C4D XPRESSO 1

Introduction to Visual Scripting in C4D

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OBJECTIVES
1. Understand how to work with Xpresso in C4D
2. Able to do simple rigs with Xpresso

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LESSON CONTENT
1. About Xpresso
2. Working with Xpresso
3. Xpresso Nodes
4. User Data

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ABOUT XPRESSO
What is Xpresso?
● Expressions for C4D
○ A visual form of creating expressions
○ Visually joining data from one property
to another
○ Full node-based workflow

● Relatively easy to learn and use

○ No need for writing code

● Coding knowledge is useful

○ Fundamentals in programming
○ Working with data types
○ Manipulating data
○ Maths operation

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WORKING WITH XPRESSO
How to use Xpresso?
● Working with Xpresso needs an Xpresso Tag
○ The expression set up is stored inside the tag
■ Can have many expressions set up inside the tag
○ The tag can be applied on any object
■ Not necessary to be on the object that is involved in the expression
● An object can have any number of Xpresso tags

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WORKING WITH XPRESSO
Xpresso Editor
● The main window where all the Xpresso set up is done
● 3 areas to use for working
○ X-Pool → Library of available node
○ Work area → Linking nodes
○ Properties panel → Changing node options

X-Pool Work Area Properties Panel

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WORKING WITH XPRESSO
Adding Nodes
● 2 ways
○ Drag and drop from the X-Pool library
○ Right-click to open a menu
■ Can search and filter too

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WORKING WITH XPRESSO
Linking Data in Xpresso
● Node flow
○ Data flows from left to right

● For each node

○ Data input → Left side in blue
○ Data output → Right side in red
○ Each node can take in only 1 input
○ Each output can link to multiple nodes Data flow

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WORKING WITH XPRESSO
Exposing Ports in Xpresso
● Input & Output ports
○ To link data in and out of the node,
have to export the port for linking
● Click on the corners to display all the
available ports
○ Blue corner for inputs
○ Red corner for outputs

● Alternate way
○ Bring the object in as a node
○ Select the object in the object
manager
○ Drag the respective property onto the
object node in the Xpresso editor

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 DEMO

Linking Properties
01 Linking Properties.c4d

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WORKING WITH XPRESSO
Data Type in C4D
● C4D have different data types
○ Integer
○ Float (Real)
○ String
○ Matrix
○ Object
○ etc

● When linking, make sure to use the correct data types

● Can see the data type when hovering over the port
○ Bottom info bar
○ Pop up tool tip

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WORKING WITH XPRESSO
Data Type Mismatch
● If the wrong data is linked up
○ The receiving node will turn yellow.
○ The whole Xpresso will stop working!
■ Including the rest that are linked correctly

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XPRESSO NODES
Common Xpresso Nodes
● There’s a lot of available nodes to use in Xpresso
○ For various purposes & needs
○ All available in the X-Pool
○ Including presets

● Most of the time you will use a few common ones

○ Result
○ FloatMath
○ Remark
○ Degree

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XPRESSO NODES
Result Node
● A basic node
● Shows the output of the connected node
● Important to match the display to the incoming data type
○ Eg. Float, Vector, Matrix, etc

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XPRESSO NODES
FloatMath Node
● This node is useful for basic maths calculation
○ Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
● Only takes in 2 inputs
● Switch data type if needed
○ Usually between float and integer

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 DEMO

FloatMath Node
01 xxx.c4d

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XPRESSO NODES
Remark Node
● A simple node for writing comments / documenting the set up
● Can change the title bar colour for easier recognition

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XPRESSO NODES
Degree Node
● Main purpose is to convert Radians to Degrees
○ Only useful for Rotation values

● C4D works in Radians

○ But it’s easier for us to work in Degrees

● So we do calculations in degrees
○ Use the Degree node to convert to Radians for C4D
○ Change to Degree to Radians

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 DEMO

Degree Node
02 Degree Node.c4d

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WORKING WITH ANGLES
What are radians?
● A common unit for measuring angles in Maths
● Calculated around 𝛑 (pi)
○ Eg 180° rotation is 1𝛑
○ 360° rotation is 2𝛑
● C4D uses radians internally
○ Degrees is easier to understand
○ So we work in degree and C4D converts

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WORKING WITH ANGLES
Be careful with angles
● If connect angle output to angle input, it will work as expected.
● But let’s say you do manual calculation with non-angle numbers to create an angle
○ Eg Multiply 45 by 2 for 90, expected result of 90° when input to rotation
○ But the output in degrees will be wildly off!
● C4D will take the input number 90, as 90 radians or 5156°!

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WORKING WITH ANGLES
Convert to Degree values to Radians
● Use the Degree node to convert to Radians
○ The results will then be correct

Note the 90 is converted

to 1.571 radians

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USER DATA

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 DEMO

User Data
03 User Controls.c4d

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USER DATA
Controlling Xpresso
● Using Xpresso is more useful when you
can control the expressions with your
own custom data → User data

● A special section on each object

○ Create custom controls
○ Use your own data
○ Link with Xpresso
○ Can be animated

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USER DATA
Common Xpresso Controls
● 2 Common controls
○ Slider
○ Quick Tabs
● Set using the Manage User Data window

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USER DATA
Adding Controls
● Controls can be added to any objects
● Select Object
○ Go to User Data menu
○ Add User Data command

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USER DATA
Controls Settings Layout
● Name
○ Name of the property that appears on the object
● Animatable
○ If the property can be keyframed
● Data Type
○ What data the property will output
○ Float, Integer, String, etc
● Interface
○ What type of control to adjust the data
○ Number input, Slider input, etc
● Unit
○ What unit of data
○ Length, Percentage, Number, etc
● Step
○ What’s the default increment on the control
● Limit Min & Max
○ Cap the value on the control
● Default Value This area previews how the control
○ Set the default number of the control when applied will look like when applied

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USER DATA
Float Control
● Control that outputs a Float (Real) number
● Can be represented in 3 different UI
○ Number, Slider, Slider without Editfield

Float UI Float Slider UI Float Slider without Editfield UI

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USER DATA
Quick Tab Control
● Only applicable with an Integer data output
● Select Quicktab Radio for the interface
○ This creates selectable buttons
○ Only 1 option can be selected
● Manually enter the option in the Cycle Option
○ Need to follow syntax rule
■ Value ; String
■ Output number ; Option Display Name
○ When user select the Option Name
■ The control outputs the number

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THANK YOU!

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