Learning Maya 5: MEL Fundamentals

To truly know Maya is to know MEL, and to know MEL, you should read Learning Maya 5: MEL Fundamentals. MEL (Maya Embedded Language) is the underlying engine on which Maya is built. MEL makes everything possible, and with MEL you can do almost anything, from creating your own interface for Maya to creating self-animating objects to making blanket changes to a single attribute for every object in a project.

But while explaining what MEL is takes only a sentence or two, learning how it works and making it do what you want can easily take many volumes, or one good one. MEL Fundamentals is perhaps the best introduction to MEL to come along in years. Twelve chapters, 250 pages, and a CD full of files takes the beginning MEL user/Maya artist on a trip into the inner workings of Maya and shows how to use MEL for everything from adding items to shelves to altering the workspace to controlling animated objects.

There are numerous outstanding examples throughout the book such as how to rig a light to flicker on each time it turns on instead of just switching on, or how to add countless railroad ties to a set of train tracks, or how to control the animation of the flowing wings of a Manta Ray by controlling one object. The section on creating custom UIs can turn into a very valuable chapter for those looking to save time by customizing the interface. Here, you’ll learn how to create your own windows with your own buttons for the most frequently used commands, or create sets of windows that feature different toolsets for various modes of working. MEL is a powerful and complex tool, and one that shouldn’t be overlooked or thought of as a geek’s tool.

Learning Maya 5: MEL Fundamentals, part of the "Learning Maya" series from Sybex, includes a CD containing all files referred to throughout the book, and a DVD that introduces some of the features new to Maya 5, making this book and the whole series a valuable asset for any Maya artist. --Mike Caputo