NEW BLENDER FEATURE - NAMED LAYERS

ace1 · Post by **ace1** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 2:10 am

I'm almost finished coding the 2nd of 4 new features. I'm adding named layers to the functionality of Blender (a MUST when producing a large professional animation production). At present, it works the same as the present layer system as far as selectability is concerned.Also, the names of the layers are readily visible rather than a scroll down like the render layers UI.
But, I need some feedback from fellow coders/users.Do you think that each layer should have it's own visibility/invisibility toggle or leave the layer selection sytem as it is?

Looking to hear from you. 2 heads are better than one.I'm looking to submit a patch within a week or 2. It doesn't replace the present toggle button UI yet. I'll wait on the patch evaluation to see which direction it will go and if it will be accepted.

Named bone layers "may" come shortly after (which is needed as well).

Thanks

BeBraw · Post by **BeBraw** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:39 am

It will be interesting to see how you solved this problem. You could post about this at the funboard (http://lists.blender.org/pipermail/bf-funboard/). Remember to subscribe on the list before sending to it.

Koba · Post by **Koba** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 11:18 am

Finally it is here!

I've been using Blender seriously for a whole year and now it is the "small" features that I desire most! Very much looking forward to trying this out for you!

Koba

P.S> Just so you know, the other feature I would kill for is an internal "drag and drop" object/mesh/armature/material library with previews. Just in case!

ace1 · Post by **ace1** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:30 pm

The named layers UI is now fully syncronized with the current layer system.But, can anyone explain to me how the .blend files are saved so as to imbed the user's layer names in the .blend so that when they save
the .blend and open them again , the layer names can be reloaded so that they don't lose them?

Hoping to have the code fully cooked in a few more days (pending my ability to dicipher the creation and loading of .blend file data).

Thanks in advance

lguillaume · Post by **lguillaume** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:53 pm

You can take a look to an old patch I made from the dt blender project : http://blendertestbuilds.de/index.php?d ... rlayer.zip

Post by **stiv** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 6:14 pm

In the Architecture documents in the Development secion of blender.org, there are some notes on the sDNA system and file reading that might be helpful.

ace1 · Post by **ace1** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 12:12 pm

I'm in the final stage of development of this feature.I need some help understanding the SDNA system.As mentioned before,the named layers feature has to save the user's input of their layer names in the .blend files.

My questions are as follows:Must I save my header file that holds the arrays as #include DNA.......types.h and put it in the DNA #include directory?

Also, must all my variables be stored in structures in the header files?
Does this system allow for globals in the header files or only structures and defines?

Must my code header info be referenced from the #include DNA....types.h header ?

And lastly, to save me some time,can someone give me a brief walkthrough as to how to make the SDNA system work. I've read the docs.It seems simple but, coding for Blender has a somewhat steep learning curve to it.I'm a veteran coder but new to the Blender codebase.

Note: The patch was very helpful (maybe after feedback on the feature itself,I'll add custom color and drawtype functionality ):D

Thanks

lguillaume · Post by **lguillaume** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 1:44 pm

Hi, nice to see someone who can make a layer system, I had some idea when I first made the patch, I only need to remember all of this, for example be able to set the visibility of the layer on the render (we can set this visibility object by object in the oops editor).

I found the drawtype usefull to set the background in a scene in drawboxe mode, to know where is the object but withot slowing the view, I just a click on a button to show full detaill some object.

Good luck

ace1 · Post by **ace1** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:17 pm

Can anyone tell me how to save user input into blend files?
I've gotten makesdna to recognize my structure in my DNA... header file and it's making dna.c just fine.But, it's not saving the user input stored in the arrays in the struct.
Do I have to modify attributes of makesdna to do so?
Thanks

Koba · Post by **Koba** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:23 am

What is happening to this?

Surely some kind person has helped you out, ace1 and you'll have a build on graphicall.org any time soon! (crosses fingers)

Koba

ace1 · Post by **ace1** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:48 am

I finally finalized the code and got it to work like I wanted late last week.Expect a patch and a build by Tuesday.