Onion Skinning through layers in Switch Layers

[Reindeer]

Is there a straightforward way to view layers other than the active one in Switch Layer groups? The obvious problem arises when I'm trying to draw variants of parts of a character. Banal example, different hand positions. Of course, I can freehand draw or build the new hand without necessarily needing to see the previous ones. But being able to see-through the other layers would of course make the procedure feel safer and more natural, akin to what Onion Skinning does (but only within a singe layer).

[Greenlaw]

There are two ways to deal with this: a manual method and a script method.

1. The manual switch viewing method: What I do is I create an empty group layer above the Switch layer and simply drag all the drawings into this group. Now all the layers are visible. When I'm done editing or adding layers, I select all the layers and drag them back into the Switch Layer.

If you've already keyframed the Switch Layer, don't worry about it. Moho remembers the keys and, so long and the layer order is maintained, the Switch Layer keys will remain valid when you drag the drawings out of and back into the Switch Layer.

2. The DR Switch View method: This is a script that comes with the MYND tools. It's super easy to use: Select the Switch layer, click on the tool, all the drawings become visible. The set the Switch Layer back to normal, select the Switch and click the tool again. You can get this script from here:

Switch View

The script basically works the same way as my manual method but instead moves the files to a temp folder inside the Switch Layer. I'm not sure that's better, but the nice thing about the script is that you don't need to create the temp layer or move the layers yourself.

Hope this helps.

[Greenlaw]

Two more tips:

If you want an Onion Skin effect for this, temporarily enable Fade Unselected Layers from Display Options. This will ghost the unselected drawing in the temp folder.

If you want to temporarily hide all layers but the temp folder, there are two methods for this:

1. Alt-click on the visibility channel of the temp folder. This hides all other layers. Alt-clicking again returns visibility. The catch is that any layers that were previously invisible that you wish to remain invisible will be made visible.

2. A more reliable method is to use Layer Comps. First make a Master Layer Comp that you can use to return to the current visibility state. Now make a second Layer comp and right click on the Layer Comp to select the HIde. This hides all the layers. Now in the Layers window, select the temp group layer and its contents and activate their visibility. Back in Layer Comps, click the Update button (with the twirly arrow icon). This updates the layer comp to show only the temp group. Now you can reliably switch between the two Layer comps by select the Layer Comp and clicking the Expose Visibility button at the bottom.

If you add any new layers to the temp folder, be sure to click Update for its layer comp.

That was more than two tips I guess...so call me an over-achiever.

[SimplSam]

So you can do this with Onion Skinning.

Set Onion Skin content:
.. On Frame 1: Make Switch layer A active

Enable onion Skin and Set your Onion Skin Frame to be Frame 1

On Frame 0, select Switch layer B - and you should see Frame 1 content Onion Skinned (as below - green is onion)

[Reindeer]

There are two ways to deal with this: a manual method and a script method.

1. The manual switch viewing method: What I do is I create an empty group layer above the Switch layer and simply drag all the drawings into this group. Now all the layers are visible. When I'm done editing or adding layers, I select all the layers and drag them back into the Switch Layer.

If you've already keyframed the Switch Layer, don't worry about it. Moho remembers the keys and so long and the layer order is maintained, the keys will remain valid when yo drag the drawings in and out of the Switch Layer.

2. The DR Switch View method: This is a script that comes with the MYND tools. It's super easy to use: Select the Switch layer, click on the tool, all the drawings become visible. The set the Switch Layer back to normal, select the Switch and click the tool again. You can get this script from here:

Switch View

The script basically works the same way as my manual method but instead moves the files to a temp folder inside the Switch Layer. I'm not sure that's better, but the nice thing about the script is that you don't need to create the temp layer or move the layers yourself.

Hope this helps.

That sounds like a good solution, thanks.
It’s a shame one can’t re-convert the Switch Layer to an ordinary group just for the time needed for editing and then convert it back to switch. The script sounds good too, I’ll check it out.
It looks like this particular corner of Moho needs a little attention, because switch layers are very close relatives to frame by frame animation insomuch as their content needs to be as coherent as possible. A “Switch Onion Skin” would be nice, I guess (I’m imagining sliding markers on the side of the layer window which appear to onion the needed layers).

Another workaround I just tried is to create a Frame-by-frame group, create my drawings within that by using the + add frame button, and then drag the layers into a new group which I then convert to Switch.

[Reindeer]

So you can do this with Onion Skinning.

Set Onion Skin content:
.. On Frame 1: Make Switch layer A active

Enable onion Skin and Set your Onion Skin Frame to be Frame 1

On Frame 0, select Switch layer B - and you should see Frame 1 content Onion Skinned (as below - green is onion)

I tried that but when I select layerB I get a red timeline (which doesn't allow me to draw) because the active one is layerA.
I see the onion skin al right, but it's still of the drawing on layerA. I can't get a cross-layer onion skin like in your example (I'm assuming the two positions of the helm are on two different layers).

[SimplSam]

Another workaround I just tried is to create a Frame-by-frame group, create my drawings within that by using the + add frame button, and then drag the layers into a new group which I then convert to Switch.

That isn't a workaround - it is the Ultimate solution. No need to convert it to a switch layer - it already is. With it - you have the best of both worlds.

[Reindeer]

Another workaround I just tried is to create a Frame-by-frame group, create my drawings within that by using the + add frame button, and then drag the layers into a new group which I then convert to Switch.

That isn't a workaround - it is the Ultimate solution. No need to convert it to a switch layer - it already is. With it - you have the best of both worlds.

True! I hadn't noticed I can select the layers from the Frame-by-Frame folder, in substitution of the Switch selector

[Greenlaw]

It’s a shame one can’t re-convert the Switch Layer to an ordinary group just for the time needed for editing and then convert it back to switch.

The danger with that is when you convert it into a regular group you will lose all your Switch Layer keyframes. It's better to leave the Switch Layer as it is, especially if you've already animated the Switch Layer or have set up a Smart Bone Action for it.

[synthsin75]

If you've already keyframed the Switch Layer, don't worry about it. Moho remembers the keys and, so long and the layer order is maintained, the Switch Layer keys will remain valid when you drag the drawings out of and back into the Switch Layer.

Layer order in a switch doesn't matter. The switch layer channel only stores layer names.

[Greenlaw]

Thanks Wes! I saw your info in the other thread and. yes, changing the names totally broke my set up.

Just now I tried keeping the sync'd layer names but shuffling the layer order in two of the Switches and, yup, my setup continued to work correctly. So, to confirm, layer order does not matter but layer names do.