Animation Add-On

[Zolko]

After selecting Model in the axis file, I tried to insert a body. The pop-up window appears with the default 'body' name. When I click OK, nothing appears in the model tree.

1) did you check in the "Parts" group ?
2) with version 0.9, you don't need to create a Part or a Model anymore when using PartDesign Bodies: in the file "axis", delete everything, and create only a "Body" at the root, and do all the design there. You can then insert this Body directly into the assembly (I have to update the tutorial)

Also, I have tried to find the written tutorial for this in Github, but can't find it.

https://github.com/Zolko-123/FreeCAD_Ex ... /README.md

[Zolko]

After selecting Model in the axis file, I tried to insert a body. The pop-up window appears with the default 'body' name. When I click OK, nothing appears in the model tree.

actually, there was a bug, it's fixed now, thank-you for reporting. I still have to update the tutorial

[sjam986]

Thanks Zolko. The bearing totorial worked fine. One small update needed in the text tutorial - Menu > Assembly > Link an External Part is now the much simpler Menu > Assembly > Insert Part. Now to try some animation! Any advise would be appreciated!

[Zolko]

Now to try some animation! Any advise would be appreciated!

- create a Variable that you want to animate (angle, distance...)
- associate this variable to some parameters of your model by using the ExpressionEngine
- click the Animate button and set start and end values for that variable
- Run

a second tutorial explains this : https://github.com/Zolko-123/FreeCAD_Ex ... /README.md

[sjam986]

Getting there slowly! I am stuck on the following:

In 'Readme.md' for Assembly4 Tutorial 2

Document created with 3 parts - ok.

Variables created - ok.

Master sketch created - Attachment dialog does not launch automatically. From Attachment/Properties, I changed Map Mode to the following:
As first reference, I typed LCS_0rigin by hand into the field
As Attachment mode I selected 'Object's XY'

Sketch created & fully constrained- ok - result as per tuto2_Angle_disk.png and tuto2_sketchFinished.png

Next section caused a problem: - my comments in {...}

* Select the Assembly4 Model and create a new Coordinate System : **Assembly -> New Coordinate System**)
* Call it _LCS_disk_
* this activates the attachment dialog

{ the attachment dialog does not appear. Selecting 'Map Mode > ...' brings up the Attachment dialog.}

* As first reference select the origin vertex in _Sketch_master_

{ this works - gives 'Plane' + 'LCS_Origin' as first reference attached with mode XY on plane}

* As second reference select the first line in _Sketch_master_

{ inputs 'Line' + 'Sketch_master:Edge1' as second reference but has error message 'Attachment mode failed::getInertialProps OfShape: provided shapes are incompatible (not only faces/shells)'}

* Choose _Align O-X-Y_ as attachment mode

{ Attachment mode gives 'Inertial CS' in bold}

* Click **OK**

Help please!

[Zolko]

* this activates the attachment dialog
...
{ the attachment dialog does not appear

Yes, I have improved the general feeling of the UI, and better intergrated it with FreeCAD, but now the attachment dialog doesn't show up automatically. I'll have to ask for help on that.

* Choose _Align O-X-Y_ as attachment mode

{ Attachment mode gives 'Inertial CS' in bold}

did you choose Align O-X-Y ? The dialog will give you Inertial CS as an initial default choice, but you can change that choice to something else in the list.

As for that error message, it's a FreeCAD bug/feature where it makes default choices for you even if those choices don't make sense, and then it gives a useless and creepy error message about the bad choice he had made himself.

[sjam986]

I can live with manually opening the attachment dialog.

I can't get anywhere with the references.

After selecting the first line in reference 2, in the Attachment Mode window I am getting:
{
Deactivated - normal font - when selected, changes the attachment to 'not attached'
Inertial CS - bold - cannot change this. When selected again (from 'Deactivated') the error message reappears.
Inertial CS (add more references) - greyed out - doesn't do anything.
}

[Zolko]

I can't get anywhere with the references.

After selecting the first line in reference 2, in the Attachment Mode window I am getting:
{
Deactivated - normal font - when selected, changes the attachment to 'not attached'
Inertial CS - bold - cannot change this. When selected again (from 'Deactivated') the error message reappears.
Inertial CS (add more references) - greyed out - doesn't do anything.
}

There must be something fishy. I just tried again, also with a new LCS, and here it all works as advertised. Can you delete LCS_disk and begin again ?

LCSdisk_OXY.png (281.27 KiB) Viewed 724 times

(although, displaying XY plane by 3 points in bold in the list when the actual attachment is Align O-X-Y is misleading)

[sjam986]

Success at last - I have tuto2 running. The problem was in selecting Sketchmaster:Vertex1 for the first attachment point of the master sketch. I had to type that in by hand. I think I am missing a trick here - I could not hide the axis system to allow me to select the vertex with the mouse. After a number of retries with the rest of the tutorial, it worked.
Next question: Is there a way of saving a set of animation frames to create a speeded up animation video?

[Zolko]

Success at last - I could not hide the axis system to allow me to select the vertex with the mouse

Nice - I've had that too sometimes. What I then do is to select another vertex, which moves the LCS out of the way, and then select the vertex I really want.

Next question: Is there a way of saving a set of animation frames to create a speeded up animation video?

an automated way, no (*), but you can set the sleep value to something and take screenshots with a regular screenshot program at each step manually. And then stitch the images together.




(*) bloody-hell, this asks for a "Record Sequence" button: any idea how this could be done ?