[Bf-committers] Curve shape keys

Robin Allen r.a3 at ntlworld.com
Wed Nov 22 15:08:13 CET 2006


Ton Roosendaal wrote:
> Shape keys were designed to work on Object level (meaning multiple 
> objects can link to the same Curve data, and show each own Shapes).
>
> This isn't supported for curves yet, the curve keys (and modifiers) 
> work on Curve data level... this is on our long todo.
Is anyone working on this right now? As a user, I find the whole shape 
key system to be a mess, and I'd be glad to see it changed.

For example, 'key' and 'keyframe' are often used interchangeably in the 
interface, leading users to confuse shape keys with the keyframes which 
set their influence at a certain point in time.

This isn't helped by the fact that the IKEY menu is headed "Insert Key", 
and all its members insert a keyframe, except Mesh which inserts a shape 
key.

This is helped *even less* by the unnecessary differences in how things 
work between object keys (loc, rot) and shape keys.

When moving an object which has a Loc IPO curve, for example, any 
changes you make to its position are cancelled unless you add a keyframe 
with IKEY->Loc.

When shaping an object with a Shape IPO, though, any changes you make to 
its shape with the slider in the Shape box *add their own keys*. For 
consistency's sake, IKEY->Mesh should add the keyframes.

This is made even less helpful and infinitely more confusing by the fact 
that, while it's possible to add a shape key for a curve (a curve key?) 
using IKEY->Curve, it's impossible to do anything with that key because 
both the shape panel and the sliders in the action panel are missing! If 
the functionality isn't ready yet, surely it shouldn't be possible to 
add the key? On a side note, uncommenting the line that shows the panel 
was the only way to do what I wanted to do in this case (ie. animate a 
curve) and it worked just fine.

Please tell me if I've got this all confused and there's no problem, but 
it seems like there is one. If no-one's working on it, I'd be happy to help.


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