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Animation COMP

Summary

The Animation Component is a special component used for creating keyframe animation channels. The component contains a pre-defined network utilizing a Keyframe CHOP and a number of Table DATs to define the animated CHOP channels.

The Animation Editor is the user interface for creating and editing the animation of the Animation Component.

The Animation Component has both in and out CHOP connectors.

Animation Component Inputs

With no input connected, the Animation Component's index loops over the time range of the channels. The CHOP input can be used to manually control the index of the animated channels. For example, if the channels are keyed from frame 1 to 600, you can connect an input to the component and manually drive the animation output by feeding it a number between 1 and 600 (indexes outside the range will use the channel extend conditions).

Using the Keyframe CHOP's Index Units menu, you can drive the animation with numbers expressed in seconds, samples, or a fraction where 0 is the start and 1 is the end.

Animation Component Outputs

The CHOP output gives access to the animation channel's current value. CHOPs can be directly connected or a Null CHOP may be appended for exporting the channels to parameters. The current channel values can also be viewed by turning on the Animation Component's node viewer.

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Using the Animation Component

Keyframing any parameter, attribute, or data in TouchDesigner begins with an Animation Component. You can create an Animation COMP from;

  • The OP Create Dialog
  • Right-click on any parameter of an OP. RMB -> Keyframe Parameter in... -> New Animation to create a new Animation COMP

To open the Animation Editor, right-click on an Animation COMP and select Edit Animation... to open that animation in the editor. You can also change any pane to Animation Editor type and the Editor will open whilst pointing to the last Animation COMP that was scoped.

Then you can create and keyframe animation channels. Refer to the Animation Editor for instructions on keyframing.

AnimationCOMPEdit.png


Parameters - Animation Page

Time Reference timeref - The location the Animation COMP looks to for its time information. This is used for default channel range and rate when the Type parameter on the Range page is set to Timeline.

Play Mode playmode - - Specifies the method used to playback the animation or allows the output the entire animation curve.

  • Locked to Timeline locked - This mode locks the animation position to the timeline. Scrubbing or jumping in the timeline will change the animation position accordingly. The parameters Play, Speed, Cue, and Cue Point are disabled in this mode since the timeline is directly controlling the animation's position.
  • Use Input Index input - This mode allows the user to specify a particular position in the animation using the index input on the Animation COMP (the CHOP input to the Animation COMP). The Input Index Unit parameter can be used to change the units of the input channel. Use this mode for random access to any location in the animation for maximum flexibility.
  • Sequential sequential - This mode continually plays regardless of the timeline position (the Index parameter is disabled). Reset and Speed parameters below are enabled to allow some control.
  • Output Full Range outputrange - This option outputs the entire animation channel range. This is useful for using the Animation COMP to create custom lookup curves/channels.

Play play - Animation plays when On and stops when Off. This animation playback control is only available when Play Mode is Sequential.

Speed speed - This is a speed multiplier which only works when Play Mode is Sequential. A value of 1 is the default playback speed. A value of 2 is double speed, 0.5 is half speed and so on. Negative values will play the animation backwards.

Cue cue - Jumps to Cue Point when set to 1. Only available when Play Mode is Sequential.

Cue Pulse cuepulse - Instantly jumps to the Cue Point.

Cue Point cuepoint - Set any index in the animation as a point to jump to. Only available when Play Mode is Sequential.

Cue Point Unit cuepointunit - Units used when setting the Cue Point parameter.

Input Index Unit inputindexunit - - When Play Mode is set to Use Input Index use this menu to choose the units for the index input channel. For example, choose between setting the index with frames or seconds. The Units X option sets the index to use the key information directly from the key DAT table inside the Animation COMP, disregarding any custom settings found in the attributes DAT table.

  • Samples samples -
  • Frames frames -
  • Seconds seconds -
  • Fraction fraction -
  • X Units xunits -

Cyclic Range cyclic - - Adapts the range of the animation for cyclic or non-cyclic input indices. When using a cyclic input index the lookup value for index 0.0 and 1.0 result in the same value. To avoid this, set Cyclic Range to Yes and the lookup will cycle smoothly.

  • Automatic auto - Checks the right extend condition of each channel (Assumes type cycle and mirror are cyclic lookups).
  • Yes yes - Cycles the output when index is outside the animation range.
  • No no - Does not cycle the output when index is outside the animation range.

Specify Edit Attributes specifyedit - Turn this on to enable the edit attributes parameter below.

Edit Origin editorigin - Changes the origin of the animation channel edits. This does not change the data stored in the key DAT table, but it does effect the channels display in the graph and playback of the animation.

Edit Rate editrate - Changes the rate of the animation channel edits. This does not change the data stored in the key DAT table, but it does effect the channels display in the graph and playback of the animation.

Edit Animation... editanimation - Clicking this button will open this Animation COMP in the Animation Editor.


Parameters - Range Page

Type rangetype - - Set the working range for the Animation COMP.

  • Timeline timeline - Uses the range set in the timeline specified by the Time Reference parameter on the previous Animation parameter page.
  • Custom custom - Set a custom range using the Start and End parameters below.

Start start - Start of the Custom range, expressed in units seconds, frames or samples.

Start Unit startunit - Select the units to use for this parameter, Samples, Frames, or Seconds.

End end - End of the Custom range, expressed in units seconds, frames or samples.

End Unit endunit - Select the units to use for this parameter, Samples, Frames, or Seconds.

Trim Left tleft - - Determines the output of the channels when past the 'End' position. Does not affect Play Mode = Output Full Range, to manipulate the Extend Conditions of that mode adjust the Extend parameters of the Keyframe CHOP inside the Animation COMP.

