Hi Frank,
We decided to restrict operators that modify the topology to the modeling construction mode, to avoid that people hit various problems in the long run. The fact that we know all modeling ops are in the modeling region actually permits some of the magic of the construction modes...
However I agree that it could make sense that the slice is in the animation region, but the current rules won't allow it. Still, here are two things that can help you:
1) If the slice in the modeling stack of your mesh, you can still modify the mesh before the slice by first doing "disable from here" on the slice operator. Actually, to avoid problems, you should actually create all the clusters that will be used in your animation stack (ex: to be connected to a deform) while you have the slice disabled, same for the polygon cluster used for hair generation (if you have one). Otherwise, since the slice changes the indices of the components, the clusters created after the slice will change randomly.
2) If you need the slice to be completely on top of your animation stack, you can clone the geometry and apply the slice on the clone. Cloning is a way of doing another layer of construction modes for an object.
Finally, if you want to use the slice to have an animated hair cutter (you said you wanted this for fur animation purpose), I think that you will get problems. The render hair will flicker as the slice goes on, since changing the modeling will change the position of individual render hair on the mesh. I guess you would need some kind of special shader which cuts a geometry using a plane or a box. I guess this exist?
JCG
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On Behalf Of Frank Lenhard
Posted At: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 7:41 AM
Posted To: xsi
Conversation: Re[2]: operators and construction mode
Subject: Re[2]: operators and construction mode
yeah i see that. of course i can animate the slice, but the idea of the construction modes is that i should be able to have a slice in animation and still be able to make changes to the object in the modeling mode.
slice would take these changes into account then. right now, if i have the slice animated and change the model, the slice gets screwed.
the way it looks to me seems that the construction modes are mainly built for character pipelines but not generally?
ciao
franky
Tuesday, November 8, 2005, 10:59:12 PM, you wrote:
AD> There's nothing to stop you animating the slice.
AD> If you have other operators you want to apply before the slice, you
AD> could try cloning the object and applying the slice to that.
AD> -----Original Message-----
AD> From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On
AD> Behalf Of Frank Lenhard
AD> Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2005 4:31 PM
AD> To: XSI
AD> Subject: operators and construction mode
AD> Hello folks,
AD> is it not possible to assign a slice operator to any other than
AD> modeling construction mode?
AD> what if i wanna use it plainly fur animation purposes? like an
AD> animated slice of a object?
AD> it seems most or all of the operators in the model panel want to
AD> appear only in the modeling mode.
AD> also isnt it possible to change the order of modeling operators?
AD> like dragging some added polygons before the slice?
AD> do i miss something?
AD>
AD> -------------
AD> Frank Lenhard
AD> digital
AD> 3d animation // post production
AD> join http://www.ixdream.com
AD> mailto franky(at)ixdream.com
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