Customizing Toolbars and Controls

Customization of one’s scenes when working in XSI becomes a very practical and useful element when using the program and allows the user to “take control of the user interface” (Ambrosius, L. 2007, pg.56). This essay will discuss the setting up of various custom toolbars and explore the advantages they offer the user. I will also look at controls which I have setup in my project and how they will benefit future productions.

Firstly, let us explore and define what a custom toolbar is. Essentially, a toolbar is a place wherein controls or functions can be placed. These controls or functions are set up manually by the user according to a particular technical need he/she may require in a certain scene. Kxcad.net notes that such controls may be used “to hold commonly used tools and presets” which are not specifically laid out in the program controls. (2011, pg.1). In XSI a method of creating a relatively simple command toolbar consists of using the script controls within the program to define the specific parameters of the control’s function. As these are additions to the program, they are referred to as “Non–self-installing Script-based Custom Commands” and become embedded in a custom toolbar which can be selected in XSI’s view options. (Softimage Wiki, 2011, pg.1).

I will now explore some options one may use when setting up a custom toolbar. Firstly, in terms of character setups, there is the option to quickly move between the translate, scale and rotation tools. While one of these three functions may be automatically assigned when clicking on a certain feature (this is done in the Transform Setup button from Property in XSI) it is generally useful to have the others also readily at hand to increase the efficiency of one’s workflow. To achieve this, one simply needs to have the specific function selected, enter the script function and copy the specific function into a custom toolbar setup. This will now create a button which can easily be used to swap between the functions. Having such toolbars is useful, but one must maintain an organization of the various buttons by labeling them (either by text or a thumbnail picture) as well as splitting toolbars up into certain categories; failing to do this will not only clutter the workspace but will confuse the user and defeat the initial purpose of using such toolbars.

Many other functions are readily available to be customised (due to the practically endless possibilities that using scripts offer the user). One other I shall discuss is the use of global controls. Global controls can be created customarily to control many functions within a particular area of the project. For example, the various finger curls which are setup for each finger can all be controlled together as a hand by creating a function which allows all the single finger controls to be moved simultaneously. Furthermore, controls can be made to quickly access functions which otherwise may be tucked deeply within the scene explorer and inconvenient to find in a short space of time. Such a control once again gives the user the advantage of having better control over the program and easier access to hard-to-find functions. Additionally, as explained by Darren Brooker, functions which may have the incorrect default settings (for example, camera settings in XSI are usually set by default to NTSC as opposed to PAL) can be changed by the user and then, by copying the change from the script history into a toolbar, will be maintained with the new settings by simply clicking on the new button (Brooker, D. 2003, pg.264).

I will now explore the custom toolbars I have set up in my rig scene in order to improve the workflow and efficiency of my character setup. Before setting up the toolbars I first set the default functions for various body parts. For the feet I set translate as the primary function as feet generally move through space more than rotate within it (this would be the place of bone joints such as elbows and ankles). The same was done for the arms and the central positioning of the character. I then set the rotation controls for both feet by creating a custom toolbar (as explained above). To organise the controls (and make it easier to differentiate between the different controls) I used a bitmap thumbnail picture which I had created in Photoshop to easily show which control performed which function. For example, the left foot rotation had a picture of a wireframe foot with circling arrows around it as well as the letter ‘L’. The same logic applied to the right foot.

Furthermore, I made a hip rotation control in the same way but put it on its own toolbar to differentiate it from the feet, which are in a different location in the body. I then laid out the two toolbars on opposite sides of the interface, naming them ‘Foot Control Toolbar’ and ‘Main Body Toolbar’.

In conclusion, I have seen that the use of custom toolbars greatly increases the workflow efficiency of one’s production. This is done by allowing the user to personalise and take control of his/her interface to meet his/her needs with the creation of extra functions. It also allows the user to quickly access program functions which may be otherwise hard to locate.

Works Cited:

1. Anon. Custom Toolbars. Web. http://www.kxcad.net/Softimage_XSI/Softimage_XSI_Documentation/toolbars_shelves_CustomToolbars.htm 2011.
2. Ambrosius, Lee. AutoCAD 2008 3D Modeling Workbook for Dummies. Wiley Publishing Inc. New Jersey. 2007.
3. Brooker, Darren. Essential CG Lighting Techniques. Focal Press. Burlington, MA. 2003.
4. Softimage Wiki. Creating Non-Self Installing Script-Based Custom Commands. Web. http://softimage.wiki.softimage.com/xsidocs/custom_commands_CreatingScriptbasedCustomCommands.htm 2011.