[Plugin] ImageAnimator 20130827

TIG

See here for download http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=293677#p293677
TIG (c) 2010 - 2013
All Rights Reserved.
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
WARRANTIES,INCLUDING,WITHOUT LIMITATION,THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
[NB:definition and transformation methods are Copyright 2008, AlexM]

ImageAnimator.rb

Needs 'image_class.rb' [comes in the same folder]

Adds new Tool 'ImageAnimator':

Under Menu > View > ImageAnimator... [submenu]
OR
View Toolbars > ImageAnimator

The Tools include the following:
"Set Folder for Selected Image"
This sets the 'folder' of sequential 'image-files' that will be used by the
Image when its animation is run. The 'folder' chosen should contain images
with sequential name/numbering as they will load in that order - e.g. as
they are exported from a GIF or movie file - image001.png, image002.png etc
They should also all be the same size and filetype[recommended]. PNG files
can offer transparency so are preferred for 'cutouts' of people etc. Any
set 'folder' are remembered across sessions with the SKP. If an Image has
a 'folder' set that no longer exists then it is auto-reset to 'nil' and it
will need redefining.

"Set Folder from Selected Image to 'Nil'"
This sets the selected Image(s) 'folder' to 'nil' thereby effectively
removing its animation abilities. Should an Image has a 'folder' set that
no longer exists then it is auto-reset to 'nil' and it will need redefining.

"Set Timer for Selected Images"
This sets the timer [in seconds] for the selected Image(s). It defaults to
0.0 - this value means that the Image only animates as the active Scene tab
changes. Any value > 0.0 sets the frame-rate in seconds - 0.1 to 0.2 are
often suitable values - when the Images are animated their animation
effects continue as you work/pan/zoom or make screen-captures etc.
The shortest workable 'timer' is 0.01 seconds. Having several animations
running simultaneously will slow down all animations frame-changes so if
this situation is expected then reduce the frame rate of all animated
Images appropriately.

"Set FaceMe for Selected Images"
This sets the selected Image(s) 'faceme' behavior. The choices are:
'None' - the Image does not face the camera [default]
'Bottom-Left' - the Image is placed into a special Group - 'FaceMeImage' -
which faces the camera, pivoting around the Z_AXIS anchored at its
bottom-left corner.
'Bottom-Center' - the Image is placed into a special Group - 'FaceMeImage' -
which faces the camera, pivoting around the Z_AXIS anchored at its
bottom-center point.
'Bottom-Right' - the Image is placed into a special Group - 'FaceMeImage' -
which faces the camera, pivoting around the Z_AXIS anchored at its
bottom-right corner.
A 'FaceMeImage' Group is treated as if it were an Image by the
ImageAnimator tools. If later on you reset its 'faceme' behavior to 'None'
then the Group is exploded and the Image reverts to a plain Image.

"Animate Selected Images"
This starts the animation effects on the selected Image(s), using the
'folder' and 'timer' that each one has set as attributes. Depending on its
'timer' each Image will animate as the Scene tab changes or continuously as
you work doing other things. The first frame in each Image's animation is
the first image-file in its 'folder'.

"Stop Selected Images Animation"
This stops the animation effects on the currently selected Image(s).
Each 'stopped' Image uses its currently loaded image-file.

"Animate All Images"
This starts the animation effects on ALL suitable Image(s) - i.e those with
a 'folder' set; using the 'timer' that each one has set as an attribute.
Depending on its 'timer' each Image will animate as the Scene tab changes
or continuously as you work doing other things. The first frame in each
Image's animation is the first image-file in its 'folder'.

"Stop All Image Animation"
This stops the animation effects on ALL Image(s).
Each 'stopped' Image uses its currently loaded image-file.

**Menu only items:--------------

"Make_Unique"
This processes the Selected Image(s) with 'make_unique', i.e. if there is
more that one Instance of an Image in the Model then the Selected Image is
given another Definition 0 it is a lone Instance so only it 'animates'.

"Clone"
If you manually 'Copy' an Image it becomes another Instance of the same
Image Definition and the Instances will 'animate' together. You could use
'Make_Unique' on the Copy to prevent this, alternatively use this 'Clone'
function - it makes an exact 'copy' of the Selected Image over the original.
However, it is a 'clone' and is 'unique' having a separate Definition, so it
will 'animate' as a lone Image.**

Donations:
By Paypal.com to info @ revitrev.org

Version:
1.0 20101210 First issue.
1.1 20101212 New Menu items added - Make_Unique and Clone
1.2 20101213 Typo corrected in new menu / toolbar code.
1.3 20101216 Typo in menu corrected - again!
1.4 20110105 Clone menu typo fixed.
1.5 20130827 Temp folder issues resolved.

