make dupliface operator (access from object menu)

scene.object.link() now returns the new ObjectBase

release/scripts/op/object.py

@@ -379,11 +379,78 @@ class JoinUVs(bpy.types.Operator):
         self._main(context)
         return {'FINISHED'}
 
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    bpy.ops.uv.simple_operator()
+class MakeDupliFace(bpy.types.Operator):
+    '''Make linked objects into dupli-faces'''
+    bl_idname = "object.make_dupli_face"
+    bl_label = "Make DupliFace"
+
+    def poll(self, context):
+        obj = context.active_object
+        return (obj and obj.type == 'MESH')
+
+    def _main(self, context):
+        from Mathutils import Vector
+        from math import sqrt
+
+        SCALE_FAC = 0.01
+        offset = 0.5 * SCALE_FAC
+        base_tri = Vector(-offset, -offset, 0.0), Vector(-offset, offset, 0.0), Vector(offset, offset, 0.0), Vector(offset, -offset, 0.0)
+
+        def matrix_to_quat(matrix):
+            # scale = matrix.median_scale
+            trans = matrix.translation_part()
+            rot = matrix.rotation_part() # also contains scale
+            
+            return [(rot * b) + trans for b in base_tri]
+        scene = bpy.context.scene
+        linked = {}
+        for obj in bpy.context.selected_objects:
+            data = obj.data
+            if data:
+                linked.setdefault(data, []).append(obj)
+
+        for data, objects in linked.items():
+            face_verts = [axis for obj in objects for v in matrix_to_quat(obj.matrix) for axis in v]
+            faces = list(range(int(len(face_verts) / 3)))
+
+            mesh = bpy.data.meshes.new(data.name + "_dupli")
+
+            mesh.add_geometry(int(len(face_verts) / 3), 0, int(len(face_verts) / (4 * 3)))
+            mesh.verts.foreach_set("co", face_verts)
+            mesh.faces.foreach_set("verts_raw", faces)
+            mesh.update() # generates edge data
+
+            # pick an object to use 
+            obj = objects[0]
+
+            ob_new = bpy.data.objects.new(mesh.name, 'MESH')
+            ob_new.data = mesh
+            base = scene.objects.link(ob_new)
+            base.layers[:] = obj.layers
+            
+            ob_inst = bpy.data.objects.new(data.name, obj.type)
+            ob_inst.data = data
+            base = scene.objects.link(ob_inst)
+            base.layers[:] = obj.layers
+            
+            for obj in objects:
+                scene.objects.unlink(obj)
+            
+            ob_new.dupli_type = 'FACES'
+            ob_inst.parent = ob_new
+            ob_new.use_dupli_faces_scale = True
+            ob_new.dupli_faces_scale = 1.0 / SCALE_FAC
+
+    def execute(self, context):
+        self._main(context)
+        return {'FINISHED'}
+
+# if __name__ == "__main__":
+#     bpy.ops.uv.simple_operator()
 
 
 bpy.types.register(SelectPattern)
 bpy.types.register(SubdivisionSet)
 bpy.types.register(ShapeTransfer)
 bpy.types.register(JoinUVs)
+bpy.types.register(MakeDupliFace)

release/scripts/ui/space_view3d.py

@@ -659,6 +659,7 @@ class VIEW3D_MT_object(bpy.types.Menu):
         layout.operator("object.delete", text="Delete...")
         layout.operator("object.proxy_make", text="Make Proxy...")
         layout.menu("VIEW3D_MT_make_links", text="Make Links...")
+        layout.operator("object.make_dupli_face", text="Make Dupliface...")
         layout.operator_menu_enum("object.make_local", "type", text="Make Local...")
         layout.menu("VIEW3D_MT_make_single_user")
 

source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_scene.c

@@ -130,18 +130,18 @@ static PointerRNA rna_Scene_objects_get(CollectionPropertyIterator *iter)
 	return rna_pointer_inherit_refine(&iter->parent, &RNA_Object, ((Base*)internal->link)->object);
 }
 
-static void rna_Scene_link_object(Scene *scene, ReportList *reports, Object *ob)
+static Base *rna_Scene_link_object(Scene *scene, ReportList *reports, Object *ob)
 {
 	Base *base;
 
 	if (ob->type != OB_EMPTY && ob->data==NULL) {
 		BKE_reportf(reports, RPT_ERROR, "Object \"%s\" is not an Empty type and has no Object Data set.");
-		return;
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	if (object_in_scene(ob, scene)) {
 		BKE_reportf(reports, RPT_ERROR, "Object \"%s\" is already in scene \"%s\".", ob->id.name+2, scene->id.name+2);
-		return;
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	base= scene_add_base(scene, ob);
@@ -152,6 +152,8 @@ static void rna_Scene_link_object(Scene *scene, ReportList *reports, Object *ob)
 	ob->recalc |= OB_RECALC;
 
 	DAG_scene_sort(scene);
+
+	return base;
 }
 
 static void rna_Scene_unlink_object(Scene *scene, bContext *C, ReportList *reports, Object *ob)
@@ -2530,6 +2532,8 @@ static void rna_def_scene_objects(BlenderRNA *brna, PropertyRNA *cprop)
 	RNA_def_function_flag(func, FUNC_USE_REPORTS);
 	parm= RNA_def_pointer(func, "object", "Object", "", "Object to add to scene.");
 	RNA_def_property_flag(parm, PROP_REQUIRED);
+	parm= RNA_def_pointer(func, "base", "ObjectBase", "", "The newly created base.");
+	RNA_def_function_return(func, parm);
 
 	func= RNA_def_function(srna, "unlink", "rna_Scene_unlink_object");
 	RNA_def_function_ui_description(func, "Unlink object from scene.");