Graphics

I have been asked to make a L3 element for an NHL team in which they can display different types of numerical information such as:

Max Skate Speed (MPH)
Time on Ice
Distance Skated
Puck Possession
Etc, Etc

They want the display to start at a zero value that counts up to the final value as the element animates on. So, basically I want to set something up in which the operator can enter a number value, say 5:35 for time on Ice, and then have a sort of counter / timer style text display that starts at zero and animates the value up to 5:35 in the 1.5 seconds it takes for the lower 3rd to full reveal and build on. 

I realize that 3 of these values need to be formatted for time, and one for speed, I just figured I would have a toggle to make the appropriate numerical format for the need be the active one, but I figure the underlying principle to achieve this should be the same.

I have looked into both the widgets and the VL blocks associated with counters / timers and none of them seem to give me exactly what I am looking for, but I figure there has to be a way to do this.

Thanks in advance for any tips

------------------------------
Willie Frazier
CAKE STUDIOS, LLC
------------------------------

Do you want it to count up accurately or you just want an kind of animation that does it quickly. 

What I do when I want to do a faster than real-time counter is make an animation of a hidden object (we don't have NULL objects so I use an Event object or hidden quad to be one). I make a keyframe of 0 X Position at 0 and a keyframe of 1 X Position at the duration I require, for example 50. 

Then I take it's Position X value and multiple it by the final value I wish it to be. 



------------------------------
Simon Redmile
Senior Graphic Programmer & Designer
Ross Video
Bristol United Kingdom
------------------------------

Hi Willie.
I agree with Red, but for Time on Ice it's better to use the script below.
Set it to OnRender and set the text input format to 00:00:00.

        Dim intxt, outtxt As xpTextObject
        self.GetObjectByName("InTime", intxt)
        self.GetObjectByName("OutTime", outtxt)
        Dim hide As xpBaseObject
        self.GetObjectByName("Hide", hide)
        Dim tempTime As System.TimeSpan
        TimeSpan.TryParse(intxt.Text, tempTime)
        outtxt.Text = (TimeSpan.FromSeconds(tempTime.TotalSeconds * hide.ScaleX)).Minutes.ToString("00") + ":" + (TimeSpan.FromSeconds(tempTime.TotalSeconds * hide.ScaleX)).Seconds.ToString("00")​

------------------------------
Roman Yaroshenko
chief specialist
RBC-TV
Moscow Russian Federation
------------------------------