Navigation Tool

In this post I will show how I created a Navigation tool with Python in MotionBuilder.

The Tool will use Python to do the following:

1. Start and Pause the play back of the current take.
2. Jump to the end of the current take’s time line.
3. Move to the start of the current take’s time line.
4. Set the current frame as the time line’s start frame .
5. Set the current frame as the time line’s end frame.
6. Go to the previous take.
7. Go to the next take.

You can just copy and paste the code into your MotionBuilder Python Consol:

'''=================================
|     Written by Victor DeBaie     |
|  http://www.vicdebaie.com/blog/  |
|      vic_debaie@hotmail.com      |
================================='''

from pyfbsdk import *
from pyfbsdk_additions import *

gotostartframe = FBButton()
setplay = FBButton()
gotoendframe = FBButton()
setstartframe = FBButton()
setendframe = FBButton()
previoustake = FBButton()
nexttake = FBButton()

playback = FBPlayerControl()

#Goto Start Frame ------------------------------------------------------------ 
def Btngotostartframe(control, event):
    FBPlayerControl().GotoStart()
    print "Goto Start Frame"

#Play ------------------------------------------------------------    
def BtnCallsetplay(control, event):
    playback.Stop() if playback.IsPlaying else playback.Play()
    print "Play/Paue"
    
#Goto End Frame ------------------------------------------------------------ 
def Btngotoendframe(control, event):
    FBPlayerControl().GotoEnd()
    print "Goto End Frame"

#Functions Starts Here ------------------------------------------------------------    
def getCurrentTimeSpan():
    curtimespan = FBSystem().CurrentTake.LocalTimeSpan
    return curtimespan
    
#Set Start Frame------------------------------------------------------------    
def BtnCallsetstartframe(control, event):
    ts = getCurrentTimeSpan()
    newTs = FBTimeSpan()
    curTime = FBSystem().LocalTime
    newTs.Set(curTime, ts.GetStop())
    FBSystem().CurrentTake.LocalTimeSpan = newTs
    print "Set Start Frame"
    
#Set End Frame------------------------------------------------------------    
def BtnCallsetsetendframe(control, event):
    ts = getCurrentTimeSpan()
    newTs = FBTimeSpan()
    curTime = FBSystem().LocalTime
    newTs.Set(ts.GetStart(),curTime)
    FBSystem().CurrentTake.LocalTimeSpan = newTs
    print "Set End Frame"

#Take Navigation Starts Here ------------------------------------------------------------ 
def GetCurrentTakeIndex():
    """
    Returns the index of the Current Take
    """
    # Get the current Take
    oCurTake = FBSystem().CurrentTake
    
    # Iterate through the list of Takes to find the index
    i = 0
    for oTake in FBSystem().Scene.Takes:
        # if this is the Take, return the index
        if oTake == oCurTake:
            return i
        # increment the index counter
        i += 1
    
#Previous Take------------------------------------------------------------    
def BtnCallprevioustake(control, event):
    """
    Switches to the Next Take if any. If there isn't, it loops back to the first Take.
    """
    # Get the Current Take index
    iCurTakeIndex = GetCurrentTakeIndex()
    
    # Next index
    iPreviousIndex = iCurTakeIndex - 1
    
    # Make sure the next index exists before switching
    if iPreviousIndex > -1:
        # switch using indexing
        FBSystem().CurrentTake = FBSystem().Scene.Takes[ iPreviousIndex ]
    else:
        # if it doesn't exist, go to the first Take
        FBSystem().CurrentTake = FBSystem().Scene.Takes[ 0 ]
    print "Previous Take"

#Next Take------------------------------------------------------------    
def BtnCallnexttake(control, event):
    """
    Switches to the Next Take if any. If there isn't, it loops back to the first Take.
    """
    # Get the Current Take index
    iCurTakeIndex = GetCurrentTakeIndex()
    
    # Next index
    iNextIndex = iCurTakeIndex + 1
    
    # Make sure the next index exists before switching
    if iNextIndex < len( FBSystem().Scene.Takes ):
        # switch using indexing
        FBSystem().CurrentTake = FBSystem().Scene.Takes[ iNextIndex ]
# This will allow the "Next Take" to loop from the last take to the first take just #        

#    else:
#        # if it doesn't exist, go to the first Take
#        FBSystem().CurrentTake = FBSystem().Scene.Takes[ 0 ]

        print "Next Take"
           
#Layout Starts Here ------------------------------------------------------------            

def PopulateTool(t):
    #populate regions here
    
    x = FBAddRegionParam(12,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    y = FBAddRegionParam(5,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    w = FBAddRegionParam(55,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    h = FBAddRegionParam(55,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    t.AddRegion("gotostartframe","gotostartframe", x, y, w, h)

    t.SetControl("gotostartframe", gotostartframe)
    gotostartframe.Visible = True
    gotostartframe.ReadOnly = False
    gotostartframe.Enabled = True
    gotostartframe.Hint = "Goto Start Frame"
    gotostartframe.Caption = "<<"
    gotostartframe.State = 0
    gotostartframe.Style = FBButtonStyle.kFBPushButton
    gotostartframe.Justify = FBTextJustify.kFBTextJustifyCenter
    gotostartframe.Look = FBButtonLook.kFBLookNormal
    gotostartframe.OnClick.Add(Btngotostartframe)
    
