Animation

The Preferences->Animation command, available in all modules except Tools, allows you to set parameters to create and modify an animation more efficiently. For example, you can select a colour keyframe feedback option to quickly identify keyed objects, and when working in the Motion module, you can activate an option that automatically updates key values of a modified animation. This eliminates the need to key each change made to that object.

Procedure

1. Choose the Preferences->Animation command.
   The Animation Preferences dialogue box is displayed.
2. Activate the desired options, then click OK to confirm the settings and exit the dialogue box.

Parameters

Key Editing (Scl, Rot, Expl. Trs only)

SaveKey Required

The SaveKey Required option refers to the Motion module's SaveKey menu cell commands. When this option is activated, you must use the SaveKey command to update key values each time a keyframed object is modified.

No Confirmation Required

When the No Confirmation Required option is selected, you can edit keyframed objects without having to choose the SaveKey command - the new key values are automatically updated. This allows you to start creating an animation by setting general keyframes for your objects, then refining the position of these keyframes later without keying every change.

Note:

You need to be at a keyframe for this option to be effective.

Keyframe Feedback

None

No colour feedback is provided to identify a keyed object.

Coloured

Identifies a keyed object at the current frame. When activated, a selected and keyed object at the currently displayed keyframe is red. An object that has been keyed, but is not selected, is dark blue.

This option is particularly useful if you have selected the No Confirmation Required option and if you step through your keyframes using the K button in the playback box.

Overlapping Key Distance

Sets the minimum distance between separate keyframes. By default, this option is set at 0.15 frames. For example, if a keyframe already exists at frame 5 and the tolerance is set at 0.15, a new keyframe set at 5.1 (such as with channel input) is not added because it would overwrite the previous one.

This works in conjunction with the FcrvEdit->Set Keys on Frames command: when you choose that command, it checks the Overlapping Key Distance option for the number that is set.

Fcurve Default Interpolation

Allows you to select the default interpolation of function curves when they are first created using SaveKey. You can select either Constant, Linear, Spline (the default), Slope 0, or Plateau. For a description of these interpolation types, see the Function Curve Interpolation Types section.

Last updated 02-apr-1998