Tracking Curves - Revision history

Ciaran: replace normal links with template:L

2015-01-02T13:45:38Z

Ciaran: :Note: There is a newer tutorial for this topic at Doc:Following a Spline, however, some info from this tutorial such as link/export hasn't yet been added to the new tutorial. There is also another [[Following a BLine (the very old way)|''very'' out

2014-12-31T09:12:13Z

:Note: There is a newer tutorial for this topic at Doc:Following a Spline, however, some info from this tutorial such as link/export hasn't yet been added to the new tutorial. There is also another [[Following a BLine (the very old way)|''very'' out

Ciaran: This is functionally the same as "Following a Spline", right? (I think it is, so I wrote that at the top of the article)

2014-12-31T07:57:03Z

This is functionally the same as "Following a Spline", right? (I think it is, so I wrote that at the top of the article)

Zelgadis: Text replace - "{{Category|NewTerminology}}" to "{{NewTerminology}}"

2013-05-20T08:02:52Z

Text replace - "{{Category|NewTerminology}}" to "{{NewTerminology}}"

D.j.a.y: make it nicer ! (tryto)

2013-04-19T10:45:09Z

make it nicer ! (tryto)

D.j.a.y: 3s 210ko - Gif animated showing "follow-bline.avi"

2013-04-19T10:43:04Z

3s 210ko - Gif animated showing "follow-bline.avi"

D.j.a.y: Update screenshot

2013-04-19T09:58:39Z

Update screenshot

D.j.a.y: Mostly formating {{l and {{Literal|

2013-04-18T19:23:28Z

Mostly formating {{l and {{Literal|

D.j.a.y: Remove outdated note 'some extra functionality will be added to the Synfig Studio GUI to

2013-04-18T19:05:58Z

Remove outdated note 'some extra functionality will be added to the Synfig Studio GUI to

D.j.a.y: Updating : Remove "Studio doesn't indicate which conversion type was used."

2013-04-18T18:58:06Z

Updating : Remove "Studio doesn't indicate which conversion type was used."

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 <!-- Page info end -->
-:Note: There is a newer tutorial for this topic at [[Doc:Following a Spline]], however, some info from this tutorial such as link/export hasn't yet been added to the new tutorial.  There is also another [[Following a BLine (the very old way)|''very'' out-of-date tutorial]] for synfig 0.61.08.
+:Note: There is a newer tutorial for this topic at {{l|Doc:Following a Spline}}, however, some info from this tutorial such as link/export hasn't yet been added to the new tutorial.  There is also another {{l|Following a BLine (the very old way)|''very'' out-of-date tutorial}} for synfig 0.61.08.
 == Introduction ==
-[[File:Track-Curve-tutorial-Follow-bline.gif|frame|left|Extract of Follow-bline as animated gif / 3s - 210ko / ffmpeg -i + gimp resize/export]]
+{{l|File:Track-Curve-tutorial-Follow-bline.gif|frame|left|Extract of Follow-bline as animated gif / 3s - 210ko / ffmpeg -i + gimp resize/export}}
 [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ7C-FcxAy0 YouTube] |
 {{l|Media:Follow-bline.sifz|follow-bline.sifz}} | [http://dooglus.rincevent.net/synfig/follow-bline.avi follow-bline.avi]

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 <!-- Page info end -->
-:A tutorial for a more recent method for this is at [[Doc:Following a Spline]]
+:Note: There is a newer tutorial for this topic at [[Doc:Following a Spline]], however, some info from this tutorial such as link/export hasn't yet been added to the new tutorial.  There is also another [[Following a BLine (the very old way)|''very'' out-of-date tutorial]] for synfig 0.61.08.
 == Introduction ==

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 {{NewTerminology}}
 <!-- Page info end -->
 == Introduction ==

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 {{Category|Tutorials}}
 {{Category|Tutorials Advanced}}
-{{Category|NewTerminology}}
+{{NewTerminology}}
 <!-- Page info end -->

