Time scrolling, channel box sliders, etc

[Mathaeus]

Ok, I'll be free to open Just few questions about interface and interaction. That is, questions, nothing that I can't live without.

1: In Blender, there's, let's call it, 'time scrolling' feature. Let's say, ALT+ mouse wheel could be used for next-previous frame movement. It does the same as left-right arrow key, but I think everyone can find, how this 'time scrolling' is far more efficient. Obviously this can't be set in Maya or SI, using a plain keyboard mapping, because Blender allows to remap the entire user's input, not just keyboard.
So question is: is it possible to code this in Maya, and, generally, how hard is to do that.

2: Maya channel box sliders. It seems they are working in same way, as it was when I was on Maya course, eleven years ago. LMB on channel, MMB in view port to drag. Gives a warm feeling to me, makes me eleven years younger - but this is 2014, so is there any way to get the same with just one action. If nothing else, like 'spinner' in Max (small triangle on left side, allows to 'drag' into 'empty' space).

3: It seems there is no way to scroll the parameter in channel box like in SI, using the mouse wheel. I hope I'm incorrect about this. Yes I know this eats the available undo - but anyway.

[csaez]

Hi Mathaeus,

The standard hotkeys for playback are:
alt + v playback toggle
alt + V rewind
alt + . next frame
alt + , previous frame

There is also a tool to scroll the time as you described in your first question (TimeDraggerTool), just hold down the k key and drag in the viewport using LMB (MMB does not update the viewport).

Hope this helps,
Cheers!

[Mathaeus]

Thank you for answer, but this timedragger thing obviously is not even close to Blender's functionality - after all I can drag into timeline. Probably something more for people with tablet...
So, still not possible to scroll the slider, if I'm correct.

[geoath]

LMB on channel, MMB in view port to drag. Gives a warm feeling to me, makes me eleven years younger

I tried the LMB on channel and it does nothing, only drag with MMB in viewport. The LMB works though in Attribute editor..
Also the K shortcut is the only way i found to drag the timeline cursor in graph-editor, can't do it only with the mouse as in SI..

[Mathaeus]

LMB on channel, MMB in view port to drag. Gives a warm feeling to me, makes me eleven years younger

I tried the LMB on channel and it does nothing, only drag with MMB in viewport. The LMB works though in Attribute editor..
Also the K shortcut is the only way i found to drag the timeline cursor in graph-editor, can't do it only with the mouse as in SI..

Yeah, as I said, channel first has to be selected by LMB, THEN you're able to drag by MMB - but in another place.
I remember this very well. Around 2003, Maya teacher showed this amazing interactivity to us, but we, kids laughed, because even in this time, Max had a far better method. Of course, our Maya teacher didn't even know for 3ds Max method, why should he will bother by "low end" Max. Today, some mix of one-action drag by mouse, or scrolling by mouse wheel - this is present all around, for example Cinema 4d has exact copy of Max method ( or it's reverse, I don't know), After Effects has something similar, too.
But Maya, on the same place as it was. Well ok, it seems Maya is unrecoverable old fart. After all, I can delay Maya thing for next eleven years (with a bit of effort) - but problem is, it is also an very bad example for younger persons here , like Modo or Blender.

[geoath]

ok, i thought i could "drag" and change value in the channel box directly with LMB as in Soft's keying panel.

[luceric]

Yeah, as I said, channel first has to be selected by LMB, THEN you're able to drag by MMB - but in another place.
I remember this very well. Around 2003, Maya teacher showed this amazing interactivity to us, but we, kids laughed, because even in this time, Max had a far better method. Of course, our Maya teacher didn't even know for 3ds Max method, why should he will bother by "low end" Max.

But max doesn't have a channel box, it only has the attribute editor. The channel box is used to animate a rigged character, it is not a general property editor. Normally anything you would change the value of would have a controller on the viewport, or a viewport manipulator. So when you select the parameter in the channel box, you're engaging the manipulator for that parameter. It may be a virtual slider. But if it's a transform, MMB in the viewport is going to be the manipulator for that transform.

[Mathaeus]

Yeah, as I said, channel first has to be selected by LMB, THEN you're able to drag by MMB - but in another place.
I remember this very well. Around 2003, Maya teacher showed this amazing interactivity to us, but we, kids laughed, because even in this time, Max had a far better method. Of course, our Maya teacher didn't even know for 3ds Max method, why should he will bother by "low end" Max.

But max doesn't have a channel box, it only has the attribute editor. The channel box is used to animate a rigged character, it is not a general property editor. Normally anything you would change the value of would have a controller on the viewport, or a viewport manipulator. So when you select the parameter in the channel box, you're engaging the manipulator for that parameter. It may be a virtual slider. But if it's a transform, MMB in the viewport is going to be the manipulator for that transform.

Yeah I agree. This MMB in view port is definitively more precise, instead of some short slider. Anyway makes me somehow nostalgic, reminds me on times when SGI machine and appropriate software was a kind of icon, subject of adoration, whatever, so everything related was taken as, something that must be as it is. That's the way I took Softimage and Maya. But, I'm wondering about new people, who already have some experience with more 'standard', or 'unified' interface, like Max or C4d. Especially now, when Maya is, let's say, last defense line of 'nerdy' approach.Huge defense line, but alone.... Houdini is too small player for counting, imho.

By the way, is there a version of Maya screen saver, one which plays paint effects