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# Parent class descriptions

Twelve different parent classes are defined from which you can subclass a new node. Each parent class specializes in a different functional area of Maya. The parent classes are:

Name | Description
--- | ---
MPxNode | Allows the creation of a new dependency node. This is derived from the most basic DG node in Maya and has no inherited behavior.
MPxLocatorNode | Allows the creation of a new locator node. This is a DAG object that does not render, but which is allowed to draw into the 3d views.
MPxIkSolverNode | Allows the creation of a new type of IK solver.
MPxDeformerNode | Allows the creation of a new deformer.
MPxFieldNode | Allows the creation of a new type of dynamic field.
MPxEmitterNode | Allows the creation of a new type of dynamic emitter.
MPxSpringNode | Allows the creation of a new type of dynamic spring.
MPxManipContainer | Allows the creation of a new type of manipulator.
MPxSurfaceShape | Allows the creation of a new DAG object. This is often used to create a new type of shape (i.e. something other than a NURBS or mesh surface), but can also be used in many other ways. NOTE: there is now a related class MPxComponentShape which derives from MPxSurfaceShape that provides basic support for custom shapes with components.
MPxObjectSet | Allows for the creation of a new type of set.
MPxHwShaderNode | Allows the creation of a new hardware shader.
MPxTransform | Allows the creation of new types of transformation matrices.
MPxConstraint | Allows the creation of new types of constraint nodes
MPxFluidEmitterNode | Allows the creation of new types of fluid emitters.
MPxImagePlane | Allows creation of new types of image planes.
MPxParticleAttributeMapperNode | Allows creation of new types of per particle attribute mapping nodes.