Object inspection camera?

Is there a pre-made object inspection camera script available anywhere? I'm currently using the Mouse Orbit control, but I'd like to be able to move the camera in and out while orbiting a static object.

 

Here's what I did for that (not a lens zoom but an actual dolly in-out while orbiting).

I'm assuming you have the camera parented to a GO that is rotating. The way I zoomed in and out is simply to scale that GO.

This script allows both mouse wheel and chosen keys to serve this function:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. var camparent : Transform; //camera's parent that rotates to aim camera - drag and drop in inspector
3.  
4. function Update ()
5. {
6.     var zoominput = Input.GetAxis("Mouse ScrollWheel") + Input.GetAxis("Camera Zoom Keys")/8; // /8 makes keys similar to mouse wheel speed
7.     if (zoominput != 0)
8.     {
9.         camparent.transform.localScale = Vector3.Max( Vector3(.1,.1,.1), Vector3.Min( Vector3(10,10,10), camparent.transform.localScale - Vector3.one*zoominput*camparent.transform.localScale.x*.5 ) ); // .1 and 10 are near and far limits, .5 is a speed adjustment that affects both keys and wheel alike
10.     }
11. }
12.  

(EDIT: I've used "camparent" to refer to the GO being scaled, so it doesn't matter WHERE you use this script. But you could modify it to attach directly to the cam parent GO.)

Hopefully that's a useful start.

 

That's a cool idea (scaling the GO). I was using the mouse orbit control which doesn't have a fixed rotation, but this gives me a good head start. I'll let you know where I end up.

 

I haven't played with the built-in mouse-orbit to know how they'd interact, I'm afraid. Good luck

I just added a //comment to explain the .5, BTW.

 

Thanks Joachim.

This bit of code typifies for me why I'll never be a programmer. I can "read" the beginning part of the code perfectly, but then I get to "Time.deltaTime" and speed. What have either got to do with distance?

Rhetorical question from frustrated wannabe developer, no need to answer.

 

We've all been there, that's what the documentation is for.

http://unity3d.com/Documentation/ScriptReference/Time.deltaTime.html

There is no reason anyone should implicitly know what all of Unity's classes and functions do. You've just gotta look them up when you are stumped.

If the docs don't make sense (very possible... we've all been there too ) then we have a common ground to help.

Cheers,
-Jon

 

Yeah but how would you even know to look for Time.deltaTime if you don't know you need it?

 

The second page of the scripting overview, I guess. Probably in some tutorials too. (Haven't looked)

http://unity3d.com/Documentation/ScriptReference/index.Keeping_Track_of_Time.html

-Jon

edit: Page 3 of the Scripting Tutorial

 

I'm so lame!

I can't figure out where to insert Joachim's code into the Mouse Orbit script. If I replace out line 3, I get an error about Unexpected token "+=".

I tried inserting it into the LateUpdate function, but that didn't work either. It complains about unknown identifier "speed."

 

That did it. But the move in and out is really slow. I tried adjusting the speed variable, but it doesn't do much.

 

Yes, I tried setting the inspector speed value at 1 and 100 and the result is pretty much the same.

 

I added Joachim's code above the

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. var rotation = Quaternion.EulerAngles(y * Mathf.Deg2Rad, x * Mathf.Deg2Rad, 0);
3.  

line in the LateUpdate() function and it worked as advertised. With the speed set to 10.0 it was easy to tell. Is the "Time Scale" variable in Edit -> Project Settings -> Time still = "1"? I assume the mouse orbit part is still working.

 

That did it. I set the speed to 250 in the inspector and it's now zooming in and out at a rate that works for me.

I had previously placed Joachim's line at the end of the function. Does the order of the commands within a function influence their effect?

 

Cool script. I'll have to play with it some, is the object you rotate around supost to be able to move freely around? Or is it ment to work more like if you frame something in Maya or Unity? Jeff

 

Just attach this script to your camera instead of mouse orbit. Set the speed to a pretty high number (>100) and target the object you want to inspect.

If you've got a mouse with a scroll wheel, that's all it takes.

I think this script would work with both a moving and a stationary object, but I've only tested it with a static object.

 

In general, the order does matter, especially with the setting the value of variables. Make sure you set them to something before you actually use them.

 

In short, yes.

Here's a little example of order being important:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. var i=3;
3. i=i*2;
4. i=i+1;
5. print(i); // prints 7
6.  

Vs:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. var i=3;
3. i=i+1;
4. i=i*2;
5. print(i); // prints 8
6.  

or even:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. var i=3;
3. print(i); // prints 3
4. i=i+1;
5. i=i*2;
6.  

and finally:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. print(i); // compiler error.
3. var i=3;
4. i=i+1;
5. i=i*2;
6.  

 

I'd forgotten that I had come up with this simple object inspection script several years ago (with the help of the gurus on the board, obviously -- it's depressing how little progress I've made since then!).

Running it in 2.5, I get the following error: "WARNING: 'UnityEngine.Quaternion.EulerAngles(float, float, float)' is obsolete. Use Quaternion.Euler instead. This function was deprecated because it uses radians instad of degrees"

The script still works, but I'd love to see it brought up to date. Any volunteers?

 

That was easier than I thought. I looked up the new line from the camera orbit script. Here's the updated script.