Formula deformers in Carrara, Help! - Polyloop

tonytrout · 31st January 2006, 05:48

Hi all. Would like to work with formulas for deforming objects in C5pro. The documentation on formulas is pretty thin. I have tried inputting simple formulas using p1 as a variable into the formula edit box and pressing parse but nothing seems to happen when I shift the p1 slider around. Can anyone supply me with an example to show how a simple formula should be set out and maybe I can work from there, or point me to some information that might help? thanks

bwtr · 31st January 2006, 07:52

Not enough information in the manual p862(875) etc?

tonytrout · 31st January 2006, 09:08

Whats there is long on detail on what operators you can use, but very brief on explanation on how to do anything with them, I really need a few examples to explain it a bit. Do you use formulas at all? I really wanted to make an animated wave, not the sine waves in the wave modifier but a curved overtube wave for a surfing animation. I thought I could move a shape along the length of a plane mesh, and animate the curve as well, but so far no success = no skills

tonytrout · 31st January 2006, 10:46

Ha ..... some success. Have loaded in the formula primitive included in C5 and after deleting and adding bits in I now have a plane I can stretch and rotate, now if I could just remember some of that trig and calculus from long ago...

tonytrout · 31st January 2006, 11:09

For anyone who is interested for a formula primitive
x=20*(u-0.5); and y=20*(v-0.5); sets a square 20x20 with the u and v coordinates setting the centre in relation to the hot point (ie altering the 0.5 moves the centre)
Can then set a formula for the z value eg z=20*p1*x; tilts the plane around the hotpont, or z=p1*pow(x,2) makes a variable parabolic shape etc. I will carry on experimenting, now if I could just work some magic on a complex mesh....

jektoo · 31st January 2006, 22:57

You can find some examples here

http://gianp.free.fr/carrara/indexcarrara.html

tonytrout · 1st February 2006, 04:54

Merci jektoo.
It is a lesson to me to search google in french in future, for Carrara, as there seems to be such a strong french community, however I will have to improve my french

Many thanks. The range of examples is fantastic and I hope to improve my skill from studying them....maybe even learn to make what I want.

jektoo · 1st February 2006, 19:49

And if you change some parameters in the formula, remplacing by the value of cursors in Carrara (called P1, P2 & P3, P4 in a sub menu), you can animate these objects (for example, x begin P1, a begin P2,...)

(but my english is not good, I hope you'll understand)

tonytrout · 1st February 2006, 22:56

Merci, jektoo. Your english is very good.

tonytrout · 13th February 2006, 23:53

I have been working on this a little. Have made a moving wave obj with formula - see attached file.

However the wave does not animate smoothly - I suspect it is due to the c or x variable being continuous and the u dimension being in discrete bits - see the attached movie

Any help to modify the formula would be much appreciated

thanks
Tony

tonytrout · 14th February 2006, 01:41

I must be talking to myself

Does no one else

love formulas ?

bwtr · 14th February 2006, 01:56

Tony I think formula are a bit esoteric for most of us.Too much else to do within the rest of Carrara to have the time for experimenting I guess. Can not seem to get the movie to open.

tonytrout · 14th February 2006, 02:04

Thanks bwtr, yes I seem to be out here on my own. The movie was sorenson compressed, could this be a problem?. What compression should I use that most people can use?

bwtr · 14th February 2006, 03:23

My suggestion. ONLY use Quicktime!

tonytrout · 14th February 2006, 03:37

Thanks bwtr I try. I try very hard but my upload is no good. I use quickytime with sorenson , mpeg4 and none work from thread although they work alright on my PC. I send note to administrator (is that Thomas?) but I think he sleeping earning well rewarded snooze in Merignac while we bright as day here on other side of the world

bwtr · 14th February 2006, 04:15

Why do you go to the Sorrensen? Just leave at default quicktime. A lot of people can not access mpeg4 either. If all fails, try the default AVI. I am in South Australia--the best place on earth--well I guess you would think second best?

bwtr · 14th February 2006, 04:38

Have a look at the source I put on the next thread "How would you do this".

