Select switch layer from preview?

[strider2000]

Does anyone know of a script that allows you to select a switch layer based on images?

I use switch layers for hand positions, but I've got tons of them. Right now I'm using a smart bone to allow me to easily select a switch layer. That's fine, but it would be much easier if I could see the collection of hands and just click on one to select the switch layer in the timeline.

If there isn't such a thing does anyone have suggestions on how to do it?

I've seen mesh preview, but I don't know how to copy from a layer to the mesh in the preview. Also, I don't know if that will handle bitmaps. One alternative I'm thinking about is creating a layer on the fly, or maybe make it invisible in a list of layers. And have images on that layer. I'd: click on a tool or menu, that would make the layer active, I'd then click on an image, that would then calculate the correct switch layer.

Thanks for any ideas.

[Greenlaw]

For most switch layers, I've been using the hotkeys Alt-C and -D to cycle through them. This is a very quick way to flip through all the drawings, kinda like using the bracket keys in Harmony. Personally, I find this method less fiddly than setting up a Smart Bone for a Switch Layer because I tend to keep adding new drawings as I work through scenes. But of course this method isn't any more visual than using a Smart Bone.

But here's another method that's a little closer to what you're asking for: Simply Alt-click directly on the Switch Layer layer you want to switch to. If you enter a descriptive name for the layer, like 'smile' or 'O' for mouths, or 'fist' or 'relax' for hands, this can be a very quick way to keyframe specific drawings. It may not be as completely 'visual' as what you're asking for but it does allow you to immediately choose the art you want instead of cycling through a long list for it. (I've been using this method for lip sync.)

Hope this helps.

I do wish there was a quick way to select the Switch Layer a drawing belongs to by somehow clicking on the drawing in the workspace. Currently, if you Alt-Right-Click a drawing, ASP selects the drawing layer within the Switch Layer but this doesn't help you if you use the Alt-C -D method because you still need to move away from the workspace to the layers panel and then directly click on the Switch Layer to use the hot keys. But this method does save you from having to drill down a long hierarchy in search of the Switch Layer, so it's useful if you have a very complicated character with lots of groups and layers.

[synthsin75]

I do wish there was a quick way to select the Switch Layer a drawing belongs to by somehow clicking on the drawing in the workspace. Currently, if you Alt-Right-Click a drawing, ASP selects the drawing layer within the Switch Layer but this doesn't help you if you use the Alt-C -D method because you still need to move away from the workspace to the layers panel and then directly click on the Switch Layer to use the hot keys. But this method does save you from having to drill down a long hierarchy in search of the Switch Layer, so it's useful if you have a very complicated character with lots of groups and layers.

Shift+Alt+Right-click on a vector shape selects the parent layer. Then Alt+C/D works without touching the layers window. Then of course, Alt+Right-click gets you back to the active vector layer, if needed.

Alt+Ctrl+Right-click on switch shape (whether on a vector layer or the switch layer) also brings up the switch layer list in the workspace.

[synthsin75]

Does anyone know of a script that allows you to select a switch layer based on images?

I use switch layers for hand positions, but I've got tons of them. Right now I'm using a smart bone to allow me to easily select a switch layer. That's fine, but it would be much easier if I could see the collection of hands and just click on one to select the switch layer in the timeline.

If there isn't such a thing does anyone have suggestions on how to do it?

I've seen mesh preview, but I don't know how to copy from a layer to the mesh in the preview. Also, I don't know if that will handle bitmaps. One alternative I'm thinking about is creating a layer on the fly, or maybe make it invisible in a list of layers. And have images on that layer. I'd: click on a tool or menu, that would make the layer active, I'd then click on an image, that would then calculate the correct switch layer.

Thanks for any ideas.

May not even need a script. Here's a quick example of using the original for a reference layer as both the controlling switch and the switch indicator. Just need to set the original to hide in editing view.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/536 ... cons.anime

Between this and the workspace shortcuts above, you already almost have everything you mention.

[Greenlaw]

Shift+Alt+Right-click on a vector shape selects the parent layer. Then Alt+C/D works without touching the layers window. Then of course, Alt+Right-click gets you back to the active vector layer, if needed.

Alt+Ctrl+Right-click on switch shape (whether on a vector layer or the switch layer) also brings up the switch layer list in the workspace.

That's great! Somehow, I knew that if anybody had an answer for this, it would be you.

As you probably know by now, when I'm in the middle of drawing or animating in ASP, I prefer to minimize mousing away from the workspace as much as possible, so the above tips are very much appreciated. Well, off to try 'em out now.

[strider2000]

Thanks for the replies. Those are certainly good work arounds, but I think they're about equivalent to my smart bone approach (I use a script to key all switch layers, so it's trivial to update the action if I add new drawings). I do use descriptive names, but I have some 60 or 70 hand positions, so even descriptive names and "scrolling" through (ie via using mouse wheel in the angle box) is not best.

