Dataref or Command

[Kieran]

Hi all,

 

I'm animating the cockpit of a plane and am using manipulators. So far I've only got to the baro knob on the altimeter and was wondering what type of manipulator is best to use (there will be many other similar knobs). I've heard that commands are better to use for interacting with the sim, but the command_axis manipulator doesn't seem like the best to use due to it's functionality in the sim.

Thoughts?

 

Thanks

Kieran

[AngeloM]

Hello Kieran,

some years ago Ben wrote on the dev blog four articles about dataref vs command comparison, here're the links:

 

http://developer.x-plane.com/2009/04/datarefs-vs-commands-i-whats-the-difference/

http://developer.x-plane.com/2009/04/datarefs-vs-commands-ii-which-one-should-i-use/

http://developer.x-plane.com/2009/04/datarefs-vs-commands-iii-what-is-my-command-doing/

http://developer.x-plane.com/2009/04/datarefs-vs-commands-iv-duplication/

 

Personally I found them very interesting, so i hope those will be useful for you in the same way.

 

Angelo

 

 

[JGregory]

So far I've only got to the baro knob on the altimeter and was wondering what type of manipulator is best to use (there will be many other similar knobs).

ATTR_manip_drag_axis or (better) ATTR_manip_drag_axis_pix

[Kieran]

Thanks very much Jim, don't know how I missed those article!

[Kieran]

New problem, now the whole cockpit is the manipulator. Well I have the cockpit broken into 2 .objs and the one with the manipulator in it is completely manipulator (see the second image). I'm using Blender 2.5+ and the latest scripts, I don't know if that's the problem or not though. Is there some line I should add to the .obj?

 

Second problem (though this happened before), when I'm in the default cockpit view (even just after pressing Shift+9) I get this artifacting on the cockpit, but as soon as I move the view slightly it goes away. Any idea what might be causing it?

 

 

[JGregory]

Without having your source files it is a little hard to help.  Maybe post some pics of your blender file showing the manip.

 

Is your manipulator in the cockpit.obj file?

[Kieran]

Yes the manipulator is in the cockpit.obj file. I've attached it here (with all the point information removed because it'd be too big, if you need the full file I can put it on dropbox) along with a screenshot of the manip in blender.

 

Extra330LX_Cockpit.txt

[JGregory]

Kirean,

 

For starters… you have the manip type set to noop… so your manip is basically doing nothing!

 

I would need the blender file to help you any further… but I can't guarantee when I will be able to get to it.

[Kieran]

Haha I just noticed that, it wasn't like that before, the export script when a little crazy. I got it fixed now and worked out that if I added an "ATTR_manip_none" after each manipulator in the .obj it worked perfectly.

 

The only issue left now is that graphical glitch, but it might just be that, a glitch.

 

But thank you for your time Jim, much appreciated!

[JGregory]

I got it fixed now and worked out that if I added an "ATTR_manip_none" after each manipulator in the .obj it worked perfectly.

You shouldn't have to do that.  What scripts are you using?

[Kieran]

I'm using the ones by Ondrej Brinkel for Blender 2.69+, and it's the latest one from GitHub.

[JGregory]

Kieran,

 

Not sure what's going on with your file.  It is VERY large. But again, without the entire Blender file I really can't offer any more insight.

[Ben Russell]

Time to develop a smaller Proof Project on the side.

 

Minimal mesh required to demonstrate the problem.

"Throw away" content of no value so the Proof of Concept can be shared freely.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Ben Russell