Parameter Tree Collapse

marble

Just a minor annoyance but I have no idea whether there's a way around it. If I have two figures in a scene and I keep switching between them to adjust parameters, the parameter heirarchy keeps collapsing as soon as I switch from one to the other. For example, say I'm working on an expression so I have the following tree structure open:

Pose Controls > Head > Mouth > Lips

Then I switch to the other character and when I return to tweak the first one some more, the tree has collapsed and I have to go through several clicks to get back to where I was.

Szark

Select the root node, Right Click > Expand > Expand from Selected. I know it doesn't help with it collapsing but it should help with not having to click loads to get where you were

Syrus_Dante

@ Szark I think he's talking about the Parameters pane not the scene pane hierarchy tree. I found this sub menu for collaps / expand so annoying I recently added a new shortcut Ctrl+Alt+E = Expand from Selected and Ctr+Alt+C = Collapse Selected.

@ marble There is a setting for this called "Presistent Group Expansion" in the Parameters pane Option Menu. Parameter Tree = Property Group (official name)

This does work OK if the same Property Group exists in the other figure you select, but while switching scene items it can happen that the Transforms Group also gets selected and the Properties get listed in the right side column. Can be annoying sometimes but some promgram routine presists to show the Transforms first if an item gets selected.

This showed me in the Parameters pane you can Ctrl+click the Property Groups on the left to fill up the list of Properties on the right. With Consolidate Properties you can even Ctrl+click select multible scene items and manipulate Properties of the same label all at once.

Example given: select a cube and a sphere open the Property Group: Scene View in the Parameters pane and click Visible Off to hide both.

I once made a screenshot to show Consolidate Properties:

marble

Syrus_Dante said:

@ Szark I think he's talking about the Parameters pane not the scene pane hierarchy tree. I found this sub menu for collaps / expand so annoying I recently added a new shortcut Ctrl+Alt+E = Expand from Selected and Ctr+Alt+C = Collapse Selected.

@ marble There is a setting for this called "Presistent Group Expansion" in the Parameters pane Option Menu. Parameter Tree = Property Group (official name)

This does work OK if the same Property Group exists in the other figure you select, but while switching scene items it can happen that the Transforms Group also gets selected and the Properties get listed in the right side column. Can be annoying sometimes but some promgram routine presists to show the Transforms first if an item gets selected.

This showed me in the Parameters pane you can Ctrl+click the Property Groups on the left to fill up the list of Properties on the right. With Consolidate Properties you can even Ctrl+click select multible scene items and manipulate Properties of the same label all at once.

Example given: select a cube and a sphere open the Property Group: Scene View in the Parameters pane and click Visible Off to hide both.

I once made a screenshot to show Consolidate Properties:

Persistent Group Expansion! I had never noticed that (and doubt that I would have known what it was for even if I had noticed it). Thank you - I'll try this tomorrow.

Szark

Syrus_Dante Parameters, Scene Pane same thing applies. Totally forgot about that Persistent function. Never use it myself.

Syrus_Dante

Oh well yes I just noticed the Parameters pane right-click menu also offers Expand / Collapse commands that I never used.

With the checkmark "Show Sub Items" at the bottom of the Parameters pane you will see all the Properties listed on the right side anyway so there is less demand for expanding / collapsing there compared to the nested Scene Hierarchy tree with those long figure bone hierarchy chains and parented items. I wonder why this "Show Sub Items" checkmark is placed at the bottom of the Parameters pane and not included in the Options Menu - add this to the long list of things that could get improofed. This can cause issues where people accidentally uncheck this and wonder what happened to the Parameters pane - I can remember at least one thread about this.

IMO there are many tedious tasks while using DazStudio and I always search for ways to work more efficently because I learned that the software dosn't come with the best default settings or interface layout and a few persistent bugs and glitches that you have to be aware of especialy with the Scene pane.

Sorry for nitpicking over tiny details, but as I tried to use my shortcut on the Parameters pane (have to learn to use my new shortcut more often) actualy I choosed Ctrl+Shift+E = Expand from Selected I realized it only applies to the Scene pane. By having a look into the Customize dialog I noticed why: those are two different "actions" once listed in Scene Hierarchy and once in Parameters - see the attached screenshot.

Also notice the Invert Selection and Select Children shortcuts I've added just to avoid the right-click sub menu challenge: right-click - carefully navigate mouse - wait the delay until sub menu opens - again navigate carefully to choose between three options (expand/collapse all, selected, from selected) - very tedious.

BTW those settings in the option menu can make a big difference - examples of other threads where some combination of checkmarks lead to great confusion.

• How to export only selected clothing as an object in DS

• Hide multiple items

Szark

LOL Yeah I am always making new shortcuts and finding ways to make my job easier. Thanks for the info