Vector compass

#1

Would anyone care to share some code or a link to create a vector compass.

I would like to plug the result into field directions - say to control the animated direction of gravity or wind.

#2

Do you mean one created with a curve set? If you have SOuP there is one in the tools menu down the bottom.

#3

no need for curves, just need to plug values into the gravity direction on the nucleus or field. Don’t have soup either - cheers for the reply though.

#4

It’s a visual representation of direction that can be key framed if required where the outDirection values are piped into the field direction values. Pretty handy really.

#5

Here you go !
I used to use it a lot in making rigs for fx.
It doesnt update in the viewport …you might have to play a frame or two to see the output result in the atttr.

// Arrow Compass
string $windArrow = curve -n "wind_direction_01" -d 1 -p -3 0 -1 -p -3 0 0 -p -3 0 1 -p 0 0 1 -p 0 0 2 -p 2 0 0 -p 0 0 -2 -p 0 0 -1 -p -3 0 -1 -k 0 -k 1 -k 2 -k 3 -k 4 -k 5 -k 6 -k 7 -k 8;
setAttr ($windArrow+".rotateX") 90;
makeIdentity -apply true -t 1 -r 1 -s 1 -n 0 -pn 1 $windArrow;
addAttr -ln “windDirection” -at double3 $windArrow;
addAttr -ln “windDirectionX” -at double -p windDirection $windArrow;
addAttr -ln “windDirectionY” -at double -p windDirection $windArrow;
addAttr -ln “windDirectionZ” -at double -p windDirection $windArrow;
setAttr -e -keyable true ($windArrow + “.windDirectionX”);
setAttr -e -keyable true ($windArrow + “.windDirectionY”);
setAttr -e -keyable true ($windArrow + “.windDirectionZ”);
addAttr -ln “windMag” -nn “Wind Magnitude” -at double -dv 0 $windArrow;
setAttr -e-keyable true ($windArrow+".windMag");

    string $windEx =("string $point1 =\"" + $windArrow + ".cv[1]\";

");
$windEx += ("string $point2 = “” + $windArrow + “.cv[5]”;
");
$windEx += ("vector $pointPos1 =pointPosition -w $point1;
");
$windEx += ("vector $pointPos2 =pointPosition -w $point2;
");
$windEx += ("vector $direction = unit($pointPos2-$pointPos1);
");
$windEx += ("windDirectionX = $direction.x;
");
$windEx += ("windDirectionY = $direction.y;
");
$windEx += ("windDirectionZ = $direction.z;
");
expression -s $windEx -o $windArrow;