CompuServe Thread

CALC.ZIP is back… A few weeks ago I upload a free IPAS Plug-In to the forum. I discovered a problem with it, so I had to pull it from the libs. I have corrected and tested things and have upload the file again. If you missed the blurb the first time, here it is again… K e y f r a m e C a l c u l a t o r A freeware IPAS Plug-In to allow users to keyframe objects and selection sets of objects using accurate AutoCAD type coordinate entry. Over the past few months I have worked on several forensic and architectural animations. I really wished I some additional keyframing tools, so using the IPAS3 toolkit I added these features: – A method to use AutoCAD type coordinate entry (Rectangular, Polar, Cylindrical, and Spherical coordinates). – A method to accurately keyframe distances in feet and inches. – A method to Scale and Rotate objects in _decimal_ amounts. – A method to keyframe multiple objects at once (Selection Sets). – A simple method to read keyframe information from an ASCII file (so experts with whom I've worked could give me the positions directly and I could just read them in). The program is set up around a Reverse Polish Notation Calculator (ala Hewlett-Packard). It is designed in this way to allow you to perform arithmetic on keyframe parameters, and to retrieve key information from objects and apply that information to other objects. Parameters for keyframe functions are placed on the calculator stack. This stack supports the following data types: – Real Numbers (Decimal or Feet and Inches). – Points or Displacements (Width, Depth, Height). – Scale Factors (Width, Depth, Height). – Rotation Angles (Width, Depth, Height). – Mesh and Dummy Objects. – Selection Sets of Mesh and Dummy Objects. – RGB Color Quantities (For future use). – Transformation Matrices (For future use). The program supports the following coordinate formats for Position keys: Rectangular: Width, Depth, Height 0,0,5.1' 2'3",4'3-1/2",5" Polar: Distance<Angle in Plan 4'6"<45.6 5.125'<270.1 Cylindrical: Distance<Angle in Plan, Height 4'<45,8' 5'6-1/2"<0,6.2" Spherical: Distance<Angle in Plan<Angle Up from Plan 4'<45<30.5 Here is the list of available Calculator Functions: – Create Keyframes: Create Position Key, Create Rotation Key, Create Scale Key, Read Script File. – Retrieve Keyframes: Get Position Key, Get Scale Key, Get Pivot Point. – Retrieve Object Info: Object To Point, Get Object Size. -Object Selection: Choose Objects, Tag Selection Set, Pick Object, Pick Selection Set. – Arithmetic: +, -, *, /, ^, %, %-Change, Sin, Cos, Tan, Arc Sin, Arc Cos, Arc Tan, Square Root, Absolute Value, Change Sign, Integer Portion, Fractional Portion, Round To Disp Prec. – Stack Manipulation: Enter, Clear Level 1, Clear Stack, Last Stack, Stack To Point, Point To Stack, Swap 1 And 2, Swap 1 And 3, Swap 1 And 4, Swap 2 And 3, Swap 2 And 4. – Display Control: Hide Dialog, View Level 1, Display As Decimal, Display As Ftin, Absolute Toggle, Format Toggle. – Function Execution: Function List, Repeat Last Func. – Strokes: Teach Stroke, View Strokes, Delete Stroke. – Color Manipulator (for future use): Enter Color, Edit Color. – Matrix Operations (for future use): Enter Matrix, Matrix Init, Get Object Xform. There is online help for every button in the dialog and every command in the program. The keyboard is programmable so you can assign frequently used commands to keys for quick execution. There is also an interesting user interface technique called 'Strokes' which allows you to sketch a shape with the mouse and assign a program command to execute each time this shape is drawn. The program is free. It is in the IPAS Usage library and is called CALC.ZIP. It contains a short tutorial to help you get started (There is an ASCII version and a MS-Word version. If you can print Word documents, I recommend you print that one as it is _much_ easier to read). I hope you find the program useful and enjoy using it, Mark PS: Thanks to everyone who helped me test this new version out. And special thanks to Gus Grubba who sent me some code for creating rotation keys.