Animating a Sub-XSheet from outside it-self

[Modleyyy]

Ask a question related to OpenToonz

OpenToonz version 1.7.1 on Windows 7

I'm drawing using vector only (except for backgrounds but whatever), and I'd like to be able to move and animate the entire Sub-XSheet from outside, along it's own animation. When I try to, it says that "the current level can't be modified", but I'm sure there's a way. And yes, I know grouping vector objects in a single level IS a solution, tweening is almost impossible to do unless you have different columns.

[RodneyBaker]

I probably don't understand the requirement fully but a subxsheet is just a regular xsheet nested inside another xsheet.
For our purposes here think of a scene and an xsheet as being the same thing as we can only have one open at a given time.
(The xsheet data is also contained inside the scene file)

What this means that if you want to modify your subxsheet all should should need to do is enter it and Save it out with an appropriate scene name. You should then be able to manipulate it both externally from the main scene/xsheet as well as within it**.

**Some care will need to be taken here to break the linkage but when in doubt you can always re-import a scene as a subxsheet.

I'll review the areas I think may be problematic but any additional information you can provide on the process you are after will be appreciated. (A video of what you are trying to accomplish would be especially useful)

Added: Yes, I think this can be done rather well.
I key element to consider is that no matter what the scene name (subxsheet or main scene/xsheet) all levels are just exposures.
So the important thing is to have the exposures point to the desired level.

In this way we can have the same level opened in the main... in a sub... in another instance of Opentoonz... in a (compatible) fork... and even in other programs that recognize the level type being used. As you indicate vector use that narrows the pool of what can use PLI files but... yeah.

Returning to the desire
If you want to manipuate the entire vector setup from outside your current scene or subscene... Save As the scene with another name and get to work!

I know I'm missing things here but that's what comes to mind.
Please feel free to redirect.

[RodneyBaker]

I just noticed your last thought regarding autotweening...

If you want to autotween vectors across columns you can spred the frames of the level out over columns.
In this way they are both vertical (in Level Strip) and horizontal (in Xsheet)... in depth even... and yet can still easily be inbetweened.

Care must be taken to arrange the frames of the level so they are created in logical ranges.
For instance, if it was a level that include all parts of a character the head's parts might have a reservation of frames 1 through 100. The body's reservation of frames might be 101 to 200, etc.

[RodneyBaker]

Moving this to documenation where additional discussion can occur.