[Tips] Animator Tips and Tricks

[Rich O Brien]

Yeah, I once made a series of animated files I wanted to merge. I thought the [filename].animator file that is saved with the .skp would contain something I could import but no luck.

[Box]

Yeah, it seems like the natural next step, hopefully it's something the grandmaster is working on.

[Rich O Brien]

It was animated crowds I was thinking of...

dummy-test.gif

[Box]

Well, you can do that within the same file no problem, but the hidden door file I posted I created and then thought of the Robot only after doing it all. I had animated the robot in another file but couldn't get it into the hidden door file with animation intact. And by then it was late and I didn't have the energy to reanimate the robot. He really should walk into the space and then exit through the roof.

[shelburneplanner]

Anyone have tips for animating speech using Fredo6 Animator and a model in SketchUp? I'm working with SU 2017 (Make).

thanks in advance for suggestions!

[fredo6]

Anyone have tips for animating speech using Fredo6 Animator and a model in SketchUp?

What do you mean by 'animating speech'?

[ntxdave]

It was animated crowds I was thinking of...

dummy-test.gif

Fredo, is there a way to save this animation, or any animation created with Animator, in a format that could then be used in PowerPoint?

As a reference, here are two videos that show animated 3D models being used in PPT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-9g6fVL7uQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qo_Hx21KUc

BTW, PPT will allow you to import an skip file so maybe the native skip file with your animations will work. My laptop died so I do not have the capability to try it myself.

[fredo6]

I don't think you can insert a skp model with Animator data, because Animator data are totally custom.

However, I see that PPT accepts several 3D formats, but apparently none with Animation (like gLTF).

Worth exploring however....

[ntxdave]

Here is some information I found about the type of 3D model files that PPT will accept:

As of now, PowerPoint can insert 3D models in these formats:

Filmbox Format – *.fbx files
Object Format – *.obj files
3D Manufacturing Format – *.3mf files
Polygon Format – *.ply files
StereoLithography Format – *.stl files
Binary GL Transmission Format – *.glb files

I am not sure how old this info is. I have seen a video that does show it accepting a .skp file as well. Also I have seen some places where this (allowing you to insert a 3D model) might be limited to PPT 365. So I am not sure about any of this. It would also be neat if this type of facility was available in the presentation feature of LayOut.

Here is another great video that addresses SketchUp files in PowerPoint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6rPjsZhiPs

Enjoy

[ntxdave]

Another vey interesting video that confirms the ability to use .skp files in PPT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6rPjsZhiPs

[fredo6]

Importing a static 3D model is ok. This is more about the problem of importing the animation. I guess that it is only the gLTF format that will do that.

[ntxdave]

Can that be done with Animator? If it can, it would be neat to see an example.

Maybe it is time for me to quit bringing up topics like this.

[Rich O Brien]

Maybe it is time for me to quit bringing up topics like this.

I think the missing info in your thinking is what a 3D file format natively is capable of.

SKP cannot store animation readable to other apps. So you would need a means to bake the animator data into the model and then export that into a format that supports animation. FBX, USDS, GTLF, Alembic all store animation data that other apps can read.

Animator does store animation data in a .skp file but in a way that only Animator is able to read.

Its the same as calling over to your mates house with an Atari Pong cartridge and trying to play it on a Nintendo.

Microsoft wouldn't know anything about the animation stored in a skp in the same way.

[ntxdave]

Yes Rick, I understand. I was trying to see if Fredo might be able to come up with a way to generate a GLTF file with Animator.

Maybe I am just being a PITA and it is time for me to just back off.

[faBcn]

Hi there!

When dealing with kinematics, it's very useful to be able to graphically manage speeds instead of positions (slope of positions law)
I see that a lot of non-linear laws are availables during a movement, but as far I understand, it's only useful between 2 keyframes.
When dealing with more keyframes within a same general movement, I didn't manage to have some smooth transitions...

Here is a simple case:
Let's say we want to animate a car, constant speed (100km/h) between KF#1 and KF#2.
Then it decelerates between KF#2 and KF#3 so that it reaches another constant speed (50km/h) from KF#3 up to KF#4.
I didn't manage smooth transitions without generating some weird stuff...
Is there some kind of tricks using available non-linear laws?

Thanks!