TOOLS X LAYERS - Assign a layer to a tool and switch both with one click.

[spyderheart]

Hi all,

This custom panel evolved out of a discussion happening over here: viewtopic.php?f=34&t=11097

The panel can be used to store your most commonly used tools for quick access. In addition to loading a tool, each button can also automatically chose a specific layer. This can be very useful for constantly switching between a sketch layer and a paint layer, or from a storyboard panel layer to a note layer to name a couple of examples. The tool and layer can be switched simultaneously with a single click or better yet - a keystroke or wacom button (if you assign shortcuts to the tool buttons).

Questions and feedback welcome!
Enjoy

David

[Svengali]

Hi David,
Interesting experiment... I'm also very interested in your clever (help) file, too, using the tv_GetString command, a very innovative solution for online documentation. I'm going to try a few of my own experiments with it for some things I'm working on. Thanks for showing the way.

BTW, after I found that the \n line-wrap is available for insertion in various commands, I started adding multi-line Comments to some of my buttons - a very useful way to include roll-over instructions and info right inside the Button/Script tool!

Sven

[spyderheart]

Thanks Sven,
I really just needed a way for users to copy/paste some text - which you can't do with tv_warn. Of course having everything aligned to the left is a nice perk too
D

[Sewie]

This is a great idea that is going to be very helpful. Thanks for sharing, David!

[spyderheart]

This is a great idea that is going to be very helpful. Thanks for sharing, David!

Thanks Sewie! Glad you like it.

[spyderheart]

FYI everybody: I'll be updating it at some point so let me know what it needs.

You may notice that the target layer setting is not remembered from session to session. Fixing this is a priority for the next release but luckily it's super quick to re-assign the layer on the fly so it shouldn't slow anyone down much

[daninski]

I like the sound of this! So I can set new animation layers to always use a blue pencil, new clean up layers to always use black pencil, and new colour layers to always be a watercolour?

I'll have a good look at this before my next job.

[spyderheart]

I like the sound of this! So I can set new animation layers to always use a blue pencil, new clean up layers to always use black pencil, and new colour layers to always be a watercolour?

Similar but, not quite. You set it up so that whenever you select the blue pencil, it chooses an animation layer. Furthemore, you have to tell it exactly which layer. Each tool can have a different layer connection for each clip.

What your suggesting is the inverse - to select the layer and automatically switch the tool. That's also a great idea but I think a lot harder to achieve with scripting. Not impossible but not what the script currently does.

Play around with it though. I think you'll find that for practical purposes it comes close to (i.e it will save you as much time as...) the way you're thinking of it.

[spyderheart]

TOOLS X LAYERS version 1.1 is up!
Download from the original post at the top!

Recent Changes:
-Better at reconnecting layers to tools between sessions, layer merges, etc.
-Less clutter in Embedded George Scripts, relies on stored scripts instead
-New Icons.

[Elodie]

That's a great, great tool ! Thank you for sharing !

[Animationriver]

That's a great, great tool ! Thank you for sharing !

Cool! Great tool! Now Elodie can do cool iterations with this tool! Probably I can already expect a new small video on this topic!)) How to use this tool X layers? ))

Big Thaks for spyderheart!

[spyderheart]

That's a great, great tool ! Thank you for sharing !

Thanks Elodie!
There are a couple of George requests that could make it even better
http://forum.tvpaint.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=11097
http://forum.tvpaint.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=11204

That's a great, great tool ! Thank you for sharing !

Cool! Great tool! Now Elodie can do cool iterations with this tool! Probably I can already expect a new small video on this topic!)) How to use this tool X layers? ))

Big Thaks for spyderheart!

Thank you! I've tried my best to to make the tool self-explanatory but you are absolutely right that a quick video always helps. It's on my to do list.

[Cardin Collins]

Looking forward to trying this out. This seems like it will be very helpful. Thank you for sharing.

[Lise]

I made a quick video for the Japanese forum. I post it here too.

I recorded in a hurry so it is not "top-quality" but I hope it will be useful to apprehend the tool.

toolstolayer.mov

[Animationriver]

I made a quick video for the Japanese forum. I post it here too.

I recorded in a hurry so it is not "top-quality" but I hope it will be useful to apprehend the tool.

toolstolayer.mov

Thank you for the video.
But...