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == Introduction ==
+[[File:Track-Curve-tutorial-Follow-bline.gif|frame|left|Extract of Follow-bline as animated gif / 3s - 210ko / ffmpeg -i + gimp resize/export]]
 [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ7C-FcxAy0 YouTube] |
 {{l|Media:Follow-bline.sifz|follow-bline.sifz}} | [http://dooglus.rincevent.net/synfig/follow-bline.avi follow-bline.avi]

@@ Line 112: / Line 112: @@
 == Screen Shot ==
-This screen shot shows all the exported ValueNodes in the top right.  Note that a few of them aren't necessary, such as the 'yellow', 'red', and 'width' ValueNodes.  Well, actually none of them are necessary - it's possible to do the whole animation without exporting anything at all.  It would lead to a small amount of duplication, since both the position of the blob and the direction of the light beam are driven by the same angle.  But mainly exporting is a way of naming the ValueNodes, which acts as a kind of documentation.
+This screen shot shows all the exported ValueNodes in the top right.  Note that a few of them aren't necessary, such as the {{Literal|yellow}}, {{Literal|red}}, and {{Literal|width}} {{l|ValueNodes}}.  Well, actually none of them are necessary - it's possible to do the whole animation without exporting anything at all.  It would lead to a small amount of duplication, since both the position of the blob and the direction of the light beam are driven by the same angle.  But mainly exporting is a way of naming the ValueNodes, which acts as a kind of documentation.
-In the parameter dialog in the bottom left you can see some of the sub-parameters of the  '{{l|Tracking Curves#Moving Point|moving point}}' ValueNode.
+In the {{l|Parameters_Panel|Parameters}} panel in the bottom left you can see some of the sub-parameters of the  '{{l|Tracking Curves#Moving Point|moving point}}' ValueNode.
-{{l|Image:Track-curve-screenshot.png}}
+<gallery caption="Track Curve screenshots" widths="500px" heights="600px" perrow="2">

