thumperness Posted September 24, 2011 Posted September 24, 2011 So I'm working on 'The Door's Stuck' and want to be able to quickly adjust timing between some keyframes. *** I am working on a Mac if it makes any difference. *** What are some techneques(sp) people use to add and delete space between keyframes to play with the timing? There is a command in the edit menu, (can't remember it's exact name) that I'm assuming is used to do this but it is asking for four different inputs and I am not sure what goes where. I'm hoping there's a way to just window select stuff in the timeline and drag it where I want it to be. Thoughts? Quote
Gerry Posted September 24, 2011 Posted September 24, 2011 When viewing the timeline, you can select the keyframes and nudge thrm back and forth with the arrow keys, or just drag them. either way works fine. PC, Mac, makes no difference. Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted September 24, 2011 Hash Fellow Posted September 24, 2011 Gerry is correct. One fine point... the "Timeline" (ALT 2 on PC) shows only what is currently selected. The timeline in the right pane the PWS (ALT 1 on PC) shows everything, always. Quote
thumperness Posted September 25, 2011 Author Posted September 25, 2011 I want to be able to know I am nudging everything backwards or forwards. So do I select Choriography1 in the PWS to know I can see every keyframe point? Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted September 25, 2011 Hash Fellow Posted September 25, 2011 You'll need to expand it to see all the bones. pot a screen shot of what you are looking at. Quote
thumperness Posted September 25, 2011 Author Posted September 25, 2011 Linked is a zipped project file of 'A Stuck Door' Project File I have tried to copy and paste the keyframes from frame 3 to frame 5. (Using the commands in the edit menu) I want NO movement between these frames. But in the timeline I can see 'arcs' flowing through these 3 frames. How do I make these arcs go flat between frames 3 and 5? There are a couple buttons below the timeline that I can not find the names for. They change what the timeline looks like. Just red dots vs. flowing lines winding all over. There must be some concept I'm not getting here but I know I need to. Quote
NancyGormezano Posted September 25, 2011 Posted September 25, 2011 (I did not look at your project). In general: When you first set a keyframe, the default interpolation for that channel is usually set to spline. You can change the default for any channel, or for just selected key frames: by selectiing the group of keyframes, right clicking and choose the "individual method" for interpolation. You probably want linear or zero slope (to make arcs go "flat") - depending on your preference. You can also change the default method in the PWS by clicking on the icon pre, default or post, and selecting the new default for the entire curve. The buttons below - allow you to change your view of the timeline - from just seeing where any keyframes are set, but not actually see the interpolation method, versus the graph mode which allows you to better work out the timing, along with easing in,out. Just depends which phase of animating you are in, and what is more comfortable for you. Quote
thumperness Posted September 25, 2011 Author Posted September 25, 2011 OK Nan, linier did the trick. Thanx a bunch Slowly but slowly I'll get this thing. BTW, do you guys use the timeline that's connected to the PWS or what I call the bottom timeline? and why? Are there advantages to each? Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted September 25, 2011 Hash Fellow Posted September 25, 2011 OK Nan, linier did the trick. Thanx a bunch Slowly but slowly I'll get this thing. BTW, do you guys use the timeline that's connected to the PWS or what I call the bottom timeline? and why? Are there advantages to each? One fine point... the "Timeline" (ALT 2 on PC) shows only what is currently selected. The timeline in the right pane the PWS (ALT 1 on PC) shows everything, always. That's the big distinction. You have to select something before it will show in the "Timeline". You can turn on the Tack icon in the upper left corner of the Timeline to make things persist in the Timeline even after you select something else. Quote
NancyGormezano Posted September 25, 2011 Posted September 25, 2011 BTW, do you guys use the timeline that's connected to the PWS or what I call the bottom timeline? and why? Are there advantages to each? Again, it's probably personal preference. Due to old eyes, and desk space, I only have 1 19 inch CRT monitor (currently set up for 1162 x 864). If I had 2 monitors, I would most likely have a different PWS layout. I use the bottom timeline for animating, because it allows me to isolate and observe only those channels in which I am concerned at the moment. eg, bicep, forearm, hand for just the right arm , or left. Don't have to keep scrolling up/down in the PWS to see the bones and/or other items. However the bottom timeline is trickier to get things to stick (use the "pin") and then to get them to unstick, or add new items to the group. I have also found I have to be careful when looking at changing values of properties, because the values don't always update in all panels simultaneously ie, properties panel, pws panel, timeline panel, due to refresh issues. Eventually they all usually update. Quote
NancyGormezano Posted September 25, 2011 Posted September 25, 2011 One other item - real-time playback is more responsive, faster if you close the PWS timeline and make the visible playrange in the bottom timeline = actual play range (ie don't make it scroll thru the playrange as it plays back). I also believe that rendering (unconfirmed, but I thought Martin once mentioned this) will also go faster. Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted September 25, 2011 Hash Fellow Posted September 25, 2011 If there are groups of bones you like to isolate, as Nancy mentioned, and return to them often, the PWS has Enhanced Selection Filters that make them easy to recall. You could call them in the PWS select them there, and then Tack them in the Timeline to work on them there. Quote
Gerry Posted September 25, 2011 Posted September 25, 2011 Also, regarding the different interpolation methods for spline (curve) keyframes vs. non-curve keyframes, select the keyframe(s) in the graph editor (the timeline view that shows the curved paths between the red dots) and hit "P" to make them flat and angled, and "O" to make them curved. By coincidence the same keyboard shortcuts when you want to make splines curved or flat when modeling! But of course if you right click on a keyframe you get a few more options for in/out interpolation. Quote
Hash Fellow robcat2075 Posted September 25, 2011 Hash Fellow Posted September 25, 2011 But of course if you right click on a keyframe you get a few more options for in/out interpolation. Also... the 7,8,9,0 keys at the top of the keyboard work to do Hold, Linear, Spline, Zero-slope on any currently selected keys. Quote
Gerry Posted September 26, 2011 Posted September 26, 2011 Oh right, I forget about some of those keyboard shortcuts! Quote
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