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Animating control wires (FSDS)
- Thread starter twintrow
- Start date
Tom - there may be some quirks relating to the way the cables are linked/animated and then how they appear in the non-animation mode.
Are they "flopping" in the sim once you export it?
You might want to have someone look at the fsc file.
I would suggest NOT linking any of the cables/wires to any other part, and then animating one at a time, and probably adding a few more intermediate key frames to fine tune the animation.
Are they "flopping" in the sim once you export it?
You might want to have someone look at the fsc file.
I would suggest NOT linking any of the cables/wires to any other part, and then animating one at a time, and probably adding a few more intermediate key frames to fine tune the animation.
Yes Felix they "flop" in the animation. Yes, they are linked.
Whom might you suggest I could ask to look at the fsc????
I've sent Dave Eckert a pm (a while ago) asking for how he did the Camel, and posted abiut everywhere I can think of. Only response so far has been here. ;o)
thanks
Tom
Whom might you suggest I could ask to look at the fsc????
I've sent Dave Eckert a pm (a while ago) asking for how he did the Camel, and posted abiut everywhere I can think of. Only response so far has been here. ;o)
thanks
Tom
In case it may help another FSDS modeller with control cables:
Basically, I redid the animations/links for the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 and lever_stick_fore_aft.8 parts (right side elevator control cables).
To recap -
The elevator itself is part lever_stick_fore_aft.4 which is animated:
key frame x y z
kf: 0 X=21 Y= 0 z=0 (elevator down)
kf: 50 x=0 y=0 z=0 (elevator centered)
kf: 100 x=-21 y=0 z=0 (elevator up)
The right elevator horn (unanimated) is part lever_stick_fore_aft.6 which is a child of the elevator part (lever_stick_fore_aft.4 )
From here on out, I will refer to lever_stick_fore_aft.4 as the elevator and to lever_stick_fore_aft.6 as the elevator horn.
The lower right control cable is part lever_stick_fore_aft.5 with an initial link to the elevator horn. This part (lever_stick_fore_aft.5) was animated at key frames 0, 50, 100.
To correct the animations I:
1. deleted the link to the elevator horn part.
2. toggle into animation mode (SHIFT-F5), move to key frame 50 (elevator centered)
(note that the part appears to jump away from it's original position)
delete all of the part's key frames, toggle out of animation mode (SHIFT-F5)
3. Reset axis rotation
(Toggle IN and OUT of animation mode to verify that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 is now "right".)
4. MOVE the part AXIS to the end of the cable where it butts to the bottom of the elevator horn. (THIS WILL BE YOUR PIVOT POINT FOR THE CABLE'S ANIMATIONS)
5. LINK the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 part to the elevator horn part lever_stick_fore_aft.6 (as it was originally, but now the cable does not have any animations to it and has a repositioned axis)
6. TOGGLE INTO ANIMATION MODE (you should still be at keyframe=50).
6a. At keyframe=50: rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator centered.
6b. At keyframe=0: rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator in the down position
6c. rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator in the up position.
7. Return to Keyframe=50 and toggle OUT of animation mode.
8. In the "normal" view, the part is probably out of kilter again. go into part properties view (F2) and manually set the ROTATION of the axis to 0,0,0.
The upper right control cable is part lever_stick_fore_aft.8 with an initial link to the elevator horn (lever_stick_fore_aft.6). This part (lever_stick_fore_aft.8) was NOT animated.
To correct the animations on this part, I did the same as for above EXCEPT that deleting the initial part's key frames was NOT necessary
1. deleted the link to the elevator horn part.
2. toggled into animation mode (SHIFT-F5), verified that this part was NOT animated and, toggled out of animation mode (SHIFT-F5)
3. Reset axis rotation
(Toggle IN and OUT of animation mode to verify that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 is now "right".)
4. MOVE the part AXIS to the end of the cable where it butts to the top of the elevator horn. (THIS WILL BE YOUR PIVOT POINT FOR THE CABLE'S ANIMATIONS)
5. LINK the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 part to the elevator horn part lever_stick_fore_aft.6 (as it was originally, but now the cable does not have any animations to it and has a repositioned axis)
6. TOGGLE INTO ANIMATION MODE (you should still be at keyframe=50).
6a. At keyframe=50: rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator centered.
6b. At keyframe=0: rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator in the down position
6c. rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator in the up position.
7. Return to Keyframe=50 and toggle OUT of animation mode.
8. In the "normal" view, the part is probably out of kilter again. go into part properties view (F2) and manually set the ROTATION of the axis to 0,0,0.
What I have found is to approach the animations from "parent" to "child", and place the various axis/pivot points at the realistic hinge points.
