Default interpolation for switch layer

[Hoptoad]

How about making switch layer keyframes automatically become STEP?

This would save me a little time, as I almost never make any keyframes on a switch layer anything other than step.

This would likely help new users learn switch layers, too.

Thanks.

[Greenlaw]

Aren't Switch keys stepping by default? Normally, a Switch layer makes a hard transition to a different drawing, so there is no interpolation involved. I don't think I've ever had to change interpolation modes when keyframing a Switch layer.

One exception I can think of is when I'm using Interpolate Sub-layers in a Switch...in this case, I may want to use Smooth or Linear because then the morphing effect is active. But that requires a special setup and intent, and when Use Previous Key is enabled, I'm not changing modes after I've set the first key.

[Hoptoad]

Aren't Switch keys stepping by default?

Oh, right.

I should've said something about. . .defaulting to 'step' whenever making a Smart Bone for quickly choosing the desired layer or group.

For example, when lip syncing, mouth layers may go through all the phonemes between AI and MBP, or whatever, because the default interpolation is Smooth or whatever. The solution is not hard: select all the keyframes and make them step. But it takes time. And occasionally I forget to do it and I'm like, what is going wrong?

Boy, I mangled this feature request.

Let me start over. . .

Lost Marble, please make everything easier, always.

[Greenlaw]

Oh, yeah, I see what you mean now.

Here's what I do: set the Smart Bone Dial's rotation key in frame 1 to Linear, and then set frame 0 to Step. With this setup, the SmartBone can animate the sequential Switch drawings in any non-linear order on the Mainline. So long as the default interpolation is set to Use Previous Key, the Smart Bone Dial will always create a Step key.

Bonus Tip: If this Smart Bone is for a mouth shapes Switch, I like to add a parallel Switch layer controlled by the same Smart Bone, that displays Note layers next to the Smart Bone describing the mouth shapes as I turn the dial. This setup works very well, and I used it for many years. For example...



The aqua color is for standard speech shapes, and the gray color is for special mouth shapes. This lets the artist know they can ignore the gray ones when animating lip sync. Sometimes, I'll use color codes to let me know which shapes are morphable, but that's pretty rare.

Additional Info: Nowadays, I just use the Switch Selection window to animate Switch layers because it's easier to set up. Also, a Switch layer using Interpolated Sub-layers can't be animated non-linearly with a Smart Bone, but this feature works fine with the Switch Selection window.

Lost Marble, please make everything easier, always.

+1

[Hoptoad]

Here's what I do: set the Smart Bone Dial's rotation key in frame 1 to Linear, and then set frame 0 to Step. With this setup, the SmartBone can animate the sequential Switch drawings in any non-linear order on the Mainline. So long as the default interpolation is set to Use Previous Key, the Smart Bone Dial will always create a Step key.

Thanks!

I like your idea for using color-coded notes.

Presently, my phoneme notes are arranged like mph on a speedometer, and I move the dial to point to the desired phoneme.

[Greenlaw]

I liked the stacked Notes layer system because it was easy to update, (add a new mouth-shape, just add a new Note,) and each new note didn't take up additional screen space.

Oh, if you use this system, here's another tip: In Preferences>Layer/Objects be sure to enable Enable Note Layer Scaling. This keeps the Notes layout looking good when you zoom in and out in the workspace.