Introducing Script Use
Motivation
Many actions are too complex for animation nodes:
- Computed animation paths (eg. gravity)
- Algorithmic shapes (eg. fractals)
- Collaborative environments (eg. games)
You can create new sensors, interpolators, etc., using program scripts written in:
- JavaScript - easy-to-learn language
- ECMAScript - same as JavaScript
Syntax: Script
A Script node selects a program script to run:
- url - choice of program script
XML Encoding
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<Script DEF='Bouncer'>
<![CDATA[ecmascript:
...
]]>
</Script>
<!-- or -->
<Script DEF='Bouncer'
url='"bouncer.js"'/>
Classic Encoding
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DEF Bouncer Script {
url "ecmascript: ..."
#or...
url "bouncer.js"
}
Defining the program script interface
A Script node also declares the program script interface:
- initializeOnly, inputOnly, outputOnly, inputOutput - inputs and outputs
- Each has a name and data type
- Fields have an initial value
XML Encoding
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<Script DEF='Bouncer'>
<field accessType='initializeOnly' type='SFFloat' name='bounceHeight' value='3'/>
<field accessType='inputOnly' type='SFFloat' name='set_fraction'/>
<field accessType='outputOnly' type='SFVec3f' name='value_changed'/>
<field accessType='inputOutput' type='SFBool' name='enabled' value='true'/>
</Script>
Classic Encoding
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DEF Bouncer Script {
initializeOnly SFFloat bounceHeight 3.0
inputOnly SFFloat set_fraction
outputOnly SFVec3f value_changed
inputOutput SFBool enabled TRUE
}
A sample using a program script
XML Encoding
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<TimeSensor DEF='Clock' ... />
<Transform DEF='Ball' ... />
<Script DEF='Bouncer'>
<field accessType='initializeOnly' type='SFFloat' name='bounceHeight' value='3'/>
<field accessType='inputOnly' type='SFFloat' name='set_fraction'/>
<field accessType='outputOnly' type='SFVec3f' name='value_changed'/>
<field accessType='inputOutput' type='SFBool' name='enabled' value='true'/>
<![CDATA[ecmascript:
...
]]>
</Script>
<ROUTE fromNode='Clock' fromField='fraction_changed' toNode='Bouncer' toField='set_fraction'/>
<ROUTE fromNode='Bouncer' fromField='value_changed' toNode='Ball' toField='set_translation'/>
Classic Encoding
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DEF Clock TimeSensor { ... }
DEF Ball Transform { ... }
DEF Bouncer Script {
initializeOnly SFFloat bounceHeight 3.0
inputOnly SFFloat set_fraction
outputOnly SFVec3f value_changed
inputOutput SFBool enabled TRUE
url "ecmascript: ..."
}
ROUTE Clock.fraction_changed TO Bouncer.set_fraction
ROUTE Bouncer.value_changed TO Ball.set_translation
Summary
The Script node selects a program script, specified by a URL.
Program scripts have field and event interface declarations, each with:
- A data type
- A name
- An initial value (fields only)
This post is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the author.