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View Full Version : plz help: how to check arcs for animation?

Michael Chen
10-03-2004, 05:59 AM
How do you check your arcs for animation in MAYA?

Is there a simple key you use like in 3ds MAX, where you can just turn on/off the trajectory of a selected "animated" object(s) via a click of a button? Thanks for your help everyone.

p.s. I did find something like ghost selected, create motion trail, etc. However I didn't know which is better or if there is a better tool to check arcs. By the way, how do you "un-motion trails"? Thanks again!
mental
10-03-2004, 06:03 AM
you may set the motion trails' display setting to either point, line, or null through either the attribute or channel boxes.

to 'un-motion trail' just select and delete the motion trail.
Firas
10-03-2004, 10:07 AM
there is [AnimPath] a plugin on highend3d.com, where u can see and edit your animation :) its great one.. thankx to Robustov Dmitriy for sharing.
steveblake
10-03-2004, 10:37 AM
as an alternative I'd recommend getting Jason's greasePencil:
http://jonhandhisdog.com/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=21&t=901

OK so it doen't automatically plot your curves, but you can draw em up in your camera viewport and work from there. Great fun too!

;)
Michael Chen
10-04-2004, 09:36 AM
Thanks for your help all.

Firas - I decided to use AnimPath but how do you use it? The readme file says...

Shape allow edit the Animation Curves for translate attribute of object.
Command attachAnimPath() create AnimPathShape for selected objects.
To edit keys use button "Select by component type".

I am new to MAYA and I am not sure how to install this plugin. Can you or anyone who used this plugin before help me out. Thanks a lot for your help. I really appreciated it.

The zip file contains...
2 Maya Script files... AEAnimPathShapeTemplate & attachAnimPath
1 Maya Binary file... attachAnimPath
1 MLL file... AnimPath.mll

By the way, what is a MLL file? Thanks.
Morganism
10-04-2004, 10:40 AM
There's also PerfectArc, I think that's on Highend somewhere.

However, I find it much quicker and simpler just to write with a dry erase marker on my monitor.
steveblake
10-04-2004, 10:48 AM
Dry markers are a good idea, yet the point of geasePencil is to replace them - the main benefits being you can draw over different frames and switch them on and off...
Michael Chen
10-05-2004, 06:22 AM
Morganism - Thanks. Perfect arc worked great and I easily got it working with the clear instructions. I wish AnimPath can have clear installation instructions like how Perfect arc has it.

steveblake - Thanks for the tip. I'll try out greasePencil over this week-end when I have time.

Thank-you all again for your time!
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