31st January 2006, 05:48	#1 (permalink)
tonytrout Pixar want to hire me! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud. Posts: 581	Formula deformers in Carrara, Help! Hi all. Would like to work with formulas for deforming objects in C5pro. The documentation on formulas is pretty thin. I have tried inputting simple formulas using p1 as a variable into the formula edit box and pressing parse but nothing seems to happen when I shift the p1 slider around. Can anyone supply me with an example to show how a simple formula should be set out and maybe I can work from there, or point me to some information that might help? thanks

31st January 2006, 22:57	#6 (permalink)
jektoo Eovia Nostalgik Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Old Orléans - France Posts: 1,329	You can find some examples here http://gianp.free.fr/carrara/indexcarrara.html __________________ DELL Dimension Intel QuadCore Vista Ed Intégrale NVidia GeForce 8800GTX 4MO Ram

1st February 2006, 19:49	#8 (permalink)
jektoo Eovia Nostalgik Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Old Orléans - France Posts: 1,329	And if you change some parameters in the formula, remplacing by the value of cursors in Carrara (called P1, P2 & P3, P4 in a sub menu), you can animate these objects (for example, x begin P1, a begin P2,...) (but my english is not good, I hope you'll understand) __________________ DELL Dimension Intel QuadCore Vista Ed Intégrale NVidia GeForce 8800GTX 4MO Ram

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31st January 2006, 07:52	#2 (permalink)
bwtr Brian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 2,097	Not enough information in the manual p862(875) etc?

31st January 2006, 09:08	#3 (permalink)
tonytrout Pixar want to hire me! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud. Posts: 581	Whats there is long on detail on what operators you can use, but very brief on explanation on how to do anything with them, I really need a few examples to explain it a bit. Do you use formulas at all? I really wanted to make an animated wave, not the sine waves in the wave modifier but a curved overtube wave for a surfing animation. I thought I could move a shape along the length of a plane mesh, and animate the curve as well, but so far no success = no skills

31st January 2006, 10:46	#4 (permalink)
tonytrout Pixar want to hire me! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud. Posts: 581	Ha ..... some success. Have loaded in the formula primitive included in C5 and after deleting and adding bits in I now have a plane I can stretch and rotate, now if I could just remember some of that trig and calculus from long ago...

31st January 2006, 11:09	#5 (permalink)
tonytrout Pixar want to hire me! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud. Posts: 581	For anyone who is interested for a formula primitive x=20(u-0.5); and y=20(v-0.5); sets a square 20x20 with the u and v coordinates setting the centre in relation to the hot point (ie altering the 0.5 moves the centre) Can then set a formula for the z value eg z=20p1x; tilts the plane around the hotpont, or z=p1*pow(x,2) makes a variable parabolic shape etc. I will carry on experimenting, now if I could just work some magic on a complex mesh....

1st February 2006, 04:54	#7 (permalink)
tonytrout Pixar want to hire me! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud. Posts: 581	Merci jektoo. It is a lesson to me to search google in french in future, for Carrara, as there seems to be such a strong french community, however I will have to improve my french Many thanks. The range of examples is fantastic and I hope to improve my skill from studying them....maybe even learn to make what I want.

1st February 2006, 22:56	#9 (permalink)
tonytrout Pixar want to hire me! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud. Posts: 581	Merci, jektoo. Your english is very good.

14th February 2006, 01:41	#11 (permalink)
tonytrout Pixar want to hire me! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud. Posts: 581	I must be talking to myself Does no one else love formulas ?

14th February 2006, 01:56	#12 (permalink)
bwtr Brian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 2,097	Tony I think formula are a bit esoteric for most of us.Too much else to do within the rest of Carrara to have the time for experimenting I guess. Can not seem to get the movie to open.

14th February 2006, 02:04	#13 (permalink)
tonytrout Pixar want to hire me! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud. Posts: 581	Thanks bwtr, yes I seem to be out here on my own. The movie was sorenson compressed, could this be a problem?. What compression should I use that most people can use?

14th February 2006, 03:23	#14 (permalink)
bwtr Brian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 2,097	My suggestion. ONLY use Quicktime!

14th February 2006, 03:37	#15 (permalink)
tonytrout Pixar want to hire me! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud. Posts: 581	Thanks bwtr I try. I try very hard but my upload is no good. I use quickytime with sorenson , mpeg4 and none work from thread although they work alright on my PC. I send note to administrator (is that Thomas?) but I think he sleeping earning well rewarded snooze in Merignac while we bright as day here on other side of the world

14th February 2006, 04:15	#16 (permalink)
bwtr Brian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 2,097	Why do you go to the Sorrensen? Just leave at default quicktime. A lot of people can not access mpeg4 either. If all fails, try the default AVI. I am in South Australia--the best place on earth--well I guess you would think second best?

14th February 2006, 04:38	#17 (permalink)
bwtr Brian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: South Australia Posts: 2,097	Have a look at the source I put on the next thread "How would you do this".