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Hi.

For the first time I am using TV paint with an audio clip but I have a bit of an issue.

I drew my main poses "stacked" (one after the other) and started adding exposure to each of them in order to match the audio clip but I realised that when I drag a tail, it moves the following heads too.

This is fine most of the time but when tweaking timing this becomes an issue as everything get shifted.

Is there a magic key to press to be able to move a tail without changing the timing of the following cells or isn't this possible in TV Paint?

Olive

Hi Oliveuk,
If I have understood what you want to do is modify the timing of an instance without moving the following one.
So you would like to be able to overwrite the following instances when increasing the duration of one instance?
Am I ok with your idea?

Whether or not oliveuk would like what Patrice is suggesting, I sure would!
The timing tool described shouldn't be too hard to program and would imagine that it could be useful for other animators.
Perhaps hold down shift/control/alt while dragging the tail-notch (that's what I call it) for "overwrite"?

-David

That could be very useful feature..

Mikko

That's a great feature! We will maybe add it later.

i agree that the instance system could be further perfected.
for example; sometimes i want to make a certain instance longer but i want to have the added exposures at the front end(to the left) and not the back (the right side) as it works now.
I can do this now, but i have to first drag the instance out for the desired number of frames and then carefully shift the whole layer back for the exact amount of added exposures.

why not make the instance drag handle work both ways?
this means: as soon as you drag the handle leftward, past the left side of the head, the head will shift one position to the left (shifting everything in front of it with it) and leaving the position of the tail(and following instances) in tact, thus in effect adding an exposure 'to the left'


in reaction to what Patrice says
I'm not sure if we want to overwrite following instance heads
but i would love an option where only the selected instance handle moves
and all of the following instances and exposures stay in place (off course except the adjacent instance head because it is linked with the exposure handle that you are adjusting) see image
(for example by holding the CTRL key while dragging?) see image

this could also work 'to the left' if you drag the handle past the left side of the head, the head will shift one position to the left but because you hold CTRL it will not push other instances that are in front


could you follow all this??

Hi Tantalus,
That's why I have understood (but my explaination was not good).
I think it is an important feature for animators.

cool, very glad you see the importance!


my suggestion for dragging instance to the left was not well thought out enough though.
we do probably need the help of a function button (ALT or SHIFT) because when there are already exposures, draging left will off course first reduce the existing exposures before you reach the left side of the head frame which is not wanted.

yeah luckily Tantalus posted a picture to explain it and yes we could for example use the CTRL key to increase the exposure of a pose without pushing the following poses except the very next one.

I know you don't like to look at other software but Monkey Jam does that in a very nice manner with the help of + - and the CTRL key to push the following cells.

I think I remember PAP broadcast behaving in a similar manner.

This would be an essential function for animators.

Olive