It's not horrible, just not as nice as say, clicking on the emoticons to the right of this text box. That's what I want to do

[Greenlaw]

Wow, that's a lot of hand-poses. I'm curious about the script you're using. Is that something you wrote?

Last year, I tried using a single Smart Bone to cycle through hands but it turned into a hassle to keep changing interpolation modes during animation. Fortunately, that stopped being a problem with 11.2 when Copy Previous Key was added, and I think I need to revisit this technique.

What I wound up doing is I use a pair of Smart Bones to morph a single drawing to two different hand poses. The setup was inspired by the monster character that comes with ASP. Normally, one hand drawing can transition nicely from a one pose to two other poses with a Smart Bone--like a neutral pose to a finger spread or a fist. To expand my options, I added a Switch Layer to switch between different sets of morphing hands, but using the same Smart Bone to change the poses. The result of the animation was really smooth hand animations but it was also a lot of work to set up so I only use it for 'hero' characters. I'll probably use this method again in the future but I think I need to come up with a quicker/simpler way to set this up. Some of what I just learned from this thread gives me a few ideas to explore.

[synthsin75]

With 60 or 70 switch sublayers, I'm not sure how much icons would help. I doubt you'd be able fit a significant portion of those on screen at once, so it seems you're only asking to preview several before and after the current one. If so, you could modify a slave switch script to show several before and after, and maybe position them around the actual switch, so you can see a few upcoming layers as you move your smart bone. Might even be able to script which preview to show based on distance from original switch. Then when you activate it, it would work kind of like a fly out. Might even be able to activate it by the selection state of your controlling smart bone.

[strider2000]

I'm curious about the script you're using. Is that something you wrote?

I did modify it for my purposes, but If I recall correctly it's based off of http://animestudioscripts.com/script.php?script=55 which is essentially the essence.

it turned into a hassle to keep changing interpolation modes during animation.

The Copy Previous Key will definitely make things easier. My approach was just to do the hand positioning in a separate run after the main animation.

I use a pair of Smart Bones to morph a single drawing to two different hand poses.

That's definitely the more sophisticated way to do things. My approach started when I was really new to Anime Studio and vector drawing was very slow for me. So the frames are actually bitmap. However, skin styles, and the effectiveness of the approach for me, in general, make me want to use vectors.

it seems you're only asking to preview several before and after

No, actually I'm thinking of a image picker. Think of something like iPhoto, Comipo or Manga Studio if you know those. Most of my animating would be with bones, so the concept is I click a tool and up will pop a dialog with images allowing me to select among the key switch layers that are children of the bone layer (character) I'm working on. So, I pick left-hand, or right-hand. That dialog/view will then be replaced with a view of thumbnail sized hands that I pick from.

I may just have a pre-rendered layer that's I'll move to the top and make visible then allow me to pick and then it will hide itself again.

Anyway, that's my thinking. The ideas here may give me some more thoughts, but for sure it appears like I'm not reinventing the wheel

[sillyanimate]

That would nice, something like in ToonBoom drawing substitution or abode flash's keyframe caddy

[Greenlaw]

The setup was inspired by the monster character that comes with ASP...

Whoops! Correction, it was the Bigsby bunny rig that has the smoothly animating hands setup.

[synthsin75]

Strider, I think this might be doable, with a few slight quirks. Give me some time, and I'll see if I can sort out what needs to be done.

[Greenlaw]

I did modify it for my purposes, but If I recall correctly it's based off of http://animestudioscripts.com/script.php?script=55 which is essentially the essence.

I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip!

That's definitely the more sophisticated way to do things. My approach started when I was really new to Anime Studio and vector drawing was very slow for me. So the frames are actually bitmap. However, skin styles, and the effectiveness of the approach for me, in general, make me want to use vectors.

TBH, we typically have snappy hand posing, so the 'morphing hands' rig setup can be overkill. Where I used it was in a fairly special case where I was asked to make things look more 'fully animated' than usual but the technique probably wasn't completely necessary. That said, it's a neat trick when you need slow and generally more realistic hand movements.

Coincidentally, my current task involves creating and animating lots of hand poses, so I'll see if I can make a basic 'morphing hand setup' tutorial at home this week while these tricks are fresh in my head. This will give me a chance to rethink, simplify and improve the setup too.

[Greenlaw]

Shift+Alt+Right-click on a vector shape selects the parent layer. Then Alt+C/D works without touching the layers window. Then of course, Alt+Right-click gets you back to the active vector layer, if needed.

I've been using Shift+Alt+Right-click today and it does exactly what I needed! Thanks again for the help.

Alt+Ctrl+Right-click on switch shape (whether on a vector layer or the switch layer) also brings up the switch layer list in the workspace.

I just now tried this one...whoa!

That's really cool. In fact, it probably changes how I do this from now on.

[synthsin75]

Glad to hear it, Greenlaw. I'm not sure how well documented all these key combos are, but many of us veteran users rarely revisit the manual...even with new versions.