Motion Trail on viewport -Finally!

[bottleofram]

Thanks a ton, taro! Incredibly useful feature.

Hopefully you can solve manipulation issue. If not, maybe you can add axis constrictions on alt/ctrl/shift? So, for example, holding alt would restrict key movement only to y axis and so on.

Also, ive noticed motion trail doesnt update while playing and modifying a key in FCurve editor. Not sure if anyone would be bothered by this, though. Almost a non-issue.


Cheers and thanks for sharing

[druitre]

So guys, I feel like a donkey's ass but can anyone tell me how to get this working?

From the 'other SI community forum' : how to use
1. install addon.
2. register a shortcut key or a script button.
3. activate the tool, and select an animated object.

I have number 1 down, but then... 'register a shortcut key'? I've looked in the keyboard mapping window but I can't find an entry for 'motion trail' (BTW, is it me or is that interface the crappiest you've ever seen?? I have to scroll in a locked window with a gazillion entries with no way of knowing what to look for, and no search function whatsoever?) And I can't find anything looking like motion trail anywhere else (except in my plugin manager, to check I've really installed it).

I'm probably overlooking something obvious?

[Qwesto]

Check the custom section, press M, commands' name is "Motiontrail".

[druitre]

Ah, thanks. Works now

But... how did you know where to find it? Is looking in 'custom scripts' a natural thing to do when dealing with plugins, addons etc? The only way I can see to search all scripts is to use 'view in browser', it's not possible to do this within XSI?

[Kerro Perro]

Is looking in 'custom scripts' a natural thing to do when dealing with plugins, addons etc?

It is afaik - but sometimes i also have trouble finding them because the names can be "unexpected". For instance i wanted to hotkey quickPrimtive yesterday and looked under Q and couldn't find it - it was listed as "pmQuickPrimitive".

[druitre]

Yep, 'view in browser' and then search the page using wildcards etc seems to be the only solution. Strikes me as weird that I have to leave XSI to search, though. A search-field would not be out of place, IMO. But, that's all offtopic, sorry for that.

Taro, about motiontrail, brilliant stuff! Can I add some suggestions:
- select points on the trail and get a RMB/MMB menu on them - for instance, to set stepped/linear/spline interpolation.
- add possibility to have uneven splinehandles (maybe alt-drag on handle will break/toggle symmetry, like in photoshop, after effects etc)

thanks,Jasper

[origin]

You can lookup command names etc in Plugin Manager

[taro]

added Custom Preference to change Save Key shortcut.
and added readme.txt

Maximus,
if you see this post, could you put this file in first post?
And thank you very much for posting v1.1
I was happy when I found this post here!

Moderator edit - I inserted the v.1.2 into Maximus' original post - HB

[taro]

Would be cool, if the tool doesn't disappear when calling a manipulator and points could be selected with a marking region. It also would be helpful, if we could assign a color to the trails and/or points. I was very astonished about the possibility to select multiple cons at once or adding one after another to see all their trails...NICE!!! Too bad that handles are an issue, though

Thank you, Qwesto.

I think it might be difficult to use another tool like manipulator in the same time, because this is one tool.
But there are some suggestion about manipulator or axis. I want to think of this.
What is "marking region" ?
Color, indeed, if i see multiple curves, it would be useful to understand which curve is it.
But this tool is heavy, especially, you use multiple curves. so I think I have to much lighter first. I don't know if I can, though.

[taro]

Hopefully you can solve manipulation issue. If not, maybe you can add axis constrictions on alt/ctrl/shift? So, for example, holding alt would restrict key movement only to y axis and so on.

Thank you, bottleofram.
"alt/ctrl/shift", it sounds easier to make than manipulator.

Also, ive noticed motion trail doesnt update while playing and modifying a key in FCurve editor. Not sure if anyone would be bothered by this, though. Almost a non-issue.

I did this on purpose. because this tool is heavy, and i wanted to see animation in high FPS.
So I stoped update while playing. But it's easy to make option in custom preference, I'll do that next version. (but it's not so soon, sorry)

[taro]

- select points on the trail and get a RMB/MMB menu on them - for instance, to set stepped/linear/spline interpolation.
- add possibility to have uneven splinehandles (maybe alt-drag on handle will break/toggle symmetry, like in photoshop, after effects etc)

Thank you, druitre.
I'd like to add useful functions of FCurve Editor too. But they're to much for me.
When I make next version, I'll make setting interpolation and breaking handles. but it's not so soon, maybe.

[Qwesto]

"Marking region" I meant the standard rectangular selection to select a bunch of points (keys), handling-wise simpler than hitting the preferred point exactly. I've just had a quick look into it. Will check the 1.2 tool, soon ;) Thanks a ton, Taro

[andyboe]

I have tested it so far. Great tool. ;)

Unfortunately one essential thing is missing. It supports no non-linear animation.

Imagine you have a custom parameter (0-1) which drives the translation of Camera and Interest Postion. Value 0 = camera & interest position 1; Value 1 = camera & interest position 2.

If I try that with your plugin it shows up the motion path, but I can't edit the path. It would be a nice improvement for me if this would be possible

[taro]

Thank you, andyboe.
Yes, I dindn't think of non-linear animation. ( you mean Animation Mixer or something, right? )
This tool just edits FCurves indirectly, so if the object is animated by not fcurves, I couldn't edit the path.
meanwhile, it draws the path by global position, so it shows path up without FCurves.
So I don't have any good idea to improve it to spport non-linear animation, sorry...

[andyboe]

hey taro. I'm not thinking of the animation mixer, but of linked parameters.

[taro]

Oh, it's interesting!
I haven't used the function ever. Is it a kind of expression? and is it essential?
This custom parameter controls the FCurve's Time...
I see, I can't. but I learned new thing, thanks... and sorry. I can't support the function in motion trail tool.