CINEMA 4D, Revision 6

COFFEE plugin tutorial
Introduction

(a link will be available to part 8 of this tutorial soon)

coffee tutorial 1:  Introduction
coffee tutorial 2:  Programming basics
coffee tutorial 3:  The nuts and bolts of a plugin
coffee tutorial 4:  Your first dialog box
coffee tutorial 5:  A better dialog box
coffee tutorial 6:  Creating a house object
coffee tutorial 7:  Interactive house modeling
coffee tutorial 8:  International resources

Don't expect...

... a C.O.F.F.E.E. super guru! I'm learning C.O.F.F.E.E. (R6) as well while I write these tutorials, so don't be surprised if I make the odd mistake or gloss over a few things!

Also, please don't expect an entire course on C or C++ programming here! If you need some extra help on the subject, you're in luck because you'll find a veritable plethora of superb books in most good book stores.

But do expect...

...tutorials that help you learn C.O.F.F.E.E. You will need a working knowledge of CINEMA 4D and also a little programming experience.

The xxx.cof files for this tutorial are (or should be!) working plugins. But let's face it; they are of no use to serious CINEMA 4D users. However, you're here to learn C.O.F.F.E.E. so that you can go on to write your own plugins that will have every CINEMA 4D user positively drooling.

Regarding the xxx.cof files, you can open them in any text editor you like. In the Macintosh folder, the text files have a CR at the end of the line (CR = carriage return). In the Windows folder, the text files have a CR + LF at the end of the line (LF = line feed).

Plugincafe

If you fancy making your own C.O.F.F.E.E. you simply can't get by without the SDK. Take a quick trip to www.plugincafe.com and download the current SDK version from there.

One thing you should know about from the off is that each plugin needs a unique identification number, so as to avoid clashes with other plugins. And there is only one place in the entire universe where you can obtain your unique ID number! You've guessed it! It's another flying visit to: http://www.plugincafe.com

The moment you load two plugins of the same ID, CINEMA 4D will bark at you. As an end user, this is extremely annoying, so NEVER RELEASE A PLUGIN FOR PUBLIC USE UNLESS YOU HAVE OBTAINED A UNIQUE ID FROM PLUGINCAFE.COM

That said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with making up your own numbers as you go if you're just testing. For that reason, the IDs you'll use in this tutorial were plucked out of thin air and not guaranteed to be unique. Whatever you do, do not use my IDs for plugins that you make available to other users!

Feedback request!

I love feedback and I want to know if you find anything here confusing. I would like also to receive your suggestions. Perhaps with your feedback this tutorial can snowball into something bigger and better! Let's get that C.O.F.F.E.E. on the boil!h.g.seib

Glossary

listing, source code, program
To the non-programmer, source code may look like it's been typed in by a crazy monkey who forgot to take his sedatives. Seriously though, these characters are based on a programming language (in this case, C.O.F.F.E.E.) that enables the programmer to "talk" to the computer.

function, routine, procedure
A unit in the program. It is called by typing in its name along with any parameters it requires (enclosed in parentheses). Procedures carry out a task, functions do that too plus return a value..

interpreter, compiler
Program code may feel computer-like, but it is in fact closer to human language than to the real language of computers. So that the computer can make sense of the program code, it must have the code translated into its mother tongue and there are two ways of doing this. The code can either be translated "on-the-fly" each time the program runs, with the translation carried out by a program called an interpreter. Alternatively, you can use a compiler to permanently translate the code into the computer's mother tongue. This compiled code is then no longer understandable to humans, but the computer can then understand it without the help of an interpreter, which usually means the program is faster.
C.O.F.F.E.E. differentiates between text code (i.e. code that must be interpreted) and compiled code by way of the plugin's file extension:
XXX.cof <- Text form
XXX.cob <- Compiled form

C4D
The lovable nickname for CINEMA 4D ;-)

[R5], [R6]
Revision 5 was completely reworked to form Revision 6. As a result, you can't use old R5 plugins in R6. Plugin A program that cannot function on its own. A plugin is used to expand the functionality of the main application.

Copyrights, trademarks and disclaimer

• MAXON, CINEMA 4D and C.O.F.F.E.E. are registered trademarks of MAXON Computer GmbH.

• All other brand and product names mentioned in this documentation are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies, and are hereby acknowledged.

• This is not intended to create the impression that I have any rights to the products listed above. The listings have been derived in part from the SDK or by asking MAXON. My contribution is the overall concept, the compiling, the undertaking and the description. I am not employed by MAXON nor am I related to MAXON. In no way are MAXON responsible for my text.

• I accept no responsibility at all for your programming ability! Also, whilst I have made every effort to use quality code in this text, I accept no responsibility whatsoever for any damages relating to the information in this document and the associated program code.