#User-to-camera quickie?
12 messages in this thread
All –
If one creates a "user view" with just the view/range you want, is there a
"quick-and-dirty" way to create a corresponding camera view? If not, would
this be a good wish-list item?
Gayle G de N
Hi Gayle,
<< If not, would this be a good wish-list item? >>
If it's important to you as an animator using 3DS, then it's a good wish list
item.
..got it.
jonas[adesk]
Similarly the ability to convert any view top, etc. to a camera would be great
too.
Oh !!!! Gayle……
……..NO !!! I'm gonna resist……………..I can do it…….errrr…
<g>
>>user view -> camera view…
Gayle,
Just catching up on messages here. I use the following method to align a
camera with a user view. Quick, and not too dirty. <g>
– Create a small sphere ("target sphere") an place it in the
midst of your scene.
– In the desired UserView, move the "target sphere" until it is
as close as you can get it to the center of the viewport. If you
draw diagonals on the monitor with a marker this is easier.
– Move a copy of the sphere ("camera sphere") away from the center
of the scene and towards the viewer. The further away, the better.
– Save the user viewport ("[") and zoom extents. In the UserView,
select the "camera sphere" and move it till it is aligned in the
viewport with the "target sphere". Zoom in as necessary for a
precise alignment.
– Create a camera. In any two ortho views (e.g., top and front),
move the target to the center of "target sphere". Move the camera
to the center of "camera sphere".
– Restore the user view ("{"). Use Camera/Dolly and
Camera/Perspective until the camera view matches the user view.
Hide the spheres.
The whole thing only takes a couple of minutes.
JKJ
John,
Thank you for taking the time for such a detailed reply … it's posted on the
monitor 🙂 . I will try it next time I've got a user view "just right". I do
bet, though, that this would be one of those wonderful little convenience
features that would be "relatively" easy to add to R5 … R4 was packed with
them … and here I am, ingrate, already taking them for granted ;-< .
Gayle G de N
Gayle,
Did you catch David Gould's camera alignment method in msg # 163524? Much
quicker AND easier that what I was doing. Check it out!
JKJ
Good to see you back in the pack <g>
In addition to the "link to box" method I found a quicker way to turn a User
View into a Camera:
In the User View do this:
1) In the User Viewer, press the up cursor 9 times. This rotates the user view
around exactly 90% from it's original position so that it is now perpendicular
to it's original orientation.
2) Create a camera in the User View with the target located vertically above(as
seen in the viewport) the camera. This creates a camera that "rests" on the
User View Plane that is now perfectly perpedicular to the original User View,
so your camera is pointing perpendicularly to the original User View.
3) Change the view to this camera then dolly out or use Camera/Move while
pressing Ctrl to reposition the camera to have it focused on the area of
interest.
If the camera is pointing in the wrong direction just use the down cursor key
rather then the up or dolly so far in that you "pop" out the other side.
DaviD "Old Used User Views for sale" GouID
DDGD,
>>UserView-> camera, up cursor…
Very nice method – clean and quick. I can't remember the last time I used the
cursor keys to rotate the user view – thanks for the reminder! Man, there is
too much to know… <g>
JKJ
PMJI – got it. I never cease to be amazed at the multiple solutions to any 3DS
challenges …. Thank you both. Gayle G de N.
<<Very nice method – clean and quick.>>
I'm on the eternal search for the one keystroke that produces instance award
winning animations. I've tried all the key combinations in 3DS and still
haven't found it. I'm sure that this "super dooper animation producer" function
is there somewhere. Till then I guess I have to spend hours pushing numerous
keys and mouse buttons to create an animation. Too bad. <g>
<<I can't remember the last time I used the cursor keys to rotate the user
view>>
Holding down Shift+cursor keys rotates the user view by 1 degree increments.
The learning never ends…
When R5 arrives I may never see the sun again!
DaviD "Sprinkling fairy dust on my keyboard" GouID