Very often I can't use the sliders in Houdini and have to manually type in the numbers because the value I need exceeds the default slider range.

Maybe an idea to scale the max slider value with the used number ? So when the default slider range goes from 0 to 1 and I use a value of 5 the slider range scale changes automatically from 0 to 10. So the slider nicely sits in the middle and does not become useless.

This way sliders can actually be used, instead of having to type all the time because the range exceeds the default one.

For instance, the uniform scale of an object ranges from 0 to 1 by default. When I need a value of 5 I can no longer use the slider and have to type in a value every time.

I noticed I sliders becoming useless this way a lot in Houdini.

R.

You can bypass the slider range by middle clicking on the value and then dragging let or right, choosing from 7 different increments.

Sliders are not useless if you use a fit function in conjunction with the slider - Then you can use the slider for any range you desire.

Post a simplified hip in how you want a slider to be used and an example can be made of it in that context.

BrianHanke
You can bypass the slider range by middle clicking on the value and then dragging let or right, choosing from 7 different increments.

Yes, Thanks. But that's kind of my point. The slider becomes useless. For instance when I set the “uniform scale” slider to 5 and touch it the value jumps back to the max default value of 1.

I personally prefer using a slider instead of the RMB incremental ranges. Why create a slider like this, what's the advantage ?

R.

I personally prefer using a slider instead of the RMB incremental ranges. Why create a slider like this, what's the advantage ?

Because as I said before you can use it with a fit function….and if you really want the number you choose to be displayed, you can also create a parameter for that number. This is Houdini, it gives you the flexibility to create the controls to work as you want. It might not be pretty U.I. wise but it will be functional.

BabaJ
Sliders are not useless if you use a fit function in conjunction with the slider - Then you can use the slider for any range you desire.

Post a simplified hip in how you want a slider to be used and an example can be made of it in that context.

Thanks, I'm sure this behavior could be hacked, but why should I have to ? What's the advantage of this default setting ? Wouldn't automatic range adjustment be an improvement ?

I'm surprised people prefer this limitation, I suspect the way it works now is not by design, but more of an oversight ?

R.

Imagine if your slider represents values from 0-10,000. Try adjusting with your mouse on a slider icon to a specific value. Your going to have a hard time - better to use a parm with middle mouse ladder values. Or the converse, the nightmare to display a slider parameter that is stretched across the screen to accomodate such a values.

Yes by good design - not oversight.

And although I haven't tried that what Brian is saying, it seems to be the simplist workable answer.

Alternative…doing what I say can be turned into an asset. So it's not a hack. It's making your own tools to your liking.


Edit: And I can concede…just for visualizing, you could submit an RFE to at least have the ramp diagram scale to fit the window view. Personally, that's the only improvement that would make a difference, imo. Of course there would be some ‘need’ to reflect that the values used have gone outside the 0-1 range(vertical or horizonal) so that if there other sliders being used as well, the user at a glance can see that if two look the same even though one is within 0-1 ranges - they are in fact representing two different ranges.

I agree that incorrect default range for the slider can cause a lot of pain and some sort of automatic adjustment could be helpful
in XSI ranges automatically adjusted every time higher value than the current slider range was typed in, which was useful at times, also a bit annoying if you mistyped and suddenly your range was huge

personally I'd like if it was possible to edit the slider range in Edit Parameter Interface dialog on node's instance the same way as some other properties (like Label, Invisible, Horizontally Join), that would allow for deliberate UI edits on specific node instances without too many hacks

but if you need any feature like this submit an RFE

I've been using sliders that work like this for years in Softimage and it works like a charm, works the same in Maya, and I never ran into any of the issues that are mentioned here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/55nlm1z9v5tb0iy/sliders.mp4?dl=0 [www.dropbox.com]

I really don't see the advantage of limiting the use of sliders like this, why even create a slider when it becomes useless when you need to adjust something most of the time ? It's just making basic stuff harder to use then it has to be.

R.

tamte
I agree that incorrect default range for the slider can cause a lot of pain and some sort of automatic adjustment could be helpful
in XSI ranges automatically adjusted every time higher value than the current slider range was typed in, which was useful at times, also a bit annoying if you mistyped and suddenly your range was huge

personally I'd like if it was possible to edit the slider range in Edit Parameter Interface dialog on node's instance the same way as some other properties (like Label, Invisible, Horizontally Join), that would allow for deliberate UI edits on specific node instances without too many hacks

but if you need any feature like this submit an RFE

Thanks, maybe I'll do that. But I suspect not much will happen considering this is considered a feature ;-)

btw, you can re-load a slider preset in Softimage in case it's out of range.

R.

toonafish
Thanks, maybe I'll do that. But I suspect not much will happen considering this is considered a feature ;-)

well, XSI didn't have this from start, it's definitely a feature, you really can't expect every software to have everything
developers have their priorities which may not be aligned with yours and sometimes submitting an RFE is a difference between having it implemented and not

Ah well, that answers my question then!

FWIW: I agree with toonafish that the slider range could be better handled. I do like that Softimage setup.
Please submit an RFE. It may not get granted if you ask, but it certainly won't if you don't.

In this context, is it possible to change the default range of parameters? Let's say I want the peak parameter go from -.1 to .1 as a default.

Yader
In this context, is it possible to change the default range of parameters? Let's say I want the peak parameter go from -.1 to .1 as a default.

Gear Icon > Edit Parameter Interface

Create a parameter of the same type as the one you want to control - now you can set range to whatever you want.

Link the existing parameter to the one you made with ch() reference.

Make original parameter Invisible.

Save as Preset optional.