.Vector(256,256,256))
        bd.DrawLine2D(self.v1, self.v2)
        return True
        
    def MouseInput(self, doc, data, bd, win, msg):
        self.v1 = c4d.Vector(0,0,0)
        self.v2 = c4d.Vector(msg[c4d.BFM_INPUT_X], msg[c4d.BFM_INPUT_Y], 0)
        c4d.DrawViews(c4d.DRAWFLAGS_ONLY_ACTIVE_VIEW|c4d.DRAWFLAGS_NO_THREAD|c4d.DRAWFLAGS_NO_REDUCTION|c4d.DRAWFLAGS_STATICBREAK)  #Added 
        return True
        
        

Thanks, great explanation!
One small issue. Delete doesn't work because objParent' is not defined.

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "scriptmanager", line 251, in DeletePressed
NameError: global name 'objParent' is not defined

Here the code that, I think, solves the issue:

    def DeletePressed(self, root, userdata):
        "Called when a delete event is received."
        for tex in reversed(list(TextureObjectIterator(self.listOfTexture))):
            if tex.IsSelected:
                objParent = tex.GetParent()               # Added
                listToRemove = objParent.GetChildren() if objParent is not None else self.listOfTexture
                listToRemove.remove(tex)

@heilei said in Best plugin type for background (thread) processing?:

Py-TextureBaker

That is a very good working example.
I rebuild my plugin using py-texturebaker and now it is working!

After some studying, I think @PluginStudent is fully correct when referring to the global scope.

@PluginStudent said in Best plugin type for background (thread) processing?:

Please read my post above and the C4DThread Manual carefully.

You can start the thread in a CommandData plugin. But this plugin must not own the thread instance. The thread instance should be stored in the global scope.

In the MessageData plugin, you should react to a core message sent from the thread. Nothing else; no creation or waiting.

I guess it is working because in the dialog the thread class is initiated.
textureBakerThread = None
and further in the code it is referenced with self.textureBakerThread.

I was using

        thread = UserThread()
        thread.Start()

Everybody thanks for all the help.

@PluginStudent said in Reading script file into memory:

You have to define the APIS in the projectdefinition.txt of your plugin.

Not in the projectdefinition.txt of the solution.

Great, tht solved it. Thanks!

To summarise, there are 2 projectdefinition.txt files.

1. on main / sdk level, Define which project (plugins, etc.)
   Example:

Platform=Win64;OSX
Type=Solution
 
// defines the level of rigour of the source processor's style check
stylecheck.level=0

Solution=\
	plugins/cinema4dsdk;\
	plugins/maxonsdk.module;\
	plugins/commandline;\
    plugins/CommandLineRendering

2. on plugin level, // Configuration of a custom solution in the projectdefinition.txt file
   Example:

// Supported platforms
Platform=Win64;OSX

// Type of project
Type=DLL

// this plugin depends on these frameworks:
APIS=\
  cinema.framework; \
  misc.framework; \
  image.framework; \
  core.framework; \
  python.framework

// Enable some advanced classic API support; not needed for hybrid plugins
C4D=true

// Plug-in code-style check level
stylecheck.level=0

// Custom ID
ModuleId=net.maxonexample.commandlinerender

Yes, I am referring to that page.
I saw that statement, but I assumed it was the main definition for the python plugin.

  // set __name__ = __main__
  scope.Add("__name__"_s, maxon::Data("__main__"_s)) iferr_return;

If I understand you correctly, I can add different parameters with different values.
For example:

  // set __param1__ = "c:/temp"
  scope.Add("param1"_s, maxon::Data("c:/temp"_s)) iferr_return;
  scope.Add("param2"_s, maxon::Data(220)) iferr_return;

Yes, I must read the manuals more throroughly (RTFMS).
Excuses: it is so much and I just wanted to compiler R20 in R21.
But you are correct.

BUT, adding iferr to the code worked, AND also solved the other issue.
Everything is working now!

Thanks!

I want to place multiple objects on fixed distances and align these objectsto the spline.
For a straight spline this is ok, but for a circle things go wrong.

Here is the script:

from typing import Optional
import c4d
import random
from c4d.utils import SplineHelp, SplineLengthData
    
doc: c4d.documents.BaseDocument  # The active document
op: Optional[c4d.BaseObject]  # The active object, None if unselected

    
def PlaceCube(Pspline, PsplineLength, PxPosition) -> c4d.Vector:   
    # calculate x position on spline, using given x position of the object to be placed
    
    splineOffset = PxPosition / PsplineLength   # must be between 0 and 1
    point = Pspline.GetSplinePoint(splineOffset, segment=0)
    print ("splineOffset, PxPosition, point: ", splineOffset, PxPosition, point)
    return point

def main() -> None:

    sh = SplineHelp()                 #Add an instance of the spline helper class 
    sh.InitSpline(op)		#Dont forget to initialize it to the spline
    splineLength = sh.GetSplineLength()  
        
    rXPos = 0   
    for i in range(5):       

        cone1 = c4d.BaseObject(c4d.Ocone) 
        cone1[c4d.PRIM_CONE_BRAD] = 100
        
        xn = rXPos + cone1[c4d.PRIM_CONE_BRAD]/2
        point = PlaceCube(op, splineLength, xn)           

