Problem Child animation around wrong point

Zatnikitelman

Zatnikitelman

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I have been struggling mightily with creating the radiator animation for my truss system. I've narrowed down the problem to something going badly wrong with the parent animations when applied to different meshes. I've done back and forth style animations before, most notably in my Solar Service Module, but on the same mesh, just different mesh groups. Because it doesn't appear Wings3d spits out its model groups in order, the resultant mesh doesn't have the groups in order so that I can use a for loop to create the animations just incrementing the group index each time. So my solution was to separate the vessel into multiple meshes, add each mesh in the loop, and use the resultant UINT returned from AddMesh in the mesh number parameter when constructing my MGROUP_TRANSFORMs and only having to know a few mesh group numbers.
Here's the code in question:
Code: 
//The Header file
MGROUP_ROTATE* supports[4][16];
MGROUP_ROTATE* panels[4][16];
ANIMATIONCOMPONENT_HANDLE supportanims[4][16];
ANIMATIONCOMPONENT_HANDLE panelanims[4][16];

//The .cpp file
void Truss::setRadAnims(void)
{
	radiatoranimation=CreateAnimation(0.0);

	static UINT group1[2]={16,18};
	//supports[0][0] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group1,2,_V(1.455,0.85,0.23),_V(1,0,0),(float)60*(float)RAD);
	static MGROUP_ROTATE sup(0,group1,2,_V(1.455,0.85,0.23),_V(1,0,0),(float)60*(float)RAD); //Newing or using a static MGROUP_ROTATE yielded the same result
	supportanims[0][0] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,&sup);

	static UINT group2[2] = {4};
	panels[0][0] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group2,1,_V(1.455,.845,0),_V(-1,0,0),(float)120*(float)RAD);
	panelanims[0][0] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[0][0],supportanims[0][0]);

        [COLOR="Green"]//The following animations have been commented out in order to focus on one problem at a time
	/*static UINT group3[2] = {22,20};
	supports[1][0] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group3,2,_V(-1.455,.85,0.23),_V(1,0,0),(float)60*(float)RAD);
	supportanims[1][0] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[1][0]);

	static UINT group4[1] = {6};
	panels[1][0] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group4,1,_V(-1.455,.845,0),_V(-1,0,0),(float)120*(float)RAD);
	panelanims[1][0] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[1][0],supportanims[1][0]);

	static UINT group5[2] = {14,12};
	supports[2][0] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group5,2,_V(1.455,-.85,0.23),_V(1,0,0),(float)60*(float)RAD);
	supportanims[2][0] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[2][0]);

	static UINT group6[1] = {2};
	panels[2][0] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group6,1,_V(1.455,-.845,0),_V(-1,0,0),(float)120*(float)RAD);
	panelanims[2][0] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[2][0],supportanims[2][0]);

	static UINT group7[2] = {10,8};
	supports[3][0] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group7,2,_V(-1.455,-.85,0.23),_V(1,0,0),(float)60*(float)RAD);
	supportanims[3][0] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[3][0]);

	static UINT group8[1] = {0};
	//group[0] = 0;
	panels[3][0] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group8,1,_V(-1.455,-.845,0),_V(-1,0,0),(float)120*(float)RAD);
	panelanims[3][0] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[3][0],supportanims[3][0]);*/[/COLOR]

	static UINT groupl[16][3];
	for(int i = 1; i<15; i++)
	{
		double side = pow((double)(-1),(int)i); //flip the sign each iteration

		char tempblargh[256]; //yes, real creative name isn't it?
		sprintf(tempblargh,"%lf",side);
		oapiWriteLog(tempblargh); //print side to enure that part is working right

		char tempmesh[256]; //another real creative name
		sprintf(tempmesh,"Truss\\radpanel%d",i%2); //only two meshes, radpanel0 or radpanel1, are used
		UINT msh = AddMesh(tempmesh,&_V(1.45522,.835+(i*0.01),0)); //add the mesh and get the mesh index