THe elevator control cables in this type of old crate have two attachment points at the top and bottom of the horn. I'll make the cable's pivot/axis point at the end where it attaches to the horn, and then *reset the axis rotation*. Since in this case, the horn is itself unanimated and a child of the elevator, I'm not concerned about the relationship of the elevator cable to elevator. With the pivot point at the cable's attachment point to the horn, I can cycle through the key frame points and rotate the cable to where it should be, and then set the key frame.
Since you've rotated the linked part (cable) in animation mode, when you finally get out of animation mode the part may keep the last rotation and so it appears to jump out of position. This is why I include the last step to reset the part axis rotation manually to 0,0,0 again.
Hope this helps.
Basically, I redid the animations/links for the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 and lever_stick_fore_aft.8 parts (right side elevator control cables).
To recap -
The elevator itself is part lever_stick_fore_aft.4 which is animated:
key frame x y z
kf: 0 X=21 Y= 0 z=0 (elevator down)
kf: 50 x=0 y=0 z=0 (elevator centered)
kf: 100 x=-21 y=0 z=0 (elevator up)
The right elevator horn (unanimated) is part lever_stick_fore_aft.6 which is a child of the elevator part (lever_stick_fore_aft.4 )
From here on out, I will refer to lever_stick_fore_aft.4 as the elevator and to lever_stick_fore_aft.6 as the elevator horn.
The lower right control cable is part lever_stick_fore_aft.5 with an initial link to the elevator horn. This part (lever_stick_fore_aft.5) was animated at key frames 0, 50, 100.
To correct the animations I:
1. deleted the link to the elevator horn part.
2. toggle into animation mode (SHIFT-F5), move to key frame 50 (elevator centered)
(note that the part appears to jump away from it's original position)
delete all of the part's key frames, toggle out of animation mode (SHIFT-F5)
3. Reset axis rotation
(Toggle IN and OUT of animation mode to verify that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 is now "right".)
4. MOVE the part AXIS to the end of the cable where it butts to the bottom of the elevator horn. (THIS WILL BE YOUR PIVOT POINT FOR THE CABLE'S ANIMATIONS)
5. LINK the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 part to the elevator horn part lever_stick_fore_aft.6 (as it was originally, but now the cable does not have any animations to it and has a repositioned axis)
6. TOGGLE INTO ANIMATION MODE (you should still be at keyframe=50).
6a. At keyframe=50: rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator centered.
6b. At keyframe=0: rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator in the down position
6c. rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator in the up position.
7. Return to Keyframe=50 and toggle OUT of animation mode.
8. In the "normal" view, the part is probably out of kilter again. go into part properties view (F2) and manually set the ROTATION of the axis to 0,0,0.
The upper right control cable is part lever_stick_fore_aft.8 with an initial link to the elevator horn (lever_stick_fore_aft.6). This part (lever_stick_fore_aft.8) was NOT animated.
To correct the animations on this part, I did the same as for above EXCEPT that deleting the initial part's key frames was NOT necessary
1. deleted the link to the elevator horn part.
2. toggled into animation mode (SHIFT-F5), verified that this part was NOT animated and, toggled out of animation mode (SHIFT-F5)
3. Reset axis rotation
(Toggle IN and OUT of animation mode to verify that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 is now "right".)
4. MOVE the part AXIS to the end of the cable where it butts to the top of the elevator horn. (THIS WILL BE YOUR PIVOT POINT FOR THE CABLE'S ANIMATIONS)
5. LINK the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 part to the elevator horn part lever_stick_fore_aft.6 (as it was originally, but now the cable does not have any animations to it and has a repositioned axis)
6. TOGGLE INTO ANIMATION MODE (you should still be at keyframe=50).
6a. At keyframe=50: rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator centered.
6b. At keyframe=0: rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator in the down position
6c. rotate the part in X (side view) and Y (top view) so that the lever_stick_fore_aft.5 (cable) is at the correct position with the elevator in the up position.
7. Return to Keyframe=50 and toggle OUT of animation mode.
8. In the "normal" view, the part is probably out of kilter again. go into part properties view (F2) and manually set the ROTATION of the axis to 0,0,0.
What I have found is to approach the animations from "parent" to "child", and place the various axis/pivot points at the realistic hinge points.
THe elevator control cables in this type of old crate have two attachment points at the top and bottom of the horn. I'll make the cable's pivot/axis point at the end where it attaches to the horn, and then *reset the axis rotation*. Since in this case, the horn is itself unanimated and a child of the elevator, I'm not concerned about the relationship of the elevator cable to elevator. With the pivot point at the cable's attachment point to the horn, I can cycle through the key frame points and rotate the cable to where it should be, and then set the key frame.
Since you've rotated the linked part (cable) in animation mode, when you finally get out of animation mode the part may keep the last rotation and so it appears to jump out of position. This is why I include the last step to reset the part axis rotation manually to 0,0,0 again.
Hope this helps.
