Onionskin seems off

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:12 am

I was wondering if anyone else has had a problem with this. I'm trying to use the onionskin on 'relative frames'. For some reason there seems to be an offset between the frames in different layers. I can view a layer as an onoinskin from another layer, both in current frame, and when I switch to viewing the onionskinned layer, its current frame is slightly off. Is this a bug, or am I missing something here?

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:31 pm

I have seen this before but it doesn't always happen. I think it has to do with key frame interpolation modes possibly. I was trying to reproduce the behavior but I can't yet.

I know I have problems when I use a lot of scripts and constraints to move bones. The onion skin doesn't always calculate the scripted movement because you aren't on that frame.

-vern

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:37 pm

Looks like a bug to me. I created a filled circle on one layer, keyed frame one, and translated the circle on a later frame. Now when I turn on relative frame onionskin for the current frame, I get what seems to be a one frame lag in either direction I scrub the timeline. The lag is always opposite the direction on the timeline.

Perhaps I should have posted this in the bug section.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:07 am

Can you post the file? I can't reproduce this at all.

-vern

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:13 am

Don't forget that new keyframes will effect all frames. Smooth and ease type interpolations will change subsequent and previous frames animation positions.

Also make sure you are comparing the correct "onionskin" lines. I often get confused and think one set of onionskin shapes are from one frame and they are from another frame.

-vern

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:19 am

http://www.mediafire.com/?silwn91rtpg
Here it is. Just set onionskin to relative frame on current frame and scrub the timeline. It lags behind like a one frame off tracer. Since this is onionskinning the same layer there should be no appearant onionskin at all, they should line up perfectly.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:40 am

I see what you mean.

The problem is the "redraw". If you click on the current frame AFTER scrubbing the onion skin is correct. I think it just can't keep up when you scrub the time line that way. If you scrub the time line REALLY fast it will offset by a couple of frames.

Scrub the time line then stop, then click on that frame again... the onion skin matches again.

I suppose this is a bug... it doesn't bother me that much.

You can report it though.

-vern

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 2:03 am

Oops, that's a bad example. Sorry. Doing the same thing with multiple different layers you can see that reclicking the frame actually makes the onionskin disappear. So it never really gives you an accurate onionskin.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:40 am

The problem of "dissapearing" onion skin only happens if you turn on the onion skin for the frame you are currently on.

It doesn't make sense to do this in my opinion. Why would you need onion skin for the frame you are on even with relative frames turned on? Just turn on the onion skin for the next or previous frames. Onion skin is used to see the frames that you AREN'T on.

The frame offset is a small issue, but if you click the frame it goes back to normal. It shouldn't cause serious trouble.

Can you explain why this is an issue in a real world situation?

-vern

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:52 am

Well I have developed what's probably a bad habit of working only with construction curves through quite a bit of my workflow. Onionskin is the only way to see construction curves on another layer. I realize that shapes can be seen without onionskin, but how I'm working at the moment would require making, deleting, and remaking a good portion of my shapes.

I can live with this discrepancy. Work around it anyway. It's just annoying is all.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:58 am

You can see other layers with construction curves. You can turn on construction curves on a "layer by layer" basis. I do this all the time. Very handy.

There is a pop up menu at the bottom of the work space that says "current layer". This has options like the display settings but is specific for each layer. Turn on construction curves and that layer will show when fills and strokes are turned off in display settings. No need for onion skin. Normally construction curves are turned off for each layer by default.

For instance you could set one layer only to just display construction curves. This is very cool.

What is really needed is a way to turn that on and off "universally" with one click. I should be able to script that I think as a custom tool button. It never occurred to me.

-vern

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:06 am

Oh wow, you know, I had wondered about the current layer construction curves being unchecked, but never managed to check it from another layer. Thanks alot, Vern. That'll really help. I can't believe I missed something like that.