9

316 Chapter 12: Animation
B ool ean Contr oll er
Maintoolbar>CurveEditor(Open)>Selectatrack
containing a float value in the Track View hierarchy >
Track View menu bar > Controller menu > Assign >
Boolean controller
Graph Editors > Track View – Dope Sheet > Select a
track containing a float value in the Track View hiera rchy
> Track View menu bar > Controller menu > Assign >
Boolean controller
The Boolean controller is similar to the On/Off
controller (page 2–355). By default, it is assig ned
to tracks (such as an object’s Visibility track) that
provide only binary on and off control.
Note: The Boolean controller is useful for
controlling the Enabled state in the History
Independent (HI) IK system (page 2–453).
It differs from the On/Off controller in two ways:
first, each key has its own float value, either 1.0 or
0.0, signifying its on or off state. This enhancement
leads to the second component that differen tiates
the Boolean controller from its On/Off cousin:
the ability to lay down sequential keys without
inadvertently changing the on/off state of any keys
downstream.
TheBooleancontrollercanbeassignedtoany
parameter that would normally be controlled by a
float or boolean class controller, such as sphere’s
Hemisphere or Smooth track.
Boolean controller key va lues c an be changed in
on of two ways: through Track View’s Dope Sheet
editor or through MAXScript.
Note: Although the B o olean controller displays a
function curve in Track View’s Curve Editor, it
does not display keys. Key time and value must b e
changed in the Dope Sheet editor.
Procedures
To a ssign a B ool ean controller a nd add key s:
1.
Open Track View’s Dope Sheet editor and select
anytrackthatwouldnormallybeassigneda
float or boolean class controller.
2. Right-click and select Assign Controller.
Pick the Bo olean controller from the Assign
Controller dialog, and click OK
3. From the main Track View toolbar , select
the Add Keys button and click anywhere on the
selected track.
New keys with a value of 0.0 are added.
To change Boolean controller k ey values in Track
View:
1.
Open the Track View Dope Sheet editor and
select a track that contains a Boolean controller.
2. Select any key and t ype 1.0 or 0.0 into the key
valuefieldatthebottomoftheTrackView
dialog.
Note: Values greater than 0.0 will automatically
be clamped to 1.0