Thanks Achim, That looks very very very smart! This is definitely something I need to learn. I always thought that the javascript elements didn't store any of the values defined in the function. This could be very beneficial for what I'm trying to do, which is have a quartz composition controllable from a web page.
Thanks a lot for all your help, and I'm sure you'll be hearing from me in the future! Regards, Charlie On 3 November 2010 07:46, Achim Breidenbach <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Charlie, > > just google "state machine", there are lots of definitions out there. In > short: A state machine is a programming pattern, where the "state" of your > machine is always a single one out of a set. In your case: each of your > animation phases is a state and you switch from one state to another only if > a certain condition is met. > > Find enclosed a composition where I tried to build your animation with a > state machine implemented in JavaScript. > > In our Video Production Software BoinxTV we use a lot of state machines in > the QuartzCompositions because they are very robust. > > best, > > Achim Breidenbach > Boinx Software > > > > On 02.11.2010, at 16:36, Charlie Francis wrote: > > Thank you very much Keith. > > This is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for to solve this > particular problem. > I edited it to animate the mask image, animating the crop x value using a > maths function connected to the 0 to 1 scale. > > Achim: > I have been using the Sample & Hold patch quite a lot, but my main problem > has been generating the point of sampling. > I'll certainly look into the Swipe patch, there are so many patches in > Quartz that it's impossible to just stumble upon them without a guide. > Could you please explain to me what a state machine is, and how to create > it? > > I was thinking about trying to make an animation queuing system, but I > think it's completely beyond me. Especially as I come a background of PHP > programming (scripting if you will). > > Regards, > Charlie > > On 1 November 2010 22:49, Keith Lang <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi Charlie, >> >> This is how I would do it with the minimum of patches and no >> JavaScript (not that it should be avoided). >> >> I'm using a Smooth patch here for the most robust interaction, where >> potentially the user is changing input values again while the >> transition is still taking place. >> >> Basically, the patch >> 1. watches for a change in input >> 2. Sets target alpha to 0 >> 3. Alpha is smoothed down to 0 >> 4. When smoothed output hits 0, the text is updated to match current >> input using Sample & Hold (as per Achim's suggestion) >> 5. Target alpha is set to 1 >> 6. Alpha smoothly moves back to 1 >> >> I'm not sure what you were doing with the mask etc, I'll leave that >> bit up to you. >> >> >> Keith >> >> >> On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 6:19 AM, Achim Breidenbach <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> > Hi Charlie, >> > >> > just my two cents: >> > >> > - have a look at the "Sample & Hold" patch, which can help you keeping >> the old string as long as you needed to fade it out, then switching to the >> new text from your string input patch. >> > >> > - you properly don't need to create your own mask with the gradient, try >> to apply the "Swipe" patch on your text image. >> > >> > - maybe it would be much simpler to implement a state machine in a >> JavaScript patch instead of doing all the transition controlling in pure QC. >> > >> > Best, >> > >> > Achim Breidenbach >> > Boinx Software >> > >> > >> > On 01.11.2010, at 17:49, Charlie Francis wrote: >> > >> >> Hi, >> >> >> >> I'm currently trying to create a composition that will animate a mask >> over an image, change the text supplied to that image, and then animate the >> mask back. All on a command input. >> >> >> >> I have created a composition that does this, but I don't feel that it >> is Robust enough, and it flickers when the text changes. >> >> The way I would like this to happen is that the first text string is >> stored in a multiplexer as a default value, any time the update string is >> left blank, the animation fades out and replaces it with default value. >> >> If the string is updated with another value, then the current string >> should fade out and then be replaced by the new string. >> >> >> >> I've attached a copy of the test composition I've been working on. I'm >> still a big beginner in this Quartz Animation stuff, so would like to know >> some guidelines on how I can improve my skills! And better ways of setting >> up this type of 'command, fire animation, fire animation, end' stack >> >> >> >> Regards, >> >> Charlie >> >> <fade_animation.qtz> _______________________________________________ >> >> Do not post admin requests to the list. 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