About the Master Controller Function Wizard

The Function Wizard allows you to create Master Controllers with a specific, custom purpose. Unlike the Grid Wizard, the Stack Wizard and the Slider Wizard, which are designed to control many elements of a rig based on a set of poses, the Function Wizard is intended to create widgets that perform simple operations on a specific attribute of one or several nodes.

The Function Wizard can create Master Controller widgets of the following types:

  • Checkbox
  • Slider
  • 2D point

Using the Function Wizard, you can make those widgets perform one of the following operations:

  • Control the value of one of a node’s numerical (scalar) attributes (e.g., horizontal position, vertical position, etc.)
  • Control the value of one of a node’s 2D (vector) attributes (e.g., position, scale, etc.)
  • Toggle whether a node is enabled or disabled
  • Show or hide the controls for a node
  • Show or hide the deformation controls for a deformation chain

TheFunction Wizard can only generate Master Controllers that perform one specific operation on one specific attribute, on one or several nodes that have this attribute.

The simple operations can be combined with other tools, such as other Master Controllers.

These simple operations can however be assembled with other tools such as existing Master Controllers, which can be activated and deactivated by a checkbox widget made by the Function Wizard, for example. Function Wizard widgets can also be chained with one another, making it possible to create “control panels” where a main checkbox per character is used to activate all relevant Master Controllers, Deformations or transformation controls. Sliders and 2D Point widgets can also be linked to virtually any property of any node, in order to provide a convenient access to these properties directly from the Camera View.

Although scripting knowledge is not required, the code generated by the Function Wizard can also optionally but easily be customized by those who are comfortable with scripting.

Lastly, a secondary important intent for the Function Wizard is to educate users about Harmony’s scripting API in general as well as Master Controllers. Each widget and operation type combination will generate small code snippets, providing a headstart for more advanced scripters who wish to create their own custom Master Controllers. For those users, the Function Wizard provides a basic template which is easy to modify.