        # align to spline
        objmtx = cone1.GetMg()	     #Get the object's global matrix
        objmtx.off = point                     #Set the matrix positon to the point array

        splineOffset = xn / splineLength                     # must be between 0 and 1
        normal = sh.GetNormal(splineOffset)	      #Get the normal values where the object currently is
        tangent = sh.GetTangent(splineOffset)	    #Get the tangent values where the object is ?
     
        objmtx.v3 = normal         #Align the Z axis with the normal vector
        objmtx.v1 = tangent        #Up vector to stabilize it ?            
        cone1.SetMg(objmtx)	    #Update the object's position along the spline 
        doc.InsertObject(cone1)

        rXPos = rXPos + cone1[c4d.PRIM_CONE_BRAD] + 100
       
            
    c4d.EventAdd()
        
if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()
    

Thank you.

I know it is possible to set the material preview in Preferences by
Material[c4d.PREF_MM_MATSCENE] = 2000001008 #Flat projection

When I try to do this for a single material, it is not working.
What am I doing wrong?

from typing import Optional
import c4d

doc: c4d.documents.BaseDocument # The active document
op: Optional[c4d.BaseObject] # The active object, None if unselected

def main() -> None:
    mat = doc.GetActiveMaterial()
    print (mat.GetName(), mat[c4d.PREF_MM_MATSCENE])
    mat[c4d.PREF_MM_MATSCENE] = 2000001008    #Flat projection
    mat.Update(True, True)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()
    c4d.EventAdd()

PS How can I set a post to 'Solved"?

I have a ToolData plugin where the user can draw Planes.
I use MouseInput() to get the inital point and then MouseDragStart() and MouseDrag() to get the other point of the Plane.

Is there a way to snap to the grid using MouseDragStart() and MouseDrag() or is that something I have to do myself?
Something like snapPoint = grid_size * round(point / grid_size)

            mousex = msg[c4d.BFM_INPUT_X]
            mousey = msg[c4d.BFM_INPUT_Y]
            
            leftTop = c4d.Vector(mousex, mousey, 0)
            win.MouseDragStart(c4d.KEY_MLEFT, mousex, mousey, c4d.MOUSEDRAGFLAGS_DONTHIDEMOUSE|c4d.MOUSEDRAGFLAGS_NOMOVE)

            color = c4d.Vector(256,256,256)
            bd.SetMatrix_Screen()   #Use the screen's matrix to draw on
                
            mx = mousex
            my = mousey
            while True:
                result, dx, dy, channels = win.MouseDrag()
                if result!=c4d.MOUSEDRAGRESULT_CONTINUE: break
                mx += dx
                my += dy
                
                rightBottom = c4d.Vector(mx, my,0)
                self.v1 = leftTop
                self.v2 = rightBottom

                bd.SetDepth(True) 
                c4d.DrawViews(c4d.DA_ONLY_ACTIVE_VIEW|c4d.DA_NO_THREAD|c4d.DA_NO_ANIMATION)

Alas, I was wrong!
After trying to match GroupBegin() and GroupEnd(), it proved to be ok.
So, back to stripping the code to see where it fails.

Doing that I found out another (related) issue.
After stripping to only using a Treeview, I noticed that the dialog also did open completely. So yes related to the initial issue (I think).

It should open like this (I resized the dialog window myself).

After checking the example "C4D TreeView example", I am beginning to belive the issue is not in the dialog code, but in the filling of the tree.

If you could have a look, I will send the code and some data to sdk_support(at)maxon(dot)net.

Oops, my fault!
After stripping a lot of the plugin, I came to the conclusion that
GroupBegin() and GroupEnd() where not matching.

This is apparently more importan on the Mac than on the PC!

Thanks for the patience and the support.

Regards,
Pim

Yes, I am using 2 user areas.
I will check.

Thanks.
I am stripping the plugin more and more, to see where the error / issue occurs.

Update.
Using "BFH_SCALEFIT|c4d.BFV_SCALEFIT for the top Group" did scale the plugin dialog, but it used the given values (600x600).
So, still the whole dialog was not shown.

I will keep on testing.

Regards,
Pim

Hi Ferdinand,

Thanks for the quick reply.

1. yes the dialog is DLG_TYPE_ASYNC and defaulth and defaultw have no effect.
2. I did not put in the complete dialog, because there is a lot of code.

After Adding a menu, here the code showing we use BFH_SCALEFIT|c4d.BFV_SCALEFIT for the top Group.

def CreateLayout(self):
... add menu

# 3 koloms dialog
 self.GroupBegin(ID_GRP_SUB, flags=c4d.BFH_SCALEFIT|c4d.BFV_SCALEFIT, cols=3, groupflags =c4d.BFV_GRIDGROUP_ALLOW_WEIGHTS)
 self.GroupBorderSpace(10, 0, 0, 10)  # left, top, right, bottom)       

3. No, it was there already in previous versions, yet I am nor sure when it started (which version).

And yes, I fully understand it is hard to answer such a generic question.
I was hoping you had seen this issue before.
I will try to delete a lot of code, to find where this issue is coming from.

Note: after resizing the plugin dialog, the next time you open it in the same cinema 4d session, it is ok.

Pim