#Keyframer paths
15 messages in this thread
How do I rotate a path in the keyframer? Heres what Im trying to do:
I have the nucleus of an atom and I want 3 electrons orbiting the nucleus at 3
different angles if you look from the front view. I created the circular path
in the shaper and from the keyframer I "got" the path. No matter what viewport
I get the path from, It remains a circle from the top viewport only. This
gives me 3 electrons orbiting the same plane. There must be some way to rotate
the path.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Rich C.
<< I created the circular path in the shaper and from the keyframer I "got" the
path>>
If you import the path from the shaper into the 3DLofter, you can rotate the
path in the lofter and then import from the lofter to the keyframer.
-Brian
Thanks for your prompt response. I wish all forums were this good
–RC
>> Any suggestions? <<
Try going to the lofter and "get path" from shaper. Rotate, move, scale, …
as you need. Then go to the keyframer and "get path" from lofter.
Thanks Alden, I knew it was something easy!
–RC
Richard,
Instead of using paths, how about trying something different?
Place a dummy object in the nucleus and link an electron to the dummy.
Now you can simply rotate the dummy to make the electron orbit the nucleus.
Use Rotate Absolute to orbit on any plane.
There is an exercise for doing exactly this in Chapter 15 of "Inside 3D
Studio".
Steven
Steve:
Excellent Idea! I guess I was brain dead. I just used that technique for a
camera move.
Thanks for the help!
–RC
Richard, It is easier to first import your path into the lofter, you can then
rotate it etc and then from there bring it into the KF. That should work fine
for you. You could also move the pivot point of your electron to the center of
the nucleus and then rotate it. – But, since elctrons do not orbit the nucleus
why do it at all?
DM
What are you telling me David!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the 3DS advise but what about that last quip!
–RC
>> What are you telling me David!!!!!!!!
I have absolutely no idea what you're referring to Richard. Please be more
specific.
DM
David,
I think I was refering to your comment on why I should even want to
create an animation showing electrons orbiting a nucleus. I suppose
you were refering to the dumbbell shaped orbitals? I did develop an
animation to show those, but in order to show the photoelectric
effect, compton scattering and pair production. A simplified
"orbiting electron" animation can illustrate this better than the
dumb bells. Thats all. Thanks for your response. __RC
>>rotating electrons…
Hey! I did that once. (I live here in Oak Ridge, TN, "Atomic City. <g>)
If I can remember correctly (it's been a few years)… I made several rings and
positioned them appropriately in the Editor. My "electrons" were spheres that I
linked to rotating dummies positioned in the center of each ring. (I didn't
try to import a circular path)
I remember the biggest problem I had was getting the dummy precisely aligned
with the plane of the rings. I did this by aligning a user view in the Editor,
writing down the angles reported at the top of the screen, then manually
adjusting a user-view in the KF till the numbers matched. (This is only good
to the nearest degree.) To align the user-view precisely in the Editor, I
built a tempory face between vertices of my (torus) ring and aligned the view
to the face.
Note that this was a long time ago and I might think of a better way now. <g>
Good luck!
(Hey, do you want my atom .3DS file?)
JKJ
Yeah! I'd love to see your model. I used to live near Atomic City, Idaho
(INEL)
Do you work at Oak Ridge? Before I started this fun stuff, I used to be a
Health Physics Technician. I just cant seem to get away from it!
Thanks for the tips (I dont mean TIPS – Traversing Incore Probe System) 🙂
Ok, I'll dig up the 3DS and email it to you.
I work at Oak Ridge National Lab doing software (officially) and technical CG
(unofficially). I know the Health Physics route – I once had a job (NDT &
metallography) where they made nuclear fuel elements and did a little part-time
HP (air samples, alpha-counts, etc.) Kind of neat to hold a little chunck of
93% enriched uranium worth more money than I'll ever make in my lifetime!
Richard,
I just zipped and emailed ATOM.3DS to you, summer of '92 version. <g> It has an
"atom" flying out of the Oak Ridge area on a Tennessee map.
Due to perspective, it's set up to render in the front view to get a classic
atom representation.
JKJ