using bones in switchlayers

bellissimo · Post by **bellissimo** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 3:27 pm

How do bones work in switch layers?
What I would like to do and what would be the most useful is to to able to use bones to set poses for the same drawing...then switch between poses.
Is there another function that lets me do that ? or are switch layers the way to go?
But it seems that switch layers only interpolate vector data...not bones.

alano · Post by **alano** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:07 pm

I believe switch layers only work on points not bones as you suspect. To save poses, use actions with only one frame. If you haven't used actions before check the help function as it is too complicated to get into here. Just set your pose up on frame 1 and save as an action. Set a new pose on frame 1 and save it as another action. Go back to the main time line and place the actions a few frames apart and watch what happens.

Hope this helps,

Alan

bellissimo · Post by **bellissimo** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:08 pm

awsome!
way cool!
exactlhy what I wanted!@#$
One question.......
how are actions associated with objects?
what if I have several characters?
does each character have his own set octions?
how do I set that up?
THANKS

bellissimo · Post by **bellissimo** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:22 pm

ok ok ok!
I get it
actions are associated with changes in a bone layer or a vector layer.
It sort of like switch layers only simpler to use
Why dont they just say that in the reference?
brilliant!
I love it
IS there any way to identify what action a node in the timeline represents?
It would be nice if when you select a node which represents an action...that particular action lights up in the actions panel!!
it would certainly make it easier to edit
THANKS!@#@$%^

alano · Post by **alano** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 12:29 am

Glad I could be of help. I like to think of actions more as poses or sets of poses than actions. As to the matter, a yellow sticky note layer might be helpful there. I haven't used them but one time a while back but it might just work for you. Good luck and post some stuff when you get it finished.

Alan

BA · Post by BA » Sat Jul 08, 2006 12:30 am

if you insert your action as a reference (not a copy), you'll see the name of the action on the timeline, as well as an arrow showing how long the action is.

then, when you edit your action, it's updated in your main timeline wherever you used it.

personally i tend to copy actions rather than reference, as i like to tweak them individually afterwards. this eliminates the nifty label in the timeline though.

bellissimo · Post by **bellissimo** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 4:57 pm

Thats very helpful thanks.......
so a copy is independant of the original action and will not be updated if the action is modified...whereas a reference maintains its link to the action.
Is it possible to change a reference into a copy once its on the timeline?
That is to say...break its link to the action?

using bones in switchlayers

using bones in switchlayers

Actions!