This command can be used to lock the camera to a (dynamic) component to follow it during simulation.
Install the addon by extracting the zip file to My Commands folder. Then restart the application and the “Tracking” button shows up in the Camera group on the Home ribbon tab. See also ComponentTracking_Add-on.pdf for more information.
#UPDATE 25-08-2020
-The component to be tracked is now easier to define
-Better usability, user interface and output messages
#UPDATE 24-08-2020
-the command name and the UI name has been changed.
#UPDATE 29-02-2020
-the component does not need to be selected and highlighted anymore
-user can select the component from drop-down menu, or select in 3D, then launch the command. There is not yet interactive picking yet, unfortunately.
-user can attach the camera position the component. This will move the camera position in 3D by keeping the same offset to the followed component, but does not lock it. It is still possible to navigate the view.
For some reason my “Camera.Eye” is updated as soon as “Camera.Coi” changes.
This results in my camera always moving parallel to the object I selected.
I don’t know why this happens but I’m now making a backup of the eye position in order to reset it after the Coi changed. With this change my camera follows the object without changing it’s eye position.
Is it possible to combine CameraFollowComponent with views made with camera animator? For instance, view1, view2, follow a component for 5s, view3, etc. I’ve been trying to get it to work through python API but I’m stuck.
@Johnny, I made an update to the command which where attaching the camera to the component in optional. The previous version it was always attached. Please check it out.
@raWK, that would be a nice improvement tot the command. The problem is that typically those components that the camera follows are dynamic, so you cannot refer to them before they are created. The name of the component is not unique for dynamic components either. Do you have an idea how to solve this?
@rawk, that would be a nice improvement tot the command. The problem is that typically those components that the camera follows are dynamic, so you cannot refer to them before they are created. The name of the component is not unique for dynamic components either. Do you have an idea how to solve this?
I thought it was possible to manage camera animator in OnRun event (but couldn't find a way to do it). That way you wouldn't have to refer to components before they are created. I would then refer to object instances of those dynamic components and use some of your command's code to follow components.
At the moment I don’t have any idea how to incorporate this feature in the command itself.
No you do not need to create views in order to use this. You need to just select one component and you can toggle it on/off.
When the command is launched, there is action panel on the right hand side. You need to select the component by the property ComponentToTrack. Use the drop-down menu or pick in 3D-icon.
@rawk Currently there is no way to combine views with tracking, but probably you could record the videos in both ways and use video editor to combine them. Another option would be to use API to call the views and the component tracking.
For ComponentTracking add-on, fixed(based on camera coi) camera eye and dynamic camera coi.
For ViewAnimator, pre-defined camera eye and pre-defined camera coi, also the camera interpolation is calculated internally. That’s why you cannot utilize it.
If you want respective dynamic paths for camera eye and camera coi, cannot use ComponentTracking add-on or ViewAnimator, need to create a new add-ons.
Try to define camera eye path first, then when during rendering, define camera coi. You will get what you want.
) in combination with an selfmade component which moves along frames… Works great! 