[Tips] Animator Tips and Tricks

Dorjiw

I have been using animator for the last few weeks for streetscape with cars movement. I have a few queries in this regard as I have not been able to move forward efficiently due to issues.
I created car motion animation and set everything ( such as positioner and motion using 'on path tool') and works fine initially and then save the file.

Then every time I open the files, the cars would have moved from their initial positions or the car would have rotated. I keep adjusting this and have not been able to move forward.

I may be missing some steps. Does this issue occur with other users as well?

The second query is about the 'Tools on surface' plugin that I have installed to create car animation on the path. This plugin will have to be purchased as per the comments I saw earlier. So if I buy the latest plugin, will this affect the car animation created?

fredo6

@dorjiw said:

I have been using animator for the last few weeks for streetscape with cars movement. I have a few queries in this regard as I have not been able to move forward efficiently due to issues.
I created car motion animation and set everything ( such as positioner and motion using 'on path tool') and works fine initially and then save the file.

Then every time I open the files, the cars would have moved from their initial positions or the car would have rotated. I keep adjusting this and have not been able to move forward.

I may be missing some steps. Does this issue occur with other users as well?

In general, it is a good idea to save the initial position of all objects with the SAVE POSITIONNER (last button in the toolbar), so that you can restore it whenever something becomes messy.

@dorjiw said:

The second query is about the 'Tools on surface' plugin that I have installed to create car animation on the path. This plugin will have to be purchased as per the comments I saw earlier. So if I buy the latest plugin, will this affect the car animation created?

It should not. The licensing is independent from the plugin functionality.

Dorjiw

Thank you so much for the prompt reply.

It seems like the new version of animator is out.If I update the old version, I just hope that the work that I have done is not affected.
If you could please recommend comprehensive tutorial videos on using animator.i have watched most of your tutorials on animation.

As for the tool on surface plugin, when is the last date for purchase? And will the process for installation be same like the intial one.

fredo6

@dorjiw said:

It seems like the new version of animator is out.If I update the old version, I just hope that the work that I have done is not affected.

it should not

@dorjiw said:

If you could please recommend comprehensive tutorial videos on using animator.i have watched most of your tutorials on animation.

I posted a few videos in the Tutorial thread, but nothing comprehensive yet.
You could also have a look at a good video by TutorialsUp.

Youtube Video

@dorjiw said:

As for the tool on surface plugin, when is the last date for purchase? And will the process for installation be same like the initial one.

The licensing is independent from the downloading and upgrading.

Box

Fredo, I haven't looked too hard yet, but is there an option to add animated geometry from one model to another?
For example you have created a walking figure in one model and a forklift in another model, can you combine the two models without having to start from scratch with the one you insert into the other?

Rich O Brien

@Box

There's no way I know of nesting a .skp with animation data into another .skp file and have that file 'see' the animation data.

Box

Thanks for letting me know Rich, I can stop looking for it.
Have to prod Fredo with it as a feature request.
I often work with things in multiple files and it would be nice to be able to combine them, and build up a collection of insertable components with predefined animation properties.

Rich O Brien

Yeah, I once made a series of animated files I wanted to merge. I thought the [filename].animator file that is saved with the .skp would contain something I could import but no luck.

Box

Yeah, it seems like the natural next step, hopefully it's something the grandmaster is working on.

Rich O Brien

It was animated crowds I was thinking of...

Box

Well, you can do that within the same file no problem, but the hidden door file I posted I created and then thought of the Robot only after doing it all. I had animated the robot in another file but couldn't get it into the hidden door file with animation intact. And by then it was late and I didn't have the energy to reanimate the robot. He really should walk into the space and then exit through the roof.

shelburneplanner

Anyone have tips for animating speech using Fredo6 Animator and a model in SketchUp? I'm working with SU 2017 (Make).

thanks in advance for suggestions!

fredo6

@shelburneplanner said:

Anyone have tips for animating speech using Fredo6 Animator and a model in SketchUp?

What do you mean by 'animating speech'?

ntxdave

@rich o brien said:

It was animated crowds I was thinking of...

[attachment=0:3irjohc4]dummy-test.gif[/attachment:3irjohc4]

Fredo, is there a way to save this animation, or any animation created with Animator, in a format that could then be used in PowerPoint?

As a reference, here are two videos that show animated 3D models being used in PPT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-9g6fVL7uQ
Youtube Video

BTW, PPT will allow you to import an skip file so maybe the native skip file with your animations will work. My laptop died so I do not have the capability to try it myself.

fredo6

I don't think you can insert a skp model with Animator data, because Animator data are totally custom.

However, I see that PPT accepts several 3D formats, but apparently none with Animation (like gLTF).

Worth exploring however....

ntxdave

Here is some information I found about the type of 3D model files that PPT will accept:

As of now, PowerPoint can insert 3D models in these formats:

Filmbox Format – *.fbx files
Object Format – *.obj files
3D Manufacturing Format – *.3mf files
Polygon Format – *.ply files
StereoLithography Format – *.stl files
Binary GL Transmission Format – *.glb files

I am not sure how old this info is. I have seen a video that does show it accepting a .skp file as well. Also I have seen some places where this (allowing you to insert a 3D model) might be limited to PPT 365. So I am not sure about any of this. It would also be neat if this type of facility was available in the presentation feature of LayOut.

ntxdave

Another vey interesting video that confirms the ability to use .skp files in PPT

Youtube Video

fredo6

Importing a static 3D model is ok. This is more about the problem of importing the animation. I guess that it is only the gLTF format that will do that.

ntxdave

Can that be done with Animator? If it can, it would be neat to see an example.

Maybe it is time for me to quit bringing up topics like this.

Rich O Brien

@ntxdave said:

Maybe it is time for me to quit bringing up topics like this.

I think the missing info in your thinking is what a 3D file format natively is capable of.

SKP cannot store animation readable to other apps. So you would need a means to bake the animator data into the model and then export that into a format that supports animation. FBX, USDS, GTLF, Alembic all store animation data that other apps can read.

Animator does store animation data in a .skp file but in a way that only Animator is able to read.

Its the same as calling over to your mates house with an Atari Pong cartridge and trying to play it on a Nintendo.

Microsoft wouldn't know anything about the animation stored in a skp in the same way.