👀 MATRIX - all about visibilities ( Experimental ! )

:eyes: MATRIX - all about visibilities [Experimental Extension]

*(Eyes MATRIX, I MATRIX )
© 2022, Dezmo
MATRIX1

The main goal is to be able to change “every possible visibility” from scene to scene — even bulk at once — without having to go through, modify, and update each scene manually.

It is a kind of Outliner, containing not only the hierarchy of selected instances and groups but (hierarchy of) other selected drawingelements, all Tags, then the properties of scenes. There are columns for the “eyes” and Scene properties by scenes.
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If the video does not work here is the GIF animation in two parts:

Dezmo_Matrix_demo_
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Dezmo_Matrix_demo_2

Main features:

  • Manipulate all of the properties of scenes.

  • Change visibility of:

    • Instances of components, groups and images (nested too)
    • Other drawing elements on the root of the model
    • Tags and Tag folders
      What you do ( hide / unhide ) in the Matrix is ​​immediately executed on the model, you do not need to update the scenes manually.
  • Extra functions for scenes:

    • The scene transition and delay times can be changed individually for all scenes.
      (the ‘-1’ value means the Scene will use the default value as in the second column or Model info)
    • Show the amount of time that a slide show of all of the scenes will take (considering which one included in animation).
    • Go to scene and camera view where the frame in animation (of the slide show) at a given time in, will match.
    • Move one scene to other position by mouse drag-and drop.

SU 2020.1 or newer required for all functions.\ Does not tested on Mac!
In older version of SU functions are restricted to manipulate layer visibility and most of the properties of scenes. Also, I did not really tested in older versions, it runs but…??

Usage (Some…)
-Start form Toolbar icon or Menu.
When you hover the mouse on the Matrix, there will be tool-tips and/or Status text at the bottom to explain. There are (mostly) context menu (right click) on a first column cells.
… otherwise I hope you will be able to discover the features yourself.

Here is a simple explanation picture about the interface.

Here is a simple explanation picture about the interface.

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Known issues:

  • Experimental, test version. It really isn’t completely finished, but I hope it’s in a state to be useful, and I will get some feedback from You …
    This extension does not change any geometries just visibilities.
    Although I have done everything I can to keep you from getting into trouble, I recommend it only to more experienced (or brave) users.
    No warranties. Use your own risk! Have a backup of the model you are using.

  • Due to lack of the Ruby API observers (and lack of my knowledge and time spent on), data transfer from the SU model to the Matrix is ​​only semi-automatic.
    What you do in the Matrix is ​​immediately executed on the model. However, if you make a change to a model when the Matrix is ​​open, you need to make sure to refresh, that the data update appears in the matrix, such as:
    -move the mouse cursor over the Matrix*
    -press the refresh button
    -press the Matrix icon (either from the menu or from the assigned keyboard command)
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    *Detection of mouse cursor movement over the Matrix can be turned off if you are working with too many selected items, and too many updates due to random mouse movements would be confusing. (Turns off automatically if you choose to see detailed information for the selected top-level drawing elements, but you can turn on again if you decide soo.)

  • Keep in mind, I recommend that you don’t select too many items in SU at once because it can slow down the Matrix. Speed ​​also depends on how many scenes you work on.

  • About the undo stack: SU (therefore, Ruby API either) does not keep track about the changes of the scenes or its properties.
    Unfortunately, this also affects the visibility changes that occur in “inactive” scenes. So only the visibility changes that have taken place in the scene you are currently viewing will be available with the undo button. Moreover, if you make bulk changes in Matrix, they will appear one by one in the undo list, considering the above mentioned “current scene” related changes will be recorded.
    Actually I have no clue, how to deal with this better than completely write my own “undo stack” code to somehow handle it. This may never happen.

  • The setting will save only on a current session, when you restart the SU you will get back the Matrix defaults, for now.

  • You will be facing some graphical glitches or inconsistency, too.

  • Whatever…

  • Looking forward to your feedback, especially from the Mac platform!

You can download it for now, only from here:

Dezmo_Matrix_test_20220220.rbz (1012.6 KB)

5 Likes

Looks super interesting — kind of like an updated VisMap2 on steroids!

I’ve been waiting for something like this so I’m hoping it will function properly on MacOS. In the middle of a (paid) project at the moment but will try it within the week and let you how it’s working on my Mac.

2 Likes

Oh, yes that was one of what inspired me (there are a plenty of other visibility plugin what I also checked).
But the real background is, to extend my recent study to more useful tool.

1 Like

Hasen? (Rabbits?)

Looks great. I’m sure I don’t grasp all that it does yet. I too am on a Mac.

Hasen? (Rabbits?)

I’m The Matrix film fan.

“To follow the white rabbit” means “To try something new, unknown, untested, potentially dangerous”.

In the Matrix film, the white rabbit is an allusion to Alice in Wonderland, where the main character follows a white rabbit, leaving the world around her, through its rabbit hole to a fantastic other world.

The rabbit here, is also just a allusion, and it can be well colored to represent the style of the dialog. :wink:

4 Likes

Ah, I see. I’m not that familiar with the movie, but it’s a nice touch!

O<O
That’s a LOT of buttons!

Its depends, how much scenes, tags and selected drawingelemets you have… :wink:

1 Like