You open the Preset/Section Library window by choosing Preset/Section Library… from the right-click menu of the preset or section list.
This window allows you to export presets and attribute configurations within sections you’ve created for an animUI setup into a library that is stored in a text file. You can then import them into other animUI setups in different scenes. This helps in integrating the animUI into a bigger pipeline where animators can share presets and section they or the character rigger created or updated.
For easier management of many presets and sections, they are organized and stored under different characters.
When you store a preset in the library, all its values and the ignore list are stored with it.
Sections can also be exported to the library, making the setup process of characters with similar attributes faster. When you import a section onto an animUI setup, the attributes of the original section are searched in the scene and, when found, imported into the setup. The two alternative names are also preserved. Note that the sync settings are currently not restored.
The Library File
Before you can use the library, you have to specify which file should be used as the library file. Because of portability reasons, the script does not allow creating new files. Instead, you have to choose an existing (initially empty) ascii text file (with “.txt” extension) or create a new file yourself.
Clicking the Browse… button will open a dialog where you can choose the preset file to use.
Warning Please make sure that the file you choose as library file doesn’t contain anything you or someone else has written. Some operations (like deleting a character or preset) will possibly delete those lines from the file. |
Hint When you don’t know how to create a new text file, simply copy the readme.txt from the animUI package and rename it to animUI_presetLib.txt. You should then open it in a simple text editor, delete everything, and save. |
The Current Object
To copy presets and sections between the library and a setup in the scene, you have to choose not only the library to use, but also the object with the animUI setup. This is done just like in the animUI itself using the drop-down list in the bottom left.
The two right most lists of the window contain all presets (top) and sections (bottom) of the object that is chosen in this drop-down list.
Characters
Each library can store any number of presets and sections. For better organization, you can store them under different characters. The left list contains all characters that exist in the currently chosen library file. This list has a right-click menu with the following functions:
New Character…
Adds a new character to the current library, so that you can store presets and sections in it. (Not undoable)
Rename…
Renames the selected character and prompts for the new name. (Not undoable)
Delete
Deletes the selected character and all its presets and sections from the library file. (Not undoable)
Copying Presets
Use the right-click menus of the two preset lists (top) to copy presets between the library and the animUI setup in the scene.
Menu of the Presets of Character List
The Presets of Character list has the following right-click items:
Rename…
Allows you to rename the selected preset in the library. (Not undoable)
Delete
Removes the preset from the library. (Not undoable)
Copy to Object ->
Copies the selected presets from the library to the currently chosen animUI setup.
When the presets already exist in the animUI setup, you can choose whether to replace them or store the copied presets under new names.
Menu of the Preset of Object List
The Preset of Object list has just one function. <- Copy to Library will copy the selected presets from the scene into the library. They will be stored under the currently selected character. Like when copying from the library, when names clash, you have the option to replace the presets in the library or rename the copied ones. (Not undoable)
Advanced Info (Behind the Scenes) When you open a library file with characters and presets, you’ll easily see how the data is stored. In fact, characters have no implied compatibility check. This means, you could store presets of two completely different setups under the same character. The values of a preset are stored attribute by attribute. Attrs with a value of 0 (on both sides) are not stored, unless they’re ignored by the preset. When a preset is copied from the library back to the setup, a search is done for every attribute that has a value in the preset. This is done based on the name of the connected attribute. This approach ensures two different setups with similar attributes have the highest possible preset compatibility since attr IDs would be totally different and wouldn’t result in any usable match. The two alternative names are not considered during the search, just the attribute names. This implies that attributes with missing connections can’t be found, as these don’t have an attribute name. If an attribute belongs to an object that has a different name in the library’s preset, it can still be found, given that the attribute has a unique name within the setup. |
Copying Sections
Use the right-click menus of the two section lists (bottom) to copy sections between the library and the animUI setup in the scene.
Menu of the Sections of Character List
The Sections of Character list has the following right-click items:
Rename…
Allows you to rename the selected section in the library. (Not undoable)
Delete
Removes the selected sections from the library. (Not undoable)
Copy to Object ->
Copies the selected sections from the library to the currently chosen animUI setup.
When a section already exists in the animUI setup, you can choose whether to replace it or store the copied section under a new name. A third option allows you to keep the original section and just add the new attributes to it (Add Missing).
Menu of the Sections of Object List
The Sections of Object list, just like the Presets of Object list, has just one function. <- Copy to Library will copy the selected sections from the scene into the library. They will be stored under the currently selected character. (Not undoable)
Advanced Info (Behind the Scenes) When a section is copied from the library back to the setup, a search is done for every attribute that belongs to the section. The attribute can only be found when its node has the same name as when the section was exported. In case one of the parents is renamed, there is still a chance the attribute can be found, but it’s not sure the correct one is used. In case several objects could be used, a warning is printed showing the attribute that was used. Note that BCS weights will be found even if they’ve changed their bilateral state between the export/import cycle. |