Script to center current time in time slider to a frame range, with a +/- buffer set by the user.

rangeFinder.py

import maya.cmds as cmds
import maya.mel as mel


def swapToRange(buffer):
    print 'swap to range'

    #get all dem frames

    curRangeStart = cmds.playbackOptions(q=True, min=True)
    curRangeEnd = cmds.playbackOptions(q=True, max=True)
    fullRangeStart = cmds.playbackOptions(q=True, ast=True)
    fullRangeEnd = cmds.playbackOptions(q=True, aet=True)
    currentTime =  cmds.currentTime(q=True)

    #figure out direction (are we expanding the range slider or contracting it)

    direction = 0 #contract it as default

    if ((curRangeStart == fullRangeStart) and (curRangeEnd == fullRangeEnd)):
        direction = 0
    else:
        direction = 1

    if direction == 1:
        print 'expand'
        cmds.playbackOptions(min=fullRangeStart, max=fullRangeEnd)

    if direction == 0:
        print 'contract'
        frameOffset = (buffer/2)
        cmds.playbackOptions(min=(currentTime-frameOffset), max=(currentTime+frameOffset))

swapToRange(100)