Draw on repeated frames

[Lukas]

When the end of a layer is set on 'repeat' it would be cool to still be able to draw in the frames if you're outside of the actual frames. It would animating cycles even easier

See attached picture:

[Paul Fierlinger]

Just stretch the last frame out to the clip's end as a single instance (I have a plugin with which I can do this in one click of a button)and using the Faux Fix you'll be able to do what you are asking for.

[Lukas]

Just stretch the last frame out to the clip's end as a single instance (I have a plugin with which I can do this in one click of a button)and using the Faux Fix you'll be able to do what you are asking for.

Hmmm. But when you draw in a Faux-Fixed frame it also breaks and creates a new instance, or am I doing something wrong?

[Svengali]

why would it be cooler to draw after the end frame to modify the first frame rather than just to go back to the first frame and continue modifying the existing frame? I'm not following the advantage here.

Sven

[Lukas]

why would it be cooler to draw after the end frame to modify the first frame rather than just to go back to the first frame and continue modifying the existing frame?

Simply because you wouldn't need to go back to the first frame

Now I often create a new 'first frame' at the end of a cycle, and copy it over the original first frame of the cycle and fix the inbetweens that became messed up. This way that wouldn't be necessary anymore.

Of course this would also work if you'd draw on frame 34, the instance on frame 5. (In the case of the image I attached in the first post). The Light Table works if you're on those frames, which gives the illusion you can draw there, but if you do, it breaks the cycle.

[Svengali]

I have to confess I don't really understand, but if you (and the developers) believe that the time saved in not having to go back to the first frame is worth it then I guess that's a feature that needs to be added.

Sven

[Paul Fierlinger]

I need to pitch in here and reiterate what Sven says, which is that programming takes a lot of time and making such frivolous demands on the time of the development team is in my opinion inconsiderate not just towards the developers but also towards other users who are waiting in line for much more serious improvements to get to the top of the list.

[Elodie]

Well, if I am not wrong , if you just need something do draw loop animations, you can use the post and pre behaviors + light table. It should.do the job.

[Paul Fierlinger]

I think Lukas wants to draw where there is no "paper" to draw on -- in other words in the space after the layer ends.

[Lukas]

Of course it does the job
I've done many many cycles with the current tools.

But it would be even easier with the behaviour I suggested

[Elodie]

I dont think so. As Paul en svengali said, it would be long to develop to win what ? A quarter of second ? The time developers would spend on it wouldn't worth it.

Imo, it would really disturbing for newcomers.

[Lukas]

Here's a movie showing the current behaviour. Honestly I don't see how my suggestion won't be usefull to anyone if you see what happens in the video. Especially with the Light table on, you'd just expect to be able to animate there.

I'm not the one to judge how much time anything is worth to code. Just requesting this because I think it would improve TVP, that's all.

[qt]640,480,http://www.lukaskrepel.nl/temp/TVP/cycle.mov[/qt]

[Svengali]

I can sort of see what you are talking about now. And I understand your argument and why you make it.

Frankly, you are drawing in an area (beyond the last frame) that I just don't see and haven't seen for several years now. Why?

Because I've written a little script for the left and right arrows which simply loops me at the extremes of the current layer. If I get to the last frame and I press next frame (right arrow) again, it takes me to the first frame.
If I am jumping back and reach the first frame and press previous frame (left arrow) it takes me to the last frame. So, I've never had to deal with being in no man's land or seeing the ghost light-table frames...

Here's the simple code that does that. Actually I use a slightly more sophisticated pair of scripts that keep me on head frames and which does a number of other, conditional things as well.

One additional tip which you may or may not have run across before. If you also set the start of your layer to Repeat, the light table images wrap as well. So, at the final frame, you can see the first, second, third frame as well and the first frame lets you see back into the last few frames of the layer - helpful for drawing effective looping sequences.

Sven

Code: Select all

tv_LayerCurrentID
parse result LayerNumber									// Identify current layer

tv_LayerInfo LayerNumber
parse result d d d d LayerType LayerStart LayerEnd d d d	// Get Type, Start and End info for current layer



// assign this script section for Next Frame ONLY

tv_LayerGetImage
parse result ThisFrame										// BEFORE advancing cursor to next Head-frame test cursor-frame status


IF ThisFrame == LayerEnd || ThisFrame < LayerStart			// Is cursor on Layer-end or in front of First-frame?
	ThisFrame = LayerStart									// Wrap or set cursor to Layer-start
	tv_LayerImage ThisFrame
	EXIT
END


ThisFrame = ThisFrame + 1
IF ThisFrame > LayerEnd										// Is cursor beyond Layer-end?
	ThisFrame = LayerEnd
END

tv_LayerImage ThisFrame									// set cursor to Layer-end


// assign this script section for Previous Frame ONLY

tv_LayerGetImage
parse result ThisFrame										// BEFORE advancing cursor to next Head-frame test cursor-frame status

IF ThisFrame == LayerStart || ThisFrame > LayerEnd			// Is cursor on LayerStart or past LayerEnd?
	ThisFrame = LayerEnd									// Wrap or set cursor to Layer-end
	tv_LayerImage ThisFrame
	EXIT
END

ThisFrame = ThisFrame - 1
IF ThisFrame < LayerStart									// Trap if we've moved beyond First-frame of layer
	ThisFrame = LayerEnd									// Wrap to last frame
END

tv_LayerImage ThisFrame

[Lukas]

Very nice script Svengali, I'll be using them instead of the regular arrow keys when animating a cycle!

I still think the feature request would improve TVP though, because that way...

• ...it would also work when navigating the timeline with the mouse
• ...you can always adjust the cycle to the new circumstances when the background is changing over time or when other characters are crossing paths etc.
• ...you wouldn't need two sets of arrow keys (your scripted arrow keys and the non-scripted default arrow keys)

But thanks for sharing your script! Even though it's a workaround, it works great!

[Svengali]

What ever works for you my friend. If they change the way things work I don't think my scripts will be affected, so good luck to you.

Sven