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Synopsis

cmdFileOutput [-close uint] [-closeAll] [-open string] [-status uint]

cmdFileOutput is undoable, queryable, and NOT editable.

This command will open a text file to receive all of the commands and results that normally get printed to the Script Editor window or console. The file will stay open until an explicit -close with the correct file descriptor or a -closeAll, so care should be taken not to leave a file open.

To enable logging to commence as soon as Maya starts up, the environment variable MAYA_CMD_FILE_OUTPUT may be specified prior to launching Maya. Setting MAYA_CMD_FILE_OUTPUT to a filename will create and output to that given file. To access the descriptor after Maya has started, use the -query and -open flags together.

Return value

int: On open, returns a value (descriptor) that can be used to query the status or close the file. Otherwise, a status code indicating status of file

In query mode, return type is based on queried flag.

Flags

close, closeAll, open, status
Long name (short name) Argument types Properties
-close(-c) uint create
Closes the file corresponding to the given descriptor. If -3 is returned, the file did not exist. -1 is returned on error, 0 is returned on successful close.
-closeAll(-ca) create
Closes all open files.
-open(-o) string createquery
Opens the given file for writing (will overwrite if it exists and is writable). If successful, a value is returned to enable status queries and file close. -1 is returned if the file cannot be opened for writing. The -open flag can also be specified in -query mode. In query mode, if the named file is currently opened, the descriptor for the specified file is returned, otherwise -1 is returned. This is an easy way to check if a given file is currently open.

In query mode, this flag needs a value.
-status(-s) uint createquery
Queries the status of the given descriptor. -3 is returned if no such file exists, -2 indicates the file is not open, -1 indicates an error condition, 0 indicates file is ready for writing.
Flag can appear in Create mode of command Flag can appear in Edit mode of command
Flag can appear in Query mode of command Flag can be used more than once in a command.

MEL examples

cmdFileOutput -o "dbOutput.txt";
// Result: 1 //
print "This message is in the file\n";
// This message is in the file
cmdFileOutput -s 1;
// Result: 0 //
cmdFileOutput -s 2;
// Result: -3 //
cmdFileOutput -c 1;
// Result: 0 //
// Notice that the 'This message is in the file' string is in the file,
// as are all of the entered commands and the
// '// Result: ...' lines, etc.

// Turn on logging to a file on Maya startup so as to log all error
// messages which happen on startup.
//
// Set the environment variable MAYA_CMD_FILE_OUTPUT to "trace.txt"
// Start up Maya
// Messages should now be logged to the file "trace.txt" as well as the
// script editor window.

// Turn off logging to the filename specified by $MAYA_CMD_FILE_OUTPUT
// after Maya has completed startup.
//
string $traceFile = getenv( "MAYA_CMD_FILE_OUTPUT" );
int $descriptor = `cmdFileOutput -o $traceFile -q`;
if ( -1 != $descriptor ) {
    cmdFileOutput -close $descriptor;
}
// Result: 0 //