Easier workflow for synoptics?

[sonictk]

Quick question: Does anyone know of any scripts to assist with auto-generation of code for synoptics? Ideally it would be something similar to abxPicker for Maya, where you can create buttons that are based off selections you make, instead of having to laboriously go through the script editor and copy/paste the names of the objects that I want to select and place them in procedures.

[mattmos]

You can use groups (SelectMembers) or character key sets, advantage being you don't need to regenerate code when you add or remove from.

[sonictk]

I find synoptics much more intuitive than having to continually swap keying sets though, but I was definitely using them in Maya before I finally found out about abxPicker. The only thing is that now as I'm starting to learn rigging in XSI, I'm finding out that all those awesome synoptics other people made that I used before suddenly aren't as simple to create as I thought they were =\

Regardless, that's a good idea regarding using selecting groups instead for the synoptic. Thanks! I wish the synoptic editor in XSI was a lot more intuitive to workflow though...especially in this tutorial where he mentions using a custom script for generating his synoptic code (not the html imagemap, but all the VBScript sub procedures), that's something that would be really useful out-of-the-box...

[Ahmidou]

you can try this very old script:
http://www.grahamdclark.com/Studentreso ... sframe.htm

see AutoSynoptic

[sonictk]

you can try this very old script:
http://www.grahamdclark.com/Studentreso ... sframe.htm

see AutoSynoptic

Awesome, going to try this out! Thanks!

[mattmos]

you can select and key your keysets through the synoptic without having to swap. Check out the default softimage characters and the way their synoptic pages are set up, its mostly re-usable code which applies to any character. You just have to get used to the naming conventions. I agree though the workflow could use some basic tool additions particularly when it comes to defining hotspots and associated components.

[EricTRocks]

I usually create the base synoptic through the editor, then open it in Dreamweaver or a similar web editing program to draw out the hot spots. Dreamweaver is good because it lets you zoom in on the page and you can be more precise with drawing them.

I'm doubting they'll do any work on the editor unfortunately since they couldn't even be bothered to fix the fact that the synoptic editor doesn't have a scroll bar on the right any longer to scroll through the content. (bug was reported, apparently not high enough on the priorities to get fixed)

[everyframe]

this is the code I used to create the synoptic script in that video. It's very basic, something I wrote really fast, I'm sure it could be spruced up a bit, but it works great for my needs.


# Gets the name of all the Selected Controllers and adds the "SynopticSelect" function to it

oXSI = Application
oSelection = oXSI.Selection
for oController in oSelection:
LogMessage("sub " + oController.Name + "(in_obj,in_mousebutton,in_keymodifier)\n"
"SynopticSelect in_obj, " + '"' + oController.Name + '" \n'
"end sub \n")

so then I just copy what the script editor spits out, search and replace to get rid of the extra characters, and you have your synoptic code.

You need to add the synopticselect function at the bottom of the synoptic code for this to work. you can grab that from the synoptic example scenes.


hopefully there's no formatting errors from this site.

[sonictk]

this is the code I used to create the synoptic script in that video. It's very basic, something I wrote really fast, I'm sure it could be spruced up a bit, but it works great for my needs.


# Gets the name of all the Selected Controllers and adds the "SynopticSelect" function to it

oXSI = Application
oSelection = oXSI.Selection
for oController in oSelection:
LogMessage("sub " + oController.Name + "(in_obj,in_mousebutton,in_keymodifier)\n"
"SynopticSelect in_obj, " + '"' + oController.Name + '" \n'
"end sub \n")

so then I just copy what the script editor spits out, search and replace to get rid of the extra characters, and you have your synoptic code.

You need to add the synopticselect function at the bottom of the synoptic code for this to work. you can grab that from the synoptic example scenes.


hopefully there's no formatting errors from this site.

You sir are excellent. I was trying to figure out what the command to use for auto-entering the necessary text was.

Thank you so much!

[everyframe]

np, reading the script hurts my eyes, but It works I suppose - however non-elegant it is ;)