    x = FBAddRegionParam(72,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    y = FBAddRegionParam(5,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    w = FBAddRegionParam(120,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    h = FBAddRegionParam(55,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    t.AddRegion("setplay","setplay", x, y, w, h)

    t.SetControl("setplay", setplay)
    setplay.Visible = True
    setplay.ReadOnly = False
    setplay.Enabled = True
    setplay.Hint = "Play"
    setplay.Caption = "Play"
    setplay.State = 0
    setplay.Style = FBButtonStyle.kFBPushButton
    setplay.Justify = FBTextJustify.kFBTextJustifyCenter
    setplay.Look = FBButtonLook.kFBLookNormal
    setplay.OnClick.Add(BtnCallsetplay)
    
    x = FBAddRegionParam(197,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    y = FBAddRegionParam(5,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    w = FBAddRegionParam(55,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    h = FBAddRegionParam(55,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    t.AddRegion("gotoendframe","gotoendframe", x, y, w, h)

    t.SetControl("gotoendframe", gotoendframe)
    gotoendframe.Visible = True
    gotoendframe.ReadOnly = False
    gotoendframe.Enabled = True
    gotoendframe.Hint = "Goto End Frame"
    gotoendframe.Caption = ">>"
    gotoendframe.State = 0
    gotoendframe.Style = FBButtonStyle.kFBPushButton
    gotoendframe.Justify = FBTextJustify.kFBTextJustifyCenter
    gotoendframe.Look = FBButtonLook.kFBLookNormal
    gotoendframe.OnClick.Add(Btngotoendframe)

    x = FBAddRegionParam(10,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    y = FBAddRegionParam(70,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    w = FBAddRegionParam(120,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    h = FBAddRegionParam(55,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    t.AddRegion("setstartframe","setstartframe", x, y, w, h)

    t.SetControl("setstartframe", setstartframe)
    setstartframe.Visible = True
    setstartframe.ReadOnly = False
    setstartframe.Enabled = True
    setstartframe.Hint = "Set Currnet Fram to  Start Frame of Current Take"
    setstartframe.Caption = "Set Start Frame"
    setstartframe.State = 0
    setstartframe.Style = FBButtonStyle.kFBPushButton
    setstartframe.Justify = FBTextJustify.kFBTextJustifyCenter
    setstartframe.Look = FBButtonLook.kFBLookNormal
    setstartframe.OnClick.Add(BtnCallsetstartframe)
    
    x = FBAddRegionParam(135,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    y = FBAddRegionParam(70,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    w = FBAddRegionParam(120,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    h = FBAddRegionParam(55,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    t.AddRegion("setendframe","setendframe", x, y, w, h)

    t.SetControl("setendframe", setendframe)
    setendframe.Visible = True
    setendframe.ReadOnly = False
    setendframe.Enabled = True
    setendframe.Hint = "Set Currnet Fram to  End Frame of Current Take"
    setendframe.Caption = "Set End Frame"
    setendframe.State = 0
    setendframe.Style = FBButtonStyle.kFBPushButton
    setendframe.Justify = FBTextJustify.kFBTextJustifyCenter
    setendframe.Look = FBButtonLook.kFBLookNormal
    setendframe.OnClick.Add(BtnCallsetsetendframe)
    
    x = FBAddRegionParam(10,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    y = FBAddRegionParam(130,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    w = FBAddRegionParam(120,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    h = FBAddRegionParam(55,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    t.AddRegion("previoustake","previoustake", x, y, w, h)

    t.SetControl("previoustake", previoustake)
    previoustake.Visible = True
    previoustake.ReadOnly = False
    previoustake.Enabled = True
    previoustake.Hint = "Goto Previous Take"
    previoustake.Caption = "Previous Take"
    previoustake.State = 0
    previoustake.Style = FBButtonStyle.kFBPushButton
    previoustake.Justify = FBTextJustify.kFBTextJustifyCenter
    previoustake.Look = FBButtonLook.kFBLookNormal
    previoustake.OnClick.Add(BtnCallprevioustake)
    
    x = FBAddRegionParam(135,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    y = FBAddRegionParam(130,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    w = FBAddRegionParam(120,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    h = FBAddRegionParam(55,FBAttachType.kFBAttachNone,"")
    t.AddRegion("nexttake","nexttake", x, y, w, h)

    t.SetControl("nexttake", nexttake)
    nexttake.Visible = True
    nexttake.ReadOnly = False
    nexttake.Enabled = True
    nexttake.Hint = "Goto Next Take"
    nexttake.Caption = "Next Take"
    nexttake.State = 0
    nexttake.Style = FBButtonStyle.kFBPushButton
    nexttake.Justify = FBTextJustify.kFBTextJustifyCenter
    nexttake.Look = FBButtonLook.kFBLookNormal
    nexttake.OnClick.Add(BtnCallnexttake)
    
def CreateTool():
    t = FBCreateUniqueTool("Navigation Tool - Victor DeBaie")
    t.StartSizeX = 280
    t.StartSizeY = 225
    PopulateTool(t)
    ShowTool(t)
CreateTool()

Since writing this tool back in late January (or was it early February??), I use this daily and I love it! Being able to jump through takes and easily setting my start and end frame per take (which is great for exporting animations to game engines) is an amazing thing.

I hope this helps.