Also see these example movies [flash=630,450:2kzjnyky]http://www.youtube.com/v/5e_BrXfXXCI[/flash:2kzjnyky]
[flash=630,450:2kzjnyky]http://www.youtube.com/v/3KeAjT_W28I[/flash:2kzjnyky]

TIG

Update added with 2 new menu items Make_Unique and Clone - see here http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=293698#p293698

PS: The SUp 'timers' pre-v8 can be buggy and only work in whole seconds. Try various timer values to see what you get but you might find 'fine-tuning' of the frame timers only works well in v8.............

jason_maranto

Very cool stuff, and I like the videos too.

Best,
Jason.

rv1974

At last TIG started to add video explanations

ken

TIG

Since what I design is used in the ocean, I did this photo animation. I made the sea from the program MiniOcean.

Just wanted to see what the two would do together.

Ken

SeaTest.wmv

solo

Ken, thats pretty cool, can you show a SU screen shot so I can better understand what I just saw?

Oh, you are the winner, I have never seen so many toolbars , I'm not even sure I know half of them.

Frederik

@solo said:

Oh, you are the winner, I have never seen so many toolbars , I'm not even sure I know half of them.

+1

ken

[quote="solo"]Ken, thats pretty cool, can you show a SU screen shot so I can better understand what I just saw?

Oh, you are the winner, I have never seen so many toolbars , I'm not even sure I know half of them.[/quot

The video is a screen shot.

As for the toolbars. I only use one or two menus from each toolbar. I wish I could combined the tools into my personal toolbar, then I wouldn't have all the toolbars displayed.

Ken

Gaieus

That sea is pretty cool, indeed!

@unknownuser said:

As for the toolbars. I only use one or two menus from each toolbar. I wish I could combined the tools into my personal toolbar, then I wouldn't have all the toolbars displayed.

At least with (most of) the native SU toolbars you can do this with Jim's custom toolbar plugin:
http://sketchuptips.blogspot.com/2008/06/custom-toolbars-release-08-06-01.html

schnydix

Hi Tig
is there any chance to translate your plugins to other languages
i will to it for you if you like especial in german.

And thanks for your wonderfull work and time that you invest.
Big Respect to you Thanks again.

i also have some ideas for some plugs are you interest ?
I hope you can still read this simple code

TIG

@schnydix said:

Hi Tig
is there any chance to translate your plugins to other languages
i will to it for you if you like especial in german.
And thanks for your wonderfull work and time that you invest.
Big Respect to you Thanks again.
i also have some ideas for some plugs are you interest ?
I hope you can still read this simple code

At the moment my recent tools don't support my 'deBabelizer' lingvo translations...
However, I DO plan to update them soon... so... watch this space...

If you want to PM me with Plugins ideas please do...

TIG

Here's an update - http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=293698#p293698 - see link for download...
The Clone menu typo is fixed.

thomthom

Does it affect the undo stack?

TIG

The Image Animation is run inside a separate timer for each Image... so it shouldn't ?
BUT I think it might mess with the undo stack as it is changing the images properties!
It's over a year old... any ideas on this issue welcomed...

thomthom

@tig said:

It's over a year old... any ideas on this issue welcomed...

I was curious if you'd found some way to avoid the undo stack.

The only way I know to do changes to a model without affecting the undo stack is the .move! method. Been wanting some other means.

There is the transparency arguments of start_operation - but they are troublesome as well. I find while they make your operation transparent - they still affect the undo stack as in the name of the last operation is replaced.

And in your case - where it triggers by a timer - start_operation is not good as it would break any existing operations.

There are several times where I'd like an observer to do something - like just adding an attribute - without affecting the undo stack. But alas I've not found a safe an reliable method.

TIG

In the other thread where we have been discussing this http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=379649#p379649 I expound on using 'save' to clear the undo-stack... but its 'mucho-clunkio'

Don-Quixote

I changed your .ico with this set.

ImageAnimatorIcons.rar

TIG

Here's an update: http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=293677#p293677
The SKMtools Temp folder that is needed to process Image files etc, is now made in the User's Temp folder [OS specific] rather that the ../Plugins/SKMtools folder, avoiding potential permission issues...