		groupl[i][0] = 0;
		groupl[i][1] = 2;
		supports[0][i] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(msh,groupl[i],2,_V(1.455,(0.01*i)+0.84,(side)*0.2325),_V(1,0,0),(float)(side*120)*(float)RAD);
		supportanims[0][i] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[0][i],supportanims[0][i-1]);

		sprintf(tempblargh,"Y-pos: %lf; Z-pos: %lf",(0.01*i)+0.84,supports[0][i]->ref.z); //make sure the animation axis reference positions are correct (they are)
		oapiWriteLog(tempblargh);

                groupl[i][2] = 1;
		panels[0][i] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(msh,groupl[i]+2,1,_V(1.455,.835+(.01*i),0),_V(1,0,0),(float)(-side*240)*(float)RAD);
		panelanims[0][i] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[0][i],supportanims[0][i]);

  [COLOR="Green"]//The following part of the loop is commented out in order to focus on one problem at a time
		/*msh = AddMesh(tempmesh,&_V(-1.455,.845+(i*.01),0));
		supports[1][i] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(msh,groupl[i],2,_V(-1.455,.84+(.01*i),-0.232),_V(1,0,0),(float)120*(float)RAD);
		supportanims[1][i] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[1][i],supportanims[1][i-1]);

		//group[0] = 1;
		panels[1][i] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(msh,groupl[i]+2,1,_V(-1.455,.835+(.01*i),0),_V(-1,0,0),(float)240*(float)RAD);
		panelanims[1][i] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[1][i],supportanims[1][i]);

		sprintf(tempmesh,"Truss\\radpanel%d",(i+1)%2);
		msh = AddMesh(tempmesh,&_V(1.455,-.845-(i*.01),0));

		supports[2][i] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(msh,groupl[i],2,_V(1.455,-.84-(.01*i),0.232),_V(1,0,0),(float)120*(float)RAD);
		supportanims[2][i] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[2][i],supportanims[2][i-1]);

		//group[0] = 1;
		panels[2][i] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(msh,groupl[i]+2,1,_V(1.455,-.835-(.01*i),0),_V(-1,0,0),(float)240*(float)RAD);
		panelanims[2][i] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[2][i],supportanims[2][i]);

		msh = AddMesh(tempmesh,&_V(-1.455,-.845-(i*.01),0));
		//group[0] = 0; //change later
		//group[1] = 2; //change later
		supports[3][i] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(msh,groupl[i],2,_V(-1.455,-.84-(.01*i),0.232),_V(1,0,0),(float)120*(float)RAD);
		supportanims[3][i] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[3][i],supportanims[3][i-1]);

		//group[0] = 1;
		panels[3][i] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(msh,groupl[i]+2,1,_V(-1.455,-.835-(.01*i),0),_V(-1,0,0),(float)240*(float)RAD);
		panelanims[3][i] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[3][i],supportanims[3][i]);*/[/COLOR]
	}

	static UINT group9[2] = {17,19};
	//group[0] = 17; //change later
	//group[1] = 19; //change later
	supports[0][15] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group9,2,_V(1.455,.839008,0.232871),_V(1,0,0),(float)120*(float)RAD);
	supportanims[0][15] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[0][15],supportanims[0][14]);

	static UINT group10[1] = {5};
	panels[0][15] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group10,1,_V(1.455,.839008,0.235),_V(1,0,0),(float)-180*(float)RAD);
	panelanims[0][15] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[0][15],supportanims[0][15]);

  [COLOR="Green"]  //The following code commented out to focus on one problem at a time
	/*static UINT group11[2] = {21,23};
	supports[1][15] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group11,2,_V(-1.455,.839008,0.232871),_V(1,0,0),(float)180*(float)RAD);
	supportanims[1][15] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[1][15],supportanims[1][14]);

	static UINT group12[1] = {7};
	panels[1][15] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group12,1,_V(-1.455,.839008,0.235),_V(1,0,0),(float)-180*(float)RAD);
	panelanims[1][15] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[1][15],supportanims[1][15]);

