3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [377]
For more information on MAXScript, Bonus Chapter 21, “Automating with MAXScript,” on the CD. •
XRef controller
If you have a defined motion used by an object in another file that you want to access, you can use the XRef controller. This controller can be assigned only to the Transform track. When this controller is assigned, a file dialog box opens where you can select the XRef file; then in the Merge Object dialog box, you can select a specific object that has the controller and motion you want to use.
In the Parameters rollout for the XRef controller is a button to open the XRef Object dialog box with the XRef Record highlighted. The Parameters rollout also lists the XRef file, object, and status.
Cross-Reference
XRefs are covered in detail in Chapter 3, “Working with Files, Importing, and Exporting.” •
Position track controllers
Position track controller types include some of the common default controllers and can be assigned to the Position track. They typically work with three unique values representing the X-, Y-, and Z-axes. These controllers can be assigned from the Animation⇒Position Controllers menu. Many of the controllers found in this menu also are found in the Rotation and Scale Controllers menu.
Audio controller
The Audio controller can control an object's transform, color, or parameter value in response to the amplitude of a sound file. The Audio Controller dialog box, shown in Figure 35.18, includes Choose Sound and Remove Sound buttons for loading or removing sound files. You can access the Audio Controller dialog box by right-clicking on the track where the Audio Controller is assigned and selecting the Properties menu from the pop-up menu, or simply double-click on the track.
FIGURE 35.18
The Audio Controller dialog box lets you change values based on the amplitude of a sound file.
The Real Time Control drop-down list lets you specify a device to control the system. To control the sound input, you can specify a Sample Threshold and Oversampling rate. You also can set Base Point and Target Point values for each axis. The Channel options let you specify which channel to use: Left, Right, or Mix.
Motion Clip Slave controller
The Motion Clip Slave controller lets a linked motion clip that is loaded and defined in the Motion Mixer control the object's transform.
Motion Capture controller
The Motion Capture controller allows you to control an object's transforms using an external device such as a mouse, keyboard, joystick, or MIDI device. This controller works with the Motion Capture utility to capture motion data.
After you assign the Motion Capture controller to a track, right-click the track and select Properties from the pop-up menu to open the Motion Capture panel, shown in Figure 35.19. This dialog box lets you select the devices to use to control the motion of the track values. Options include Keyboard, Mouse, Joystick, and MIDI devices.
FIGURE 35.19
The Motion Capture controller lets you control track values using external devices.
For the Keyboard control, the Keyboard Input Device rollout appears, as shown in Figure 35.20. The Assign button lets you select a keyboard key to track. The other settings control the Envelope Graph, which defines how quickly key presses are tracked.
FIGURE 35.20
The Keyboard Input Device rollout lets you select which key press is captured.
The Motion Capture dialog box defines only which device controls which values. The actual capturing of data is accomplished using the Motion Capture utility. Selecting the Motion Capture utility in the Utility panel displays the Motion Capture rollout. This rollout includes buttons to Start, Stop, and Test the data-capturing process.
Before you can use the Start, Stop, and Test buttons, you need to select the tracks to capture from the Tracks list. The Record Range section lets you set the Preroll, In, and Out values, which are the frame numbers to include. You also can set the number of Samples Per Frame. The Reduce Keys option removes any unnecessary keys, if enabled.
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