Thanks Ferdinand. Putting those lines in the projectdefinitions.txt of the solution was the... solution

I feel a bit silly asking this. But im trying to use the split function on maxon::string. And nothing seems to work.
Like array is a value receiver? but im getting loads of strange template errors.

				String cat = ninfo->mCategory;
				maxon::Array<const String&> parts;
				cat.Split(String("/"), true, parts);
				if(parts.GetCount())
					info(parts[0]);

DTYPE_VECTOR4 and DTYPE_COLORA are not maxon::data types internally in c4d.
When I get or set them as maxon::data like your example code the GeData changes to a DTYPE_DATA instead
Additionally the existing 4d colorpicker GUI for DTYPE_COLORA will override the maxon::data type and reset it to whatever DTYPE_COLORA is internally.

Ok thanks for the help Ferdinand. I will take the road of least resistance and just build on top of float64 vectors

I made this separate thread specifically because of the clear singular question rule i have been told to follow. And this is a different question from the question on custom data types.

This is a different question from:
https://developers.maxon.net/forum/topic/15823/data-datatypes-python-and-gui/6?_=1732092863717

If you are referring to the same post i wrote on the backstage forum the suggestion i got there does not work:

const ColorA* color = data.GetCustomDataType<ColorA>();

^^ this does not work

I am asking how to use existing types here. And not new/custom ones
Specifically the DTYPE_COLORA and DTYPE_VECTOR4 and not the regular types DTYPE_COLOR and DTYPE_VECTOR

How do I get and set Vector4 and ColorA to the basecontainer/gedata?
I have tried pretty much every possible function and method but I dont seem to be able to use Vec4/Color4.

I have managed to get it via unsafe c-style casting:

	GeData ge(DTYPE_COLORA, DEFAULTVALUETYPE::DEFAULTVALUE); // Create
	
	// Get
	const CustomDataType* customPtr = ge.GetCustomDataTypeI(DTYPE_COLORA);
	maxon::ColorA color = *(maxon::ColorA*)customPtr;

	// Set
	color = maxon::ColorA(0.5, 0.1, 0.6, 0.7);
	CustomDataType* customPtrDst = (CustomDataType*)&color;
	ge.SetCustomDataTypeI(DTYPE_COLORA, *customPtrDst);

	// Get again to check if it worked
	const CustomDataType* customPtr2 = ge.GetCustomDataTypeI(DTYPE_COLORA);
	maxon::ColorA color2 = *(maxon::ColorA*)customPtr2;

But this is basically undefined behavior

Just to clear something up that you wrote: maxon::IntVector32 is not a new template specialization.
And are you sure maxon::IntVector32 is not wrapped in python. It is in the python sdk?
https://developers.maxon.net/docs/py/2025_0_0/modules/maxon_generated/datatypes/vec_col_mat/maxon.IntVector32.html?highlight=intvector32#module-maxon.IntVector32
Or am I missing something here?

I have the UI working for the pre-existing maxon::IntVector32 data type. The only problem with this method is that when i animate it, it does not interpolate between multiple keyframes - it just jumps from one to the other.

The problem im trying to solve is that Octane supports these other types (int3 float4 long2 etc). But from what I now learned, and reading your answers, I will either need to chose between:

• Use Custom Data Type - dropping python support
• Use maxon::IntVector32 - dropping keyframe interpolation support
• Cast everything from Vector4d to int vectors and in64 vectors - possible data loss and clunkyness by having to set int values with floats in python

Btw, I recently got backstage access, would it be better to ask these questions there?

I have two problems with using maxon::data route

For instance I have tried to do int32_3 by using maxon::IntVector32. Which is maxon::Vec3<maxon::Int32, 1>;

1. However this type does not seem to support interpolating between keyframes
2. I cant seem to dynamically create GUI for it
   For example: This is how i generate UI for the bool checkbox:

const DescID cid = CreateDescID(DescLevel(guiID, DTYPE_BOOL, 0));
BaseContainer bc = GetCustomDataTypeDefault(DTYPE_BOOL);
bc.SetInt32(DESC_CUSTOMGUI, CUSTOMGUI_BOOL);
 bc.SetString(DESC_NAME, name);
bc.SetBool(DESC_SCALEH, scaleH);
bc.SetBool(DESC_FITH, fitH);
bc.SetInt32(DESC_ANIMATE, anim);
description->SetParameter(cid, bc, CreateDescID(DescLevel(groupID)));

How would i do the same for maxon data types?

For the project I am working I would like to add new data types to the BaseContainer/GeData for a ShaderData and I'm wondering what the best method for storing, displaying, animating and python interop.

The types I want to add are the following vectors:

Int32_2,    Int32_3,    Int32_4
Float_2     Float_4     
Int64_2

I have tried 3 methods so far:

Method 1: CustomDataType from the sdk example:
I implemented this for Int32_3. This one is the most promising so far as it gives me the greatest level of control over the data and GUI.
Drawbacks:

• I am not sure how to set/get this data from python or other plugins?
• Would much prefer to have proper integrated types like maxon::IntVector32

Method 2: maxon::data types (IntVector32)
I tried IntVector32 and Vector4d for Int32_t and Float_4. The data can be set with the SetMaxonData function or SetData on GeData. This method seems to the most integrated, and these types also exist in python?
Drawbacks:

• There seems to be no GUI for these types?
• They are not interpolated between keyframes
• I dont know how to properly add new GUI for these types as they do not have DTYPE_ value?

Method 3: DTYPE_VECTOR4 / DTYPE_COLORA / DTYPE_VECTOR2
These have GUI.
Drawbacks:

• I cannot set or get the data from the BaseContainer. There is no GetVector4. And im not sure how to extract this data from the GeData.
• There are no int32 or int64 versions of these

Hopefully you can help me out on navigating this issue.
I would much prefer to use official data types, but im happy to implement my own custom data types. However I am not sure how these properly interop with python and other plugins.

Thanks Ferdinand. Putting those lines in the projectdefinitions.txt of the solution was the... solution