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DPK Scripts :: Maya Scripts/Plugins :: Rigging/Animation :: DPK_animUI
DPK_animUI

Manual

The documentation is available online here: https://dpk.stargrav.com/animUI/docs/index.html

Overview

This script creates a user interface to quickly and intuitively animate a big number of attributes. It is intended mainly for facial setups but is designed in a modular way, allowing it to be used with numeric attributes from any node in Maya. This makes it possible to easily integrate it into existing pipelines since attributes are the main interface between an animator and the scene. The main features are:

  • Complete Integration
    Attributes from any number of different objects can be controlled in one UI. This even allows for integrating a Jason Osipa style facial setup with multiple control objects for one face.

  • Two-Layered Control
    The first is, of course, the direct control over every attribute with a slider (and value field). The second is a very flexible preset system.

  • Mix 'n Morph Presets
    Presets can not only be "applied", they can be faded and morphed in real time. Furthermore, you can quickly choose which attributes you want to change. This means you can make the whole face smile, then add a little surprise to the eyes, an "FF" expression to the lips, add thought to the brows...

  • Auto Left-Right with Syncing and Mirroring
    The script automatically recognizes left-right and top-bottom attribute pairs and allows for several ways of mirroring and syncing.

    When you don't use a compatible naming scheme, you can still take advantage of the symmetry functions by manually defining left-right and/or top-bottom attribute pairs.

  • Build-In Integration With the BCS
    allows bilateral weights to be handled automatically. This means that you can make a weight bilateral and an existing setup for the UI will show both sliders for it. Also, all presets created while the weight wasn't bilateral will still work and simply set both sides to the same value.

  • Preset/Section Library
    Presets and section configurations can be exported and organized in an external Library. This library is stored in a simple ".txt" file and can contain any number of presets and sections for different characters.

Here are screen shots of the animation UI on Windows and Linux:

 

      

 



Version History


2.1.8
  • Compatibility fixes for Maya 2011 on Windows and Linux
2.1.7
  • Added option to section list to select all attributes of the selected sections. This is useful e.g. for showing only the keys of some sections in the timeline or the Graph Editor.
  • Added a similar option "Sync with Scene-Selection" that selects the attrs every time the list is clicked for faster workflow
  • Small bug fixes (renaming ctrl object after GUI has been re-opened works)
2.1.6
  • Fixed a problem of missing mel scripts
2.1.5
  • Made the GUI Linux compatible
  • The section list now has the "view" popup menu on CTRL+right-click instead of middle-click for Linux compatibility
  • Since Linux doesn't support marking menus on sliders, alternative slider menus were added above the preset slider and the attribute sliders (the latter can be switched on and off in the Options)
  • Corrected some drawing issues when expanding/collapsing slider areas
  • Tiny change for x64 compatibility
  • Other minor bug fixes
2.1.4
  • Added option to defer the preset slider reset so that further tweaks to the mix are possible
  • Added "Set To Zero" command for use in deferred mode of preset slider
  • Added "Undo Last Dragging" command for the preset slider when not in deferred mode
  • Added configurable preset slider ranges (for normal and relative modes)
  • Minor changes to the option layout
2.1.3
  • Added option to apply presets "relatively"
  • Fixed a small bug where the preset slider stopped to work in rare cases
2.1.2
  • Added option to lock/unlock and mute/unmute attributes of individual sections
  • Added option to the preset list to flip presets left/right
  • Added option to the preset list to set a keyframe on all attributes that "would" be affected when applying the preset(s)
2.1.1
  • Added options for hiding the "Select" and "Key All" button
  • Minor GUI changes (annotations, corrected button label, etc.)
2.1.0

New Features:

  • The preset library can now import and export sections

Bug Fixes:

  • Importing a preset with attrs that don't exist now produces a warning instead of an error
  • When the animUI is started in window mode while it is currently opened in a panel, a valid alternative panel is now left behind
  • Other minor bug fixes
  • Minor corrections in the manuals
2.0.3
  • Added an option that controls whether the numeric field resets its focus after a value is entered (default is on). Disable this option when you have problems using the animUI in panel mode.
  • When switching between different setups, sliders of attrs that were locked didn't wake up correctly
  • The main UI didn't refresh when the Section Manager was closed and the animUI was used as a panel
2.0.2
  • Added the option to hide the "Key" button next to each attr slider
2.0.1
  • The AnimUI can now be opened in a panel (see installation instructions)
  • Fixed a bug that occured when the script was sourced before the bcs plugin was loaded
2.0 This is a complete rewrite of the script. Here are some things that have changed:
  • Changed the name from DPK_animationInterface to DPK_animUI
  • Attributes of more than one object can now be part of one setup
  • Attributes can be excluded from presets
  • The preset slider uses just one slot in the undo queue
  • The left-right recognition is now configurable
  • Added top-bottom symmetry, syncing, and mirroring
  • Added a preset manager for creating preset libraries
  • The lists now have marking menus for reaching menu items faster
  • A script collection in DPK_animUISetup.mel allows you to query, edit and create animUI setups. This should help in integrating the animUI into almost any pipeline.
  • Added "real" help docs
  • and more...
1.13
  • Added support for elements of multi attrs
This is the last version before the rewrite. In some rare cases, you might want to have access to this version too. You can still download it here: DPK_animationInterface
1.12
  • The attributes that store presets aren't locked anymore. This allows you to add/remove/change presets of a referenced anim node. To make it work with existing anim setups, you'd need to unlock the presets in the original scene. This can be done by adding and removing a preset.
1.11
  • Presets can now be applied to either the left or right side
  • You can set keys for the selected sections through the context menu
1.00
  • Initial release (I think ;)
Creator: Daniel Pook-Kolb
Version: 2.1.8
Date Added: Sep 22, 2003
Last Change: Mar 30, 2011
Last Download: Dec 07, 2024 (7:29 AM)
Downloads: 2628
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Copyright © 2022, Daniel Pook-Kolb