Null Object Placeholder

L

llamapixel

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Null Object Placeholder

Hey guys is there such a primitive node called a Null Object. ?
Imagine a vertice on its own at 0,0,0

I attempted to make something from a plane but it was not giving me expected results.

I want a null object so when I rotate an object in a hierarchy the children do not skew or distort.
 
Sorry to waste your reading time I worked it out.
I used a cube, removed all the faces and vertices.
 

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* You can define a NullBox as a cube with the X,Y,Z dimensions = 0.
* If you want use the Null object as the parent of a hierarchy, the visibility toggle will affect the children. Presumably this is not what you want to achieve.
* I guess that Frank´s suggestion, i.e. grouping the single parental object (plus any subordinate hierarchical children) - which generates a “virtual” folder object - is the cleanest solution.
* You can also define a linear spline as a parent node for a set of subordinate children. A spline, be definition, is invisible.
 
This method will create an "empty" polygon object easily:

  1. Go to the OBJECTS menu
  2. Go down to POLYGON >>
  3. Then select the first item "Polygon object"
EASY - no need to start with another object and delete polygons
Advantage: deleting polygons does NOT delete the points/vertices, you still have to "optimize" or manually select the points to delete them.

Rename as a NULL if you wish -- Cheers.
 
Thank you, Rene!
That is, indeed, the optimal solution for a NULL object. A useful "trick" :rolleyes:
 

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Well - it doesn´t have a visual representation in the 3d view - you´ll always have to find/select/activate it in the object browser. ;)

Cheers
Frank
 
So which technique would be best for creating repetitive animations? Project: a series of simple products that I will rotate each single product, zoom camera and then want to swap that first product with the next - duplicating all my same moves.
Null Object - I would just make my product a child of it and it would "follow" its movements. Yes?
Folder - I would animate the folder - and nest my product in there. Yes?

Im hoping there is a simple solution here. After Effects allows you to simply create one animation and then quickly swap timeline elements which then inherit all the keyframes. Very helpful.
 
Very Strange. The Smart Folder is a neat trick... BUT, it requires some frame tweaking and adjustment. Even though I have the folder designated to have 240 frames - it keeps reverting to 120 ((and one time a whole keyframe was omitted?))
I basically had to start over too - because even when I removed the first product I animated (made sure it had NO animated keyframes); placed it by itself in a separate file; then connected it via a Smart Folder... it STILL retained all the animation??
this is working - just need to figure out the qwerks~
I'll try a basic folder next-
 
I don't animate usually, so it's entirely possible that I get something completely wrong. So, sorry in advance, if my answer is pure nonsense. But ...

In Cheetah you can have a Null object (i.e an object without any geometry). You can target the camera to that object. Instead of turning the object you can turn the camera around that object (it's easy because it's targetted), zoom in and zoom out as you wish. So your animation stays the same, and you only have to change the objects. If some slight changes are possible, you can do each object in a separate file, otherwise they can even stay in the same file, made visible as you need them.

Or I am missing the point?
 
* +1 to FB. Copy & Paste of keyframes, either in the timeline of the same object (where repetitive) or from a source object to a synchronised destination object is a great time saver.
* You can always fine-tune specific keyframes (singly or group; group by selection of n points, by marquee or cmd+A) up/down (numeric values) or left/right (locus on timeline). If need be, set & reset the fps for a suitable temporary snapping "grid".
 
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