12-1 Pro Smart Mesh Reference - Funksmaname's tutorial

[exile]

I tried to follow the beginning of Funksmaname's tutorial on creating a mesh on a reference layer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mBKIQkKcb0 which is then manipulated by the original layer.

Can't get it to work and don't know why. The reference was already broken when the image was connected to the warp, but I re-established the reference on all channels. Moving points on the original vector layer still does nothing at all. What's (not) happening?

Appreciate any help.

[synthsin75]

Works fine here. Are you on frame one or higher?

[exile]

Thanks for answering so quickly.

When moving the points, I'm on the timeline. When setting up the vector and the reference layers, I'm on frame zero. When I give up on using the original layer and manipulate the mesh layer directly, it works.

I thought the fill might have an influence, but it only made some rainbow-colored shapes, nothing changed.

I will try to post a file tomorrow if I can't solve the problem. Should it be with all vector shapes due to file size?

[synthsin75]

You should only have to draw your control layer vectors, reference that layer and triangulate it, and then apply that smart mesh to you image. Keyframes will show up on frame zero of the reference layer when you triangulate it, but just ignore those. Go to frame one or higher and animate the original control layer points.

[exile]

You should only have to draw your control layer vectors, reference that layer and triangulate it, and then apply that smart mesh to you image. Keyframes will show up on frame zero of the reference layer when you triangulate it, but just ignore those. Go to frame one or higher and animate the original control layer points.

That's what I've done - but I must be making some simple mistake. The files are here:

http://singadream.com/4forumfriends_htm ... oblem.moho - and the image file separate if needed -
http://singadream.com/4forumfriends_htm ... anhead.png

I'm using the Windoze version of Moho.

Again, thanks for the quick responses.

[synthsin75]

Your mesh seems to be a little too complex or messy for triangulate to maintain the referenced point relations. There's a bit of an art to it. The original layer mesh cannot have points too close to each other, and definitely not any that overlap, as some of yours do. Try to use only what you absolutely need.

[exile]

This is simpler - too simple to be useful for animating - but no difference in the result. No luck with trying to manipulate points on the original layer. After trying that (not before) I check the triangled mesh on the reference layer. It works - with the restrictions Funksmaname pointed out.

I can't figure this out.

[synthsin75]

Okay, I went back and took another look at your deanhead file. Originally I didn't have the time, so I just recreated all the vectors myself to get it working. I know that doesn't sound faster, but to fix your existing vectors required moving every individual point to make sure none were stacked on top of each other. There were several arrant line segments hidden under points. This is what I meant about messy vectors.

What seems to happen is that the triangulation algorithm has to connect too many traingles to the same point, so the internal point IDs used to sync the reference get out of whack and the reference breaks. If you clean up all the overlapping vectors, it should work as expected.

[funksmaname]

Thanks for looking into this Synth

[exile]

Thanks for looking into this Synth

Yes, indeed. The main problem was a completely elementary mistake of double points at the beginning of every new line. Embarrassing - I didn't realize you only click once at first, hold the mouse key down and go to the next point and click there. That's a mistake complete newbies find hard to make. It makes mesh control from the original over the reference layer impossible.

Second problem: hurried, careless placing of points, because "I'm just testing this out".

Sorry to take your precious time with this, maybe others can profit as well.

Problem solved, many thanks!

[synthsin75]

Glad I could help.