script for point cache

[m_hinks]

Hi all,

I am trying to write a script that can go on a model of a person, where when they move, one point cache is loaded, and when they stop, a different point cache is loaded.

Can anyone help, I'm very stuck!!

Mark

P.S. below is the script I am using to change the colour of the sphere, but I need to edit it to effect the point cache.


t0 = f-1
t1 = f
p0 = at time t0 $sphere.pos
p1 = at time t1 $sphere.pos
if p0==p1 then $sphere.material.diffuse = (color 255 0 0)
else $sphere.material.diffuse = (color 0 255 0)

[1, 1, 1]

[MoonDoggie]

Alright, I'll aide you.

First, in maxscript since Point Cache is a modifier we have to get the properties we have access to in a different way that show $.

1. Create a Sphere, name it Sphere001
2. Add a point cache modifier to that sphere
3. in the Listener window type

show $.modifiers[#Point_Cache]

$ - Denotes the current selection
.modifiers - are all of the modifiers applied to the object
[#Point_Cache] - denotes that we only want the properties of the point cache modifier

This will return:

  .filename : filename
  .recordStart (Record_Start) : float
  .recordEnd (Record_End) : float
  .sampleRate (Sample_Rate) : float
  .strength : float
  .relativeOffset (Relative_Offset) : boolean
  .playbackType (Playback_Type) : integer
  .playbackStart (Playback_Start) : float
  .playbackEnd (Playback_End) : float
  .playbackORTbefore (Playback_Out_Of_Range_Before) : integer
  .playbackORTafter (Playback_Out_Of_Range_After) : integer
  .playbackFrame (Playback_Frame) : float
  .interpolationType (Interpolation_Type) : integer
  .applyMeshToSpline (Apply_To_Spline) : boolean
  .preLoadCache (PreLoad_Cache) : boolean
  .clampGraph (Clamp_Graph) : boolean
  .forceUncPath (Force_UNC_Path) : boolean
  .loadType (Load_Type) : integer
  .applyToWholeObject (Apply_To_Whole_Object) : boolean
  .loadTypeSlave (Load_Type_Slave) : integer
  .fileCount (File_Count) : integer

So we want to edit the filename at different times. That property we will be changing is this

$.modifiers[#Point_Cache].filename


Ok, after doing this, I don't think it's possible. I've tried everything I could to get it to animate this property correctly, but it doesn't appear to be animate-able.

That is how you approach this type of problem though.

Hope it helped at least a little.

-Colin

[m_hinks]

Thank Colin, you have actually helped more than you thought! Ill post my scene if it works

m

Could you give me an example of how;

$.modifiers[#Point_Cache].filename

that would be written for a file on a server. I have tried;

$sphere.modifiers[#Point_Cache]."s:\Point Cache Files\casual19_m_walk_inplace_625_Frames.xml"

It doesnt work!!

[joconnell]

You probably need to use double slashes in your file name - for some dumb reason maxscript or other languages decided to use the "\" as a method of allowing one line to be broken and continued on the next line. Try doubling up and see if that helps. Another approach could be to have a dummy object and hide / unhide different point cached objects each time?

[joconnell]

Or actually would it make more sense to pre process things and get a script to automatically add another point cache mod with the new animation?

[MoonDoggie]

Sure,

$.modifiers[#Point_Cache].filename = "C:\\Program Files\\3dsmax 2011\\test.pc2"

or you can use forward slashes

$.modifiers[#Point_Cache].filename = "C:/Program Files/3dsmax 2011/test.pc2"

[MoonDoggie]

also note: it supports UNC paths as well

$.modifiers[#Point_Cache].filename = "\\\\serverName\\maps\\pointcaches\\test.pc2"

(Note the quadruple backslash making that in windows "\\serverName\maps\pointcaches\test.pc2")

[m_hinks]

Perfect, I think I might have got it to work, Ill just make the changes to do with the file name locations, and tel later.

Ill post if I fix it!

Thanks again
M

[m_hinks]

Sure,

$.modifiers[#Point_Cache].filename = "C:\\Program Files\\3dsmax 2011\\test.pc2"

or you can use forward slashes

$.modifiers[#Point_Cache].filename = "C:/Program Files/3dsmax 2011/test.pc2"

Many thanks, this did work, and I have added to my test scene attached so you can how I have used it.

Or actually would it make more sense to pre process things and get a script to automatically add another point cache mod with the new animation?

I have got this sort of working, but loading a different PC file through one PC mod if the dummy is moving or not, and it works. But I think I am using the wrong method of applying the script, on the objects scale motion.

Is there a way I could use a script like this to control many people mesh in the scene all linked to different dummys?

Many thanks for your help, does seem to be getting there! File attached, max 2008, without the PC files, they are a few meg. MotionScriptTest.zip

M

[joconnell]

How many people are involved in your scene? It might even be a case where you could use a scripted op inside of particle flow for it to do multiple people?

[m_hinks]

There will be around 200 pre simulated dummies acting as a ped sim.

Any thoughts?

[joconnell]

Just thinking would there be any point in doing this in pflow since you could do a lot with collision operators sending particles into events with a speed of 0 and a shape instance op using your standing animation then using an age test on that event, send it to another event with a speed and a shape instance referencing your walking animation?

Just might be handy in terms of giving you control over random spacing, amount and so on?

[m_hinks]

Hi,

I should have said before, the people sim has been provided already finished, but with dummy objects as the people. I simply want to clone align and link my character to the dummies, and then get the walking/idle motion to swop accordingly.

I now have 3 different solutions, probably all shit bu they work! My latest one is based on having three mesh, one with a point cache of walking, one with PC of idle, and the third with a morpher mod referencing the other two. So I now have my one man moving and stopping with the dummy, and the morph swopping between the two. I now am trying to work out how to code so I can make the value of the top channel in the morpher to blend in, not just subbenly be 100 from 0.

t0 = f-1
t1 = f
p0 = at time t0 $sphere_m.pos
p1 = at time t1 $sphere_m.pos
if p0==p1 then WM3_MC_SetValue $sphere_m.morpher 1 0.0
else WM3_MC_SetValue $sphere_m.morpher 1 100.0

Thats is working so far.

else WM3_MC_SetValue $sphere_m.morpher 1 (0.0 + 10.0) this is where I get stuck how to control the value over time!

Anything spring to mind?!

Thanks,
M

[joconnell]

I'd say you could either set a keyframe in the controller of that morphers channel or use the "animate on" command to record changes? Just finished doing an overnight stint to get a shot finished off so I'll come back to you on it when I've got slightly more intelligence than a potato

[MoonDoggie]

You'll need to put your WM3_MC_SetValue in a for loop to control it over time

[LEFT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]animate on[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT]
 [LEFT][LEFT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]for[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2] t  [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]in[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2] 0 [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]to[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2]  100 [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]by[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2] 5  [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]do (
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT][/LEFT]
 [LEFT][LEFT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]     at[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2]  [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]time[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2] t 
[/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT]
[LEFT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2]          WM3_MC_SetValue $sphere_m.morpher 1 t   -- t = 0 the first iteration, then 5, 10, 15, 20...100
[/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT]
[LEFT][FONT=Courier New][SIZE=2])
[/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT][/LEFT]

So it'll put a keyframe on 0,5,10,15..100 with the percentage the time (t)