  • Hold hold - Hold the current value of the channel.
  • Slope slope - Continue the slope before the start of the channel.
  • Cycle cycle - Cycle the channel repeatedly.
  • Mirror mirror - Cycle the channel repeatedly, mirroring every other cycle.
  • Default Value default - Use the constant value specified in the Default Value parameter.

Trim Right tright - - Determines the output of the channels when before the 'Start' position. Does not affect Play Mode = Output Full Range, to manipulate the Extend Conditions of that mode adjust the Extend parameters of the Keyframe CHOP inside the Animation COMP.

  • Hold hold - Hold the current value of the channel.
  • Slope slope - Continue the slope after the end of the channel.
  • Cycle cycle - Cycle the channel repeatedly.
  • Mirror mirror - Cycle the channel repeatedly, mirroring every other cycle.
  • Default Value default - Use the constant value specified in the Default Value parameter.

Trim Default tdefault - The value used for the Default Value trim conditio above.


Parameters - Extensions Page

The Extensions parameter page sets the component's python extensions. Please see extensions for more information.

Object ext0object - A number of class instances that can be attached to the component.

Name ext0name - Optional name to search by, instead of the instance class name.

Promote ext0promote - Controls whether or not the extensions are visible directly at the component level, or must be accessed through the .ext member. Example: n.Somefunction vs n.ext.Somefunction

Re-Init Extensions reinitextensions - Recompile all extension objects. Normally extension objects are compiled only when they are referenced and their definitions have changed.


Parameters - Common Page

The Common parameter page sets the component's node viewer and clone relationships.

Parent Shortcut parentshortcut - Specifies a name you can use anywhere inside the component as the path to that component. See Parent Shortcut.

Global OP Shortcut opshortcut - Specifies a name you can use anywhere at all as the path to that component. See Global OP Shortcut.

Shortcut iop0shortcut - Specifies a name you can use anywhere inside the component as a path to "Internal OP" below. See Internal Operators.

OP iop0op - The path to the Internal OP inside this component. See Internal Operators.

Operator Viewer opviewer - Select which operator's node viewer to use when the Node View parameter above is set to Operator Viewer.

Enable Cloning enablecloning - Control if the OP should be actively cloneing. Turning this off causes this node to stop cloning it's 'Clone Master'.

Enable Cloning Pulse enablecloningpulse - Instantaneously clone the contents.

Clone Master clone - Path to a component used as the Master Clone.

Load on Demand loadondemand - Loads the component into memory only when required. Good to use for components that are not always used in the project.

Enable External .tox enableexternaltox - When on (default), the external .tox file will be loaded when the .toe starts and the contents of the COMP will match that of the external .tox. This can be turned off to avoid loading from the referenced external .tox on startup if desired (the contents of the COMP are instead loaded from the .toe file). Useful if you wish to have a COMP reference an external .tox but not always load from it unless you specifically push the Re-Init Network parameter button.

Enable External .tox Pulse enableexternaltoxpulse - This button will re-load from the external .tox file (if present).

External .tox Path externaltox - Path to a .tox file on disk which will source the component's contents upon start of a .toe. This allows for components to contain networks that can be updated independently. If the .tox file can not be found, whatever the .toe file was saved with will be loaded.

Reload Custom Parameters reloadcustom - When this checkbox is enabled, the values of the component's Custom Parameters are reloaded when the .tox is reloaded. This only affects top-level parameters on the component, all parameters on nodes inside the component are always reloaded with the .tox.

Reload Built-In Parameters reloadbuiltin - When this checkbox is enabled, the values of the component's built-in parameters are reloaded when the .tox is reloaded. This only affects top-level parameters on the component, all parameters on nodes inside the component are always reloaded with the .tox.

Save Backup of External savebackup - When this checkbox is enabled, a backup copy of the component specified by the External .tox parameter is saved in the .toe file. This backup copy will be used if the External .tox can not be found. This may happen if the .tox was renamed, deleted, or the .toe file is running on another computer that is missing component media.

Sub-Component to Load subcompname - When loading from an External .tox file, this option allows you to reach into the .tox and pull out a COMP and make that the top-level COMP, ignoring everything else in the file (except for the contents of that COMP). For example if a .tox file named project1.tox contains project1/geo1, putting geo1 as the Sub-Component to Load, will result in geo1 being loaded in place of the current COMP. If this parameter is blank, it just loads the .tox file normally using the top level COMP in the file.

Relative File Path Behavior relpath - - Set whether the child file paths within this COMP are relative to the .toe itself or the .tox, or inherit from parent.

  • Use Parent's Behavior inherit - Inherit setting from parent.
  • Relative to Project File (.toe) project - The path, when specified as a relative path, will be relative to the .toe file.
  • Relative to External COMP File (.tox) externaltox - The path, when specified as a relative path, will be relative to the .tox file. When no external COMP file is specified, or when Enable External .tox is not toggled on, this doesn't have any impact.


Operator Inputs

  • Input 0: -


Info CHOP Channels

Extra Information for the Animation COMP can be accessed via an Info CHOP.

Common COMP Info Channels

  • num_children - Number of children in this component.

Common Operator Info Channels

  • total_cooks - Number of times the operator has cooked since the process started.
  • cook_time - Duration of the last cook in milliseconds.
  • cook_frame - Frame number when this operator was last cooked relative to the component timeline.
  • cook_abs_frame - Frame number when this operator was last cooked relative to the absolute time.
  • cook_start_time - Time in milliseconds at which the operator started cooking in the frame it was cooked.
  • cook_end_time - Time in milliseconds at which the operator finished cooking in the frame it was cooked.
  • cooked_this_frame - 1 if operator was cooked this frame.
  • warnings - Number of warnings in this operator if any.
  • errors - Number of errors in this operator if any.


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