Moho Forum

I had on action each for many different layers in a group.

I decided to consolidate those layers into one vector layer and copied all the points from each layer to a brand new layer I just created.

Afterwards the actions palette was empty for this new layer. I created a new action for this new layer WITH THE SAME NAME as the old original action for all the other grouped layers and all the point motion from the copied points were in the action for the new layer.

I suppose the action info for the points was still in the point info when I copied them, but the layer the action belonged to wasn't there until I created it.

In order to "restore" the actions from the copied points the new action for the new layer must have the same name as it had before from the copied layers points.

Anyway, if this makes sense it might be helpful. It saved me from having to redo the action.

-vern

Actions hirearchy is a very interesting thing. You create an action in the root layer of a multiple nested group. Then that action is available in every sublayer that have any point/bone or whatever that is affected by that action. Another interesting thing is that actions can be composited.
Example:
You have:
- Group: Larry
- - Vector: Body
- - Group: Head
- - -Vector: Hair
- - -Group: Eyes
- - - - Vector: Pupils
- - - - Vector: Eyelids

Then you create (create at Larry Group Level) an action that moves points in Body, Hair and Pupils.
You have then Tree actions available:

Body + Hair + Pupils
Hair + Pupils
Pupils

You only have to insert a reference of the action selecting the corresponding inmediate group layer (Larry for Body + Hair + Pupils; Head for Hair + Pupils and Eyes for Pupils)

That's great!

Funny thing... that hierarchy is exactly why I needed to copy a bunch of layers into one layer but still wanted to keep the actions.

I found it difficult (pain in the arse) to move point keys around after applying an action to 10 different layers.

So I decided (after creating actions for each layer) to copy them into one layer. After I did this I slapped my forehead thinking I had lost the actions for all those layers. Lo and behold! They still existed on the points! Wooohooo! Saved an hour or two.

Tis a shame though that action key frames can't be "linked" somehow. I wonder if a script could do it. It would be cool if the key frame for the action could be indicated on the group time line.

-vern