Motivation

An animation changes something over time:

• position - a car driving
• orientation - an airplane banking
• color - seasons changing

Animation requires control over time:

• When to start and stop
• How fast to go

Controlling time

• A TimeSensor node is similar to a stop watch
  • You control the start and stop time
• The sensor generates time events while it is running
• To animate, route time events into other nodes

Using absolute time

• A TimeSensor node generates absolute and fractional time events
• Absolute time events give the wall-clock time
  • Absolute time is measured in seconds since 12:00am January 1, 1970!
  • Useful for triggering events at specific dates and times

Using fractional time

• Fractional time events give a number from 0.0 to 1.0
  • When the sensor starts, it outputs a 0.0
  • At the end of a cycle, it outputs a 1.0
  • The number of seconds between 0.0 and 1.0 is controlled by the cycle interval
• The sensor can loop forever, or run through only one cycle and stop

Syntax: TimeSensor

• A TimeSensor node generates events based upon time
  • startTime and stopTime - when to run
  • cycleInterval - how long a cycle is
  • loop - whether or not to repeat cycles

Using timers

To create a continuously running timer:

• loop TRUE
• stopTime <= startTime

When stop time <= start time, stop time is ignored

To run until the stop time:

• loop TRUE
• stopTime > startTime

To run one cycle then stop:

• loop FALSE
• stopTime <= startTime

The set_startTime input event:

• Sets when the timer should start

The set_stopTime input event:

• Sets when the timer should stop

Using timer outputs

The isActive output event:

• Outputs TRUE at timer start
• Outputs FALSE at timer stop

The time output event:

• Outputs the absolute time

The fraction_changed output event:

• Outputs values from 0.0 to 1.0 during a cycle
• Resets to 0.0 at the start of each cycle

A sample time sensor

Converting time to position

To animate the position of a shape you provide:

• A list of key positions for a movement path
• A time at which to be at each position

An interpolator node converts an input time to an output position

• When a time is in between two key positions, the interpolator computes an intermediate position

Interpolating positions

Each key position along a path has:

• A key value (such as a position)
• A key fractional time

Interpolation fills in values between your key values:

Syntax: PositionInterpolator

A PositionInterpolator node describes a position path

• key - key fractional times
• keyValue - key positions

Typically route into a Transform node's set_translation input

Using position interpolator inputs and outputs

The set_fraction input:

• Sets the current fractional time along the key path

The value_changed output:

• Outputs the position along the path each time the fraction is set

A sample using position interpolators

Using other types of interpolators

Syntax: OrientationInterpolator

A OrientationInterpolator node describes an orientation path

• key - key fractional times
• keyValue - key rotations (axis and angle)

Typically route into a Transform node's set_rotation input

Syntax: ColorInterpolator

ColorInterpolator node describes a color path

• key - key fractional times
• keyValue - key colors (red, green, blue)

Typically route into a Material node's set_diffuseColor or set_emissiveColor inputs

Syntax: ScalarInterpolator

ScalarInterpolator node describes a scalar path

• key - key fractional times
• keyValue - key scalars (used for anything)

Often route into a Material node's set_transparency input

Summary

The TimeSensor node's fields control:

• Timer start and stop times
• The cycle interval
• Whether the timer loops or not

The sensor outputs:

• true/false on isActive at start and stop
• absolute time on time while running
• fractional time on fraction_changed while running

Interpolators use key times and values and compute intermediate values

All interpolators have:

• a set_fraction input to set the fractional time
• a value_changed output to send new values

Some interpolators are:

• The PositionInterpolator node converts times to positions (or scales)
• The OrientationInterpolator node converts times to rotations
• The ColorInterpolator node converts times to colors
• The ScalarInterpolator node converts times to scalars (such as transparencies)