Complex shapes animation?

[salaam]

Hi Rik,
If I understand you correctly, you can colour objects in X3D using a bitmap texture. You only have to do this once for the whole lot of 3D objects. This texture can be created from the original image as long as it is the same size as the vector shapes you pasted into X3D. For example you could use that bitmap image you initially posted.

[Rik]

Hi salaam.

I hope you don't think I've been wasting your time.
I just hadn't thought the process through properly, I think.

All you need to do is to paste the original that you've drawn into Xara 3D.
Then texture that with the original that you've saved as a transparent png.
Job done!

EDIT: Animation example attached.

[wizard509]

If the pixels cause a problem by being too visible then there is another similar but slighltly more complicated method. Let me know.

Salaam, I would be interested in knowing what that similar but slighltly more complicated method is.

[salaam]

I am glad you have worked it out Rik but why have you chosen an example with only one shape/ object spinning around? I thought you wanted many objects.

No problem Larry

[Rik]

It is different shapes. There are 4 of them. Shown in 4 different colours.

Like I said. It's been me, not fully understanding what I could do.
What I realised was that no matter what I draw, I can simply paste that into 3D, and then texture that with the drawing, itself.
I thought I might have to save each shape that has a different colour and then paste that onto different lines in 3D and then adjust the line spacing.

[Big Frank]

I'm waiting to see if anybody does this animation! Come on animators!!

[Rik]

Which animation are you talking about, Beret?

[lwc]

Multiple animations (4), copied and pasted together using gif animation editor...

[salaam]

An altenative (non-obrusive) method to the 'sizing pixels' is to create a 'sizing frame':

- Create your shapes.
- Draw a rectangle/ frame around it. Line with no fill.
- Place 2x one pixel width eclipes at each corner (diagonally opposites) of the frame.
- Group the 2 eclipses and paste them into X3D.
- Ensure that X3D is set to zero and the ‘aspect ratio’ set at 100%.
- Change the box line width to 0.001
- Then [Convert line to shape]
- With each shape you paste into X3D, paste the frame with it.
- (To make the box visible to you but not to X3D, give it a line width.

[salaam]

Hi Rik,
You only needed to pasted your shapes in one go as they all share the same attributes. They all animate as one, the X3D text colour and tint are the same and the extrusions are also identical. Also for your example you would not need to mess around with a 'sizing pixels' or 'sizing frame'.

Nice work lwc, although you could have done that all in X3D.