	//msh = AddMesh(tempmesh,_V(1.455,-.845-i*.01,0));

	static UINT group13[2] = {13,15};
	//group[0] = 13; //change later
	//group[1] = 15; //change later
	supports[2][15] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group13,2,_V(1.455,-.839008,0.232871),_V(1,0,0),(float)90*(float)RAD);
	supportanims[2][15] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[2][15],supportanims[2][14]);

	static UINT group14[1] = {3};
	panels[2][15] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group14,1,_V(1.455,.839008,0.235),_V(1,0,0),(float)-90*(float)RAD);
	panelanims[2][15] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[2][15],supportanims[2][15]);

	//msh = AddMesh(tempmesh,_V(-1.455,-.845-i*.01,0));
	static UINT group15[2] = {9,11};
	//group[0] = 9; //change later
	//group[1] = 11; //change later
	supports[3][15] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group15,2,_V(-1.455,-.839008,0.232871),_V(1,0,0),(float)90*(float)RAD);
	supportanims[3][15] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[3][15],supportanims[3][14]);

	static UINT group16[2] = {1};
	panels[3][15] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group16,1,_V(-1.455,.849008,0.235),_V(1,0,0),(float)-90*(float)RAD);
	panelanims[3][15] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,panels[3][15],supportanims[3][15]);*/
}[/COLOR]
I've checked my numbers multiple times and the coordinates are correct, but the result of that code is this:
animproblem1.jpg

It's a simple zig-zag animation, but the support arms aren't rotating about the ends like they're supposed to. I've only tried to animate one of the panels so far, and it's not the parent of anything yet. Does anyone see anything wrong with my code or know of a problem doing animations like this?
Thanks for any help,
Matt
 
Last edited:
Zatnikitelman

Zatnikitelman

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Slight update, instead of creating a local UINT variable inside the loop for each mesh group, I create a static UINT array and assign the mesh index to that array, but I'm still having the problem with the incorrect animation. I'm wondering if there's an odd bug inside Orbiter because I print out the animation coordinates directly from each newly created MGROUP_ROTATE (MGROUP_ROTATE*->ref.y, ref.z). I've also verified that my parent-child associations are correct and that my current code is functionally the same as other zig-zag animations I've written recently. The only difference, is that I'm adding a new mesh for each animation rather than operating on the same mesh.
But this begs the question, what are animation coordinates relative to? The vessel center-point, or the mesh center-point?
 
Zatnikitelman

Zatnikitelman

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dbeachy1 suggested I eliminate the loop and only animate the parent and first child animation. dbeachy1 pointed out that the coordinates are relative to a mesh and not the vessel so the problem in the previous post has been taken care of and all the child animations now act like they're supposed to relative to each other, but not the first parent animation. Here's the code I'm using for now:
Code: 
radiatoranimation=CreateAnimation(0.0);

static UINT group1[2]={16,18};
supports[0][0] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(0,group1,2,_V(1.455,0.85,0.23),_V(1,0,0),(float)60*(float)RAD);
//static MGROUP_ROTATE sup(0,group1,2,_V(1.455,0.85,0.23),_V(1,0,0),(float)60*(float)RAD);
supportanims[0][0] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[0][0]);

//for testing
static UINT meshnumber = AddMesh("Truss\\radpanel1",&_V(1.45522,.836,0));
static UINT groupt[2] = {0,2};
supports[0][1] = new MGROUP_ROTATE(meshnumber,groupt,2,_V(0,-.005,-.2325),_V(1,0,0),(float)-120*(float)RAD);
supportanims[0][1] = AddAnimationComponent(radiatoranimation,0,1,supports[0][1],supportanims[0][0]);
The problem is in the section under "//for testing." It rotates about the wrong point, it seems to be several meters negative Z instead of where it's supposed to be.
Thanks for any help!
 
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