Solo,

Frankly, I think your claims are ridiculous. I received an email from you today at 4 pm PST. One hour later, you posted this

@solo said:

@jim said:

Not sure where Doug is, but the plugin was updated about 2 weeks ago.

http://regularpolygon.org/keyframe-animation/download/

Thanks Jim, nothing noted on site, I sent an email regarding this and never got an answer.

These are distortions, if not outright lies. To say you never got an answer is just intentionally misleading. You might have mentioned that you only contacted me one hour earlier.

As Jim pointed out, the latest version is (and always has been) available on the download page. For you to say there was "nothing noted on (my) site", is another false statement. At the top of the download page it says, "Version 1.8.9 should be completely compatible with SketchUp 2014".

I didn't reply to your irresponsible post 6 months ago, when you claimed you found a bug, because it wasn't really a bug. If you want to explain what the "bug" is -- so everyone knows what you are talking about -- then I will explain why it isn't a bug.

If you -- a moderator -- are going to slander me, and tell everyone to not purchase my plugin, then it makes no sense for you guys to be selling it on SketchUcation. I suggest you remove Keyframe Animation from your Extension Shop. And if you want to remove it from the SketchUcation Plugin Store while you’re at it, that is fine too.

@mariocha said:

Hum... will this also correct the "Java Script disabled" problem ?

Hi Mariocha,

I think it will. Keyframe Animation reports that error when it can't connect to the server. The web dialog that would connect is probably failing because I didn't implement the WebDialog.allow_actions_from_host method. I'll release an update as soon as I have a chance. Perhaps you could test it for me -- I don't have a computer with Mavericks.

Hi folks,

Version 1.7 is available on the download page. Nothing glamorous, but it has some useful improvements to the interface and workflow.

There is a scrollable Web dialog to adjust the transition time and delay time for all the scenes. It is accessible from a button on the toolbar. Best of all, it replaces the SketchUp input box, which could be a nuisance because it ran off the screen if you had more than 20 scenes.

There are some other dialogs for reporting your license ownership details, and free trial status.

I received a few requests for the ability to record the position data of specific objects, without affecting any other objects. So, that has been implemented as an alternative workflow if you need to precisely control what is recorded.

There are more details in the release notes. Oh, and starting with this version, you can get a new free trial, even if you had one before.

Thanks

I released an update, Keyframe Animation 1.6.1, which has a workaround for this problem.

Now the tweens will be created, and you can save them anywhere on your hard drive, no matter what language you are using.

Well, I didn't use Outliner, so my workflow was a little different. Here is what I did:

1. Rotate the parent group.
2. Click the record button to save the position data for the parent group.
3. Double click on the parent group to edit it.
4. Rotate the doors (subcomponents).
5. Click the record button to save the position data of the subcomponents.
6. Close the parent group.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 for the next scene.

One thing that might not be very intuitive, especially if you are using Outliner, is that the parent group has to be open (in edit mode) to record the subcomponents. Normally, when you click the record button, it records the position data for all of the top-level groups and components in the model. But, it doesn't record the subgroups/subcomponents. To record the subcomponents, you have to open the parent first, and then click the record button.

If that is not the problem, then my next question would be, does the parent group move correctly? If it does, then the problem is just with the subcomponents.

I am not sure why the bounding box does not enclose all the subcomponents in my model. I guess SketchUp doesn't resize it automatically. I may need to write some code to resize the bounding box when there are animated subcomponents.

@tig said:

If the error is only trapped when saving the SKP, then have you tried the alternative code [idiotically undocumented, but cross-platform]: Sketchup.send_action("saveDocument:")
This might work ?

That is interesting. I didn't know there was a saveDocument: action.

Unfortunately, though, this method only saves the current model. I need to save the current model as a different file. As far as I know, the only way to do it is, Sketchup.active_model.save(path2). But, then there is a problem if path2 contains non-ASCII characters.

