Armature to toggle Slider visibility

#1

Hi All,

I want to have an armature toggle the visibility of one or more sliders…anyone know an easy way to do it?

Thanks

David

#2

Anyone?

I mean it MUST be possible. I was guessing that it might be done via an expression but I look down the function list and don’t see anywhere anything about item visibility or even selecting an item (Which I guess would make the slider appear?)…It just seems really strange. You can get it to select next item, previous item…swap item…but no simple ‘select item’…no Item Visibility on off type thing??

Help some experience chap or chapess must know?

Thanks

David

#3

Just had a quick look, try this…

Set the Action->Type to Click, then Add Action to Controller Select. Now set the Handle->Controller to the slider object and set the Offset to what ever you need. I think this can only be set up in world space.
Hope this helps :slight_smile:

#4

Hi WesComan,

Yeah, problem with that is the armature appears over the character and interferes with other armatures on the body. I’m really after one of those nice armatures that appear in screen coods, not world - like the default F1, F2, undo etc. Thanks anyway

Anyone else have any ideas?

David

#5

Hey DMack, this a way I found, I’m sure you 'll figure out :wink:

MetaNurbs handle is in SCREEN POSITION
MetaNurbs_1 handle is attach to a slider

The button MetaNurbs is in the screen like F1…F2…

And when i click on it:

I have to click on this one now to make sliders appear. I moved the offset just on top off the head that it does’nt interferes with other armatures on the body.
And if I click again on the MetaNubs handle on the right top, the second handle disappear.

2 click…it’s always faster than having to scroll on the list!

#6

Thanks!

I’ll give it a go! It seems that this is something that could be addressed…it would just take PMG to add screen coods to the list of choices as to where the armature appears…then you could attach it to the slider diretly but instead of having it on/near the charater, you could say…hey stay in the top left corner.

Thanks though…it keeps me going!!

David

#7

I just found a better way .

Create a Null object
Parent the Slider to the Null
Create the Handle (a "controller select"one, in Armature and assign it to the slider.
Than just move the Null and the handle will move according to, you just have to place the handle where you want by moving the Null.
Hide the Null.

:slight_smile:

#8

Right…But surely the null will be in world coods and so will float around the scene rather than be in a fixed location like screen coods…unless I haven’t understood?

#9

Yes you’re right the null will ““float”” around.
I was thinking that you could parent the Null to your object in this case. Then, the armature stay ““around”” your character. And it’s in one click that you make appear the slider…rather then 2 clicks…
hahaha, that’s a big step forward.:stuck_out_tongue:

Personally, i prefer the first version (in “screen position”) and 2 clicks. I don’t like to have the character surround by stuff.

#10

Hi phenobarbidoll,

Thanks for your input - appreciated. For now, what I’ve done is to have the main armature for the charater (to make his controller armatures visible) also alter the Items list. It basically only shows the sliders…I’ve grouped them and made the groups auto selecting so I just glance over and ‘jab’ at the yellow area (group tinting) with my pen to get all the slider associated with facial animation up. Not quite the solution I was after as it would have been awfully cool to have been in F1 mode (no list visible). But hey. It would be really helpful if PMG could add:

a. screen coods to the option of where armatures reside (even when they are attached to a controller)

b. To add functions for expressions that selects an item or changes an items visibility (still think someones goning to say ‘hey that’s easy…you just…’ it just seems like such an obvious thing to want to do?

#11

Hi DMack,

a few months back there had been a similiar discussion on the Yahoo group. Eventually Mark Wilson :applause:coded a little plug-in that lets you set an item’s visibility through an expression. Just extract the attached plug-in to the plug-in folder, then you can use an armature with a ‘Compute Expression’ action, e.g. a call

MW_DisplayMode(Cube, 0)

will make ‘Cube’ invisible.
Only drawback: Sliders won’t change their appearance if they are set to invisible or any other draw mode, so probably it won’t help you much with your original problem …:sad:

#12

Hi Suricate,

Whooa we’re getting closer here! One point I don’t get…the drawback…surely the cube has a draw mode…so why would it work wit that and not a slider?

PS I’m having trouble with the attachment…my zip prog says there are errors with the zip…any chance of re-posting unzipped?

#13

Hi DMack,

the plug-in does the same as setting the draw mode manually in the item list (invisibile, textured, wired etc.). If you set these modes for sliders, the sliders won’t change their appearance, I don’t know why :shrug:.

The ZIP file loads fine here, maybe just download it again. Unfortunately, the unzipped file is too big too attach, so maybe you can PM your email, I will send you the file directly.

#14

Just another addition: After searching the docs for about one hour I managed to find the expression that selects an item:

SetCurObj(Slider)

Attaching this expression to an armature will select the object ‘Slider’ (and thus make it visible).

#15

Hi, here’s a newer version of that plugin, it addresses some refresh issue. Mark sent it to me personally, but I’m sure he don’t mind me posting it here, since he probably forgot to update the file on the yahoo list :slight_smile:

#16

Thanks maks & Mark, that’s greatly appreciated! :thumbsup:

#17

Whooa guys, well done! Wow, the power of forums and helpful people!

As a complete aside, I’ve come up with a rather cool way of doing antennae, I must post it at some stage - I feel I should give something back!

#18

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