Handy snippets for quick maya python scripts.

getShapes.py

# Get the shape node that is hidden in the transform.

selected_items = cmds.ls(selection=True)
if selected_items:
    shapes = cmds.listRelatives(selected_items[0], shapes=True)
    if shapes:
        print shapes[0]

scriptImport_maya.py

# Put this in a maya script editor python tab to load external scripts.
import sys
import maya.cmds as cmds

sys.path.append('<path>')
import <python file name> as <shorter name version>

reload(<shorter name version>)
<shorter name version>.run() # <- Not necessary if you don't have a 'run' function in your script.