@bob james said:

Same song: new lyrics

In your case, the tweens are being created, it is just taking an inordinate amount of time to generate them. It is the Layers Dialog, which you have open, that is slowing everything down. The problem is that SketchUp tries to update the dialog, while it is creating the geometry, which slows it to a crawl. If you close the dialog, the tweens will be generated in a fraction of the time.

The same thing goes for the Scenes Manager dialog, and the Model Info | Statistics panel.

@ppmmonteiro said:

My problem starts when i try to create the .tweens file! Using the "MAKE TWEENS" button, the following mesage comes up:"This filename contains illegal characters.", and nothing else!

Actually, I already told ppmmonteiro that this error is due to Latin (i.e. non ASCII) characters in the file path. They can cause the file name to be invalid if you are saving a file via the API. (For example, using Sketchup.active_model.save.) So, if my script finds non ASCII characters, it generates that error message, rather than save the model, and then exits.

Next, I was going to locate where the Latin character was in the file path, so I could provide an alternative location for him to save the tweens. However, before I could respond, ppmmonteiro posted here. I guess looking for a second opinion.

Anyway, this is not a bug in Keyframe Animation. It is a bug in the SketchUp Ruby API. Any plugin will have this problem if the file path has characters in a foreign alphabet.

@andybot said:

does it matter if it's a group or component? Just a thought.

It shouldn't matter. Groups and components are treated the same.

@emerald15 said:

Sorry, I must be still missing something.

If you have the model I attached, this might clear things up a bit. Select the parent group, so that it is highlighted. Then step through the animation a scene at a time. That will reveal how the parent (highlighted) group is moving. And then it will be more clear how the individual doors are moving inside the parent group.

No problem, I think I have those folding doors moving correctly. I made the doors subcomponents of a group. To create the folding motion, both the doors, and the parent group, rotate at the same time. Here is your model with the animation set up.

Animated Folding Doors

And, for anyone wondering what it looks like, I exported the animation.

[flash=480,274:3xeqywwp]http://www.youtube.com/v/D2wmqRcHoyA?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0[/flash:3xeqywwp]

Thanks for sharing your model, Emerald15.

I think this is a good example of how animated sub-components can be used to create more complex types of motion.

Hi emerald15,

Trying to animate two folding doors is an interesting problem. The door on the right just rotates about its right edge, so that is easy to animate. But the other door, to the left, moves in a way that is neither a simple rotation, or translation. However, it is possible to represent this motion using animated subcomponents. When you animate a subcomponent (subgroup), it moves relative to the parent. So, the combined motion can be something more complex than a translation or rotation.

First, clear/delete any position data you have recorded for the doors. Then make a group out of the two doors, so each door is a subgroup. The basic idea is, you rotate the left door about the hing through some angle less than 180 degrees. At the same time, you rotate the entire two door group about the right edge through an angle of 90 degrees. The combined motion causes the doors to fold together exactly like they do in real life.

I am sure that a video would explain this much better than words. I hope to make some tutorials in the near future. If it isn't clear, you can just email me your model, and I can quickly set up the animation, and send it back to you.

@utiler said:

Just bought this plugin, Regular_Polygon; I have been meaning too for a while.....

I use your other plugins quite a lot so I feel I should contribute!!

Thank you!

@fouronethirty said:

can't export section animation

That is true. But I never claimed you could. The only scene properties that can be exported are camera location and visible layers. The other ones may be supported in the future. Section planes are currently fourth on the list of planned updates.

I really wasn't expecting such favorable reviews. Great to see that everyone is a satisfied customer. Thanks!

@dik harrison said:

Then I heard about Keyframe Animation while doing a quick look-see here. Tried it and liked it. In fact I think it is the answer for me and what I want to do. There are some things that have yet been incorporated; hidden layers and components for instance, but I've been told they are in the works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVek9wMdD9o

Dik, I remember you were one of several people who wanted to hide animated objects on layers. I am happy to say that this feature is available in version 1.6. I announced it on the Plugins forum last week. Here is the [url=http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=33417&start=90#p371528:2b62b8jh]post[/url:2b62b8jh].

