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Flags

If a control toggles an item that is drawn on top of an item of another control, you may want to hide the other item without switching the other control off.

  • That control raises a Flag that the other control listens to.
  • Example:
    • You can wear a crop-top and a bra/bikini at the same time, and the bra/bikini still remains visible.
    • You can wear a sweater and a bra/bikini at the same time, but the bra/bikini is not visible when the sweater is active.
    • However, if you take off your sweater, then either the bra or the bikini should show back up.
  • Other example: A crop-top and a sweater should change a conflict prevention blendshape of the body.
note

In this documentation page, we will use two similar terms to describe distinct concepts:

  • A control is Switched ON when the user toggles the item on the Menu ON.
  • A control is Active when the control is simultaneously Switched ON and additional conditions of the control are satisfied.

When a control is Active, the effects of that control will be visible: Objects will be toggled, properties will change, etc.

It is possible for the user to Switch ON a control without causing any effect to be visible if the additional conditions are not satisfied. Therefore, a control can be Switched ON and still remain Inactive.

What are Flags?​

Flags provide an opportunity to handle visibility interactions between items.

  • Controls can raise flags as long as they're active.
    • Multiple controls can raise the same flag simultaneously.
    • The flag is lowered down when no control is raising that flag.
  • Other controls can listen to a flag as part of their additional conditions.
    • The flag becomes a requirement for that other control to become active.
    • There is also a Control mode which only listens to a flag.
  • Flags do not switch any control ON or OFF (this is covered in the next section "Ejects").

When to use it?​

Flags can be used when the items of a control need to remain inactive while still keeping the control switched ON.

  • Example:
    • You can wear a crop-top and a bra/bikini at the same time, and the bra/bikini still remains visible.
    • You can wear a sweater and a bra/bikini at the same time, but the bra/bikini is not visible when the sweater is active.
    • However, if you take off your sweater, then either the bra or the bikini should show back up.

Flags can be used when multiple items change the same properties of a object.

  • Example: A crop-top and a sweater should change a conflict prevention blendshape of the body.

How to use​

To use flags, first we need to create a Flag, and then we need to assign it to the items that should raise that flag.

  • In one of your controls:
    • In the Flag panel, type the name of the flag next to the + New flag button. Example of names: NeedsConflictPreventionChest, NeedsConflictPreventionHip, FullyCoversWristWatch, FullyCoversBraStraps, ...
    • Press the + New flag button to create a new Vixen Flag asset. This new asset will be highlighted in your project.
  • If you have other controls that should raise that flag:
    • In the Flag panel, select or drag and drop the previously created Vixen Flag asset into the field.
tip

You can reuse the same Vixen Flag assets across different unrelated avatars.

Example: If you have a Karin and Manuka avatars that need a Hip conflict prevention flag, you can create one NeedsConflictPreventionHip flag and use it for both of your avatars.

Unity_REMNKDG6u2.png

Pictured above: This control raises a flag when the menu is switched ON.

Finally, we need to tell other controls to listen to that flag.

There are several ways, depending on your flag type:

  • If you want to create a new control that only listens to that flag, then:
    • Create a new Control, and instead of a Menu, set the control mode to Listen To Flag.
    • Assign the Flag to that field. Whenever that flag is raised, the control will become active.

Unity_Uu0VwaU8EH.png

Pictured above: This control listens to a flag, and changes a blendshape if that flag is raised (True).

  • If you want to create a new control that listens to multiple flags, then:
    • Create a new Control, and instead of a Menu, set the control mode to Conditional.
    • Follow the same instructions as above.
    • To create an OR condition, create multiple condition groups, with one condition in each group.
    • To create an AND condition, create one condition group, and put multiple conditions in it.

Unity_FU6xRVdopw.png

Pictured above: This control listens to two flags, and disables an object if both of those flags are lowered (False).

  • If you need an existing control (such as a Menu) to listen to a flag, then:
    • In the control that needs to listen to that flag, open the Additional conditions panel in the Advanced section.
    • Add a new Condition group.
    • In the newly created condition:
      • Make sure the Type is set to Listen To Flag.
      • Assign the Flag to that field.
      • If you want the control to become active when that flag is raised (while the control is switched ON), then make sure the Operator is set to Is True.
      • If you want the control to become or remain inactive when that flag is raised (while the control is switched ON), then set the Operator to Is False.

Unity_UP99PI8ttv.png

Pictured above: This control is a Menu, but it also requires a flag to be lowered (False). If both the Menu is switched ON and the flag is lowered, it enables an object.

note

For performance reasons, please refrain from creating more than 5 conditions within the same control.

In VRChat, Vixen internally uses Blend Tree recursive nesting to create conditions, but Blend Trees have a serious performance impact when recursive nesting is excessively used.