Fcurve

The Info->Fcurve command is available in all modules except Tools. It displays a dialogue box which contains information on the currently selected function curve in the Fcurve window, including the time and value of each function curve key point. This command lets you quickly see and edit the most important parameters of a key point.

Procedure

1. In the Fcurve window, select a function curve to display information on a specific function curve.
2. Choose the Info->Fcurve command.
   
   The Info Fcurve dialogue box is displayed. If a key point on the function curve is currently tagged in the Fcurve window, it is highlighted in the dialogue box; otherwise, the first key point is highlighted by default.
   
3. Select a key point you want from the scroll box by clicking it. That key point highlighted in the Fcurve window.
4. Make the modifications desired. The changes happen as you edit the key point values. Click Ok to save the changes and exit the dialogue box, or click Cancel to exit without saving the changes.

Tip:

Double-clicking on a key point name opens the Set Key dialogue box in which you can modify even more information on the key point (see FcrvEdit->Set Key).

Parameters

FCURVE

The name of the function curve parameter that you selected in the Fcurve window.

INTERP

The type of interpolation used for the function curve you selected, such as Spline, Linear, Constant, Slope 0, or Plateau.

Key No.

The order in which the key points appear on the function curve.

Frame

The frame at which the key point exists.

Value

The value of the key point which is shown by its position according to the vertical axis in the Fcurve window. The units in which this value is expressed varies from one function curve type to another. For example, for a translation function curve, this value means the percentage of the distance an object has travelled on a path; for a rotation curve, it is the angle in degrees.

Zero Slopes?

Yes is displayed if both the left and right slopes of the function curve at this key point equal zero; that is, the slopes' angles are the same at the key point (they mirror each other). If the slope is not 0, No is displayed.

Set Selected Key(s)

If you select a key point in the scroll box, its Frame and Value appear in the corresponding text boxes so that you can edit them. To edit multiple keys at one time, hold down the Shift key while clicking them.

• Frame lets you edit the frame at which the key point exists.
• Value lets you edit the value of the key point. This option is the same as the Value option described above.

This dialogue box is interactive so as you modify these values, you will see the key points in the Fcurve window change to these settings. This makes it easy for you to test out different values before saving the changes.

Auto Slope

Makes the slope management for the selected key point or key points automatic. This means that a slope is automatically calculated for the function curve at that key point. For Spline function curves, the slope is made equal to the slope going from the previous key point to the next key point. For Slope 0 function curves, the slope is put to zero. For Plateau function curves, the slope is put to zero if the key point matches one of these possibilities:

• The next or previous key point is almost equal.
• The key point is a local minimum or maximum; that is, previous and next key point values are either both less than or both greater than the key point value.

Note:

The Plateau and Slope 0 types of interpolation only work with automatically created slopes: if you edit the slope manually, your edits override the settings.

Zero Slope

Makes the slope management for the selected key point or points "user-defined" and sets their slopes to 0.

Last updated 02-apr-1998