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 When this animation was created (in 2007), it was possible to make a layer track a curve with just 2 points, but not to get it to track a general curve.
-Since then, new {{l|Convert|conversion types}} called "{{l|Convert#Spline Vector|Spline Vector}}" and "{{l|Convert#Spline Tangent|Spline Tangent}}" have been added to Synfig, and so tracking a general Spline is now possible.  See {{l|Doc:Following a Spline|this tutorial}} for an example.
+Since then, new {{l|Convert|conversion types}} called "{{l|Convert#Spline Vector|Spline Vector}}" and "{{l|Convert#Spline Tangent|Spline Tangent}}" have been added to Synfig, and so tracking a general {{Literal|Spline}} is now possible.  See {{l|Doc:Following a Spline|this tutorial}} for an example.
 == Details ==
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 ==== top-level layer 1: moving blob ====
-An group of three layers.  Its origin is connected to the exported ValueNode "{{l|Tracking Curves#Moving Point|moving point}}".  The three layers are:
+An {{l|Group|group}} of three layers.  Its origin is {{l|Connect|connected}} to the {{l|Export|exported}} {{l|ValueNode}} "{{l|Tracking Curves#Moving Point|moving point}}".  The three {{l|Layers|layers}} are:
-* direction of movement - The fuzzy white beam of light.  This is a simple spline with a feather of 0.3 units to make it fuzzy.  Its vertices are connected to the ValueNode called "{{l|Tracking Curves#Beam of Light|beam of light}}".
+* direction of movement - The fuzzy white beam of light.  This is a simple spline with a feather of 0.3 units to make it fuzzy.  Its vertices are connected to the {{l|ValueNode}} called "{{l|Tracking Curves#Beam of Light|beam of light}}".
 * inner circle - The smaller yellow circle.  Not animated at all.
 * outer circle - The larger red circle.  Not animated at all.
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 ==== top-level layer 2: line ====
-The moving curve which the object follows.  It has {{l|Waypoints|waypoints}} at 0s, 16s, and 32s to make the line move.  I exported four of its animated {{l|ValueNode|ValueNodes}} so that I could use them later to define the curved segment that the blob should follow.
+The moving curve which the object follows.  It has {{l|Waypoints|waypoints}} at 0s, 16s, and 32s to make the line move.  I {{l|Export|exported}} four of its animated {{l|ValueNode|ValueNodes}} so that I could use them later to define the curved segment that the blob should follow.
 The exported four {{l|ValueNode|ValueNodes}} are:
@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 * tangent2 - The tangent at the end of the curve
-The moving curve is an {{l|Outline Layer}}, created using the {{l|Spline Tool}}.  It only has 2 vertices.  Note that the {{l|Spline Tool}} creates layers which have lists of {{l|SplinePoints}} to define the shape of the layer, and that {{l|SplinePoints}} contain more than just vertices and tangents.  {{l|SplinePoints}} also have parameters like 'split tangents', and 'width', which aren't relevant when creating a Segment, so I only exported the four {{l|ValueNode|ValueNodes}} that I needed to create the Segment.
+The moving curve is an {{l|Outline Layer}}, created using the {{l|Spline Tool}}.  It only has 2 vertices.  Note that the {{l|Spline Tool}} creates layers which have lists of {{l|SplinePoints}} to define the shape of the layer, and that {{l|SplinePoints}} contain more than just vertices and tangents.  {{l|SplinePoints}} also have parameters like split tangents', and {{Literal|width}}, which aren't relevant when creating a Segment, so I only exported the four {{l|ValueNode|ValueNodes}} that I needed to create the Segment.
 ==== top-level layer 3: black background ====
@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 === Moving Point ===
-The "moving point" ValueNode represents the point on the moving spline where the circles are currently centered.  It is an exported ValueNode of type "{{l|Convert#Segment Vertex|Segment Vertex}}".  It has 2 components which determine the vertex that is used as its value:
+The "moving point" {{l|ValueNode}} represents the point on the moving spline where the circles are currently centered.  It is an exported ValueNode of type "{{l|Convert#Segment Vertex|Segment Vertex}}".  It has 2 components which determine the vertex that is used as its value:
 * segment - this uses the ValueNode called "{{l|Tracking Curves#Spline|spline}}"
 * amount - this uses the ValueNode called "{{l|Tracking Curves#Spline Parameter|spline parameter}}"
@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 The "beam of light" ValueNode is a two-point spline, with vertices as follows:
-* Vertex001 - This is the vertex at the center of the circle.  It doesn't need to move, since the circles don't move.  What moves is the "moving blob" layer, the group layer which contains this line and the two circles.  So this vertex has a constant position of (0,0)
+* Vertex001 - This is the vertex at the center of the circle.  It doesn't need to move, since the circles don't move.  What moves is the "moving blob" layer, the {{l|Group|group}} layer which contains this line and the two circles.  So this vertex has a constant position of (0,0)
 * Vertex002 - This is the other end of the fuzzy white beam.  It was a width of 5 units to make the beam diverge.  Its position is connected to the ValueNode called "{{l|Tracking Curves#Scaled Tangent|scaled tangent}}".

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 How was that achieved?  It's currently quite complicated to set up an arrangement like this in Synfig Studio, so I'll describe here how it works.
 == Discussion ==
-If you download the .sif file and load it into Synfig Studio, it really isn't easy to see how the effect is achieved.
+If you download the .sifz file and load it into Synfig Studio, it really isn't easy to see how the effect is achieved.
-  When this animation was created (2007) , it was possible to make a layer track a curve with just 2 points, but not to get it to track a general curve.
+When this animation was created (in 2007), it was possible to make a layer track a curve with just 2 points, but not to get it to track a general curve.
 Since then, new {{l|Convert|conversion types}} called "{{l|Convert#Spline Vector|Spline Vector}}" and "{{l|Convert#Spline Tangent|Spline Tangent}}" have been added to Synfig, and so tracking a general Spline is now possible.  See {{l|Doc:Following a Spline|this tutorial}} for an example.