Hi Everyone,

Well, I am sure that no one will be surprised that my best method of animation with SU is Keyframe Animation.

But that is not why I am posting here. I would just like to clarify the differences between my plugin, Keyframe Animation, and SU Animate's new key frame animation feature.

@unknownuser said:

SUA recently released a pretty major update that now includes key frames. I've toyed with Keyframe, but haven't used it for anything so I don't know how it compares.

@iichiversii said:

i also have su animate and with the current release of the new version last month i believe it has its own version of keyframe animation, havent played around with it as of yet but i suggest try it out in su animate before buying keyframe animation, im sure they both do the same from the tutorials iv seen

SU Animate recently came out with a new feature that they claim supports Key Frame Animations. I released a plugin last year named Keyframe Animation. Since they are both called the same thing, I suppose everyone just naturally assumes that they must do the same thing. So, that is the misconception that I would like to clear up.

First of all, SU Animate V4 does not interpolate rotations correctly. It has exactly the same problem that you may have experienced with Proper Animation. They both rely on a buggy method in the SketchUp Ruby API, which does not interpolate rotations correctly (unless the axis of rotation passes through the origin of the component). Keyframe Animation, on the other hand, uses my own algorithm to interpolate rotations correctly about any point or axis.

Oh, yes, I know what you are saying. There is that video of SU Animate that “proves” it can rotate objects between key frames.

[flash=410,238:1izrjc36]http://www.youtube.com/v/9zGXASSD7oM?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0[/flash:1izrjc36]

The door rotates correctly in this video because the edge that they rotate about just happens to pass through the origin of the door's component. If they had tried to rotate the door about the opposite edge, things would of got ugly. Really, most rotations, like 99%, are not going to be interpolated correctly. So, this video may be a bit contrived.

OK, I digress... Another difference is that Keyframe Animation allows you to animate subcomponents and subgroups. It is very general, you can nest animated objects inside one another to any depth. This lets you move objects relative to one another like in this mannequin video, or this video of the rolling gears. The SU Animate key frames feature, on the other hand, does not permit you to animate subcomponents or subgroups.

Those are the two main differences. Both plugins move objects along a straight line correctly. Both plugins animate the visibility of objects. They both export the animation to a movie.

Hope that clears things up somewhat.

@nickdk said:

I'm testing the plugin and it seems very nice! But when i try to create the 'tweens' no scenes are added, what could be wrong? V. 1.6

The best way to reach me for support is at the email listed here on the Contact page. I don't check this forum every day, but I do check my email quite often. If your model is less than 25 MB, you can send it to that email address and I will check it out for any bugs.

Thanks for clearing that up iichiversii.

I changed the workflow for subcomponents in version 1.5. Now, you have to open the parent component/group for editing by double-clicking on it. Then click the record button while the parent component is open. That records the position data for all the subcomponents.

It is not really any extra work, because you have to open the parent component in the first place to position the subcomponent. So, just click the record button at that time.

@andybot said:

By the way RP, nice to see added features Any progress on changing objects' scale?

Now that animating object visibility is out of the way, animating the scale of objects is the new most requested feature. It has moved up to third place on my list of Planned Updates. I hope to knock off the first two items in version 1.7, and release it in January. They are more essential to the basic workflow, so I need to do them first. After that, I will get serious about trying to animate the scale of objects.

@iichiversii said:

im having 1 problem tho, my animations bugsplat everytime i animate a componant within a group, may i ask for a tutorial so i can see if im doing something i shouldnt be doing

You should be able to do that. I will PM you with the email address to send me your model so I can look into it.

Hey iichiversii, thanks for putting things into perspective. I am sorry if I overreacted, which I probably did. I shouldn't write posts at 3 am, I guess.