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Key Frames and Guides

Key Frames

A key frame indicates a particular event at an instant T in the scene. Key frames are linked to the following animated elements: cameras, lights, heliodons, objects and animated textures.

Current animated elements at an instant T

Cameras, lights, heliodons, objects and animated textures.

Animated setting for current elements

• Camera: Position, rotation, focal distance, etc.

• Light: Position, state, type, power, color, etc.

• Heliodon: Date, time, etc.

• Object: Position, rotation, scale, etc.

• Animated texture: Plays the avi sequence.

Animation is interpreted between two keys.

How Keys Are Represented

General Information:

• Upper pin indicates a key relative to the current animated element.

• Lower pin indicates that an animated setting of the element is current.

Selecting Keys of an Animated Element

• Right clicking above the slide bar: Enables you to select an animated element.

• Consequences:

  • All animated keys corresponding to the element in question are displayed on the slide bar.

  • The inspector in question becomes the current inspector, enabling the user to edit its parameters rapidly.

Creating Keys

Three options:

1. When creating a trajectory in the 2D View, two keys are created in the Timeline window - one at the start and one at the end of the sequence.

2. With the record mode turned on in the Timeline, right click on the path for the "Add Key Frame" pop-up menu (valid only for one path).

3. In the Timeline window with the record mode turned on, edit a parameter of the current element.

NB: When an element is no longer animated, turning on the record mode will create two key images. The one located at the start of the sequence assumes the value of the parameter before modification. The second one located in current time  assumes the post-modification value of the parameter.

If the parameter of an element already has key frames, the record mode creates a single key frame. This key frame is located in the current time and has the post-modification value of the parameter.

NB: Turning on the record mode in the Timeline window forces the 2D View to appear when editing key frames.

Cursor Pop-up Menu

• Right click on the cursor (blue or red bullet icon).

Adding a Key Frame

• Position the cursor on the Timeline.



• Right click on the cursor to choose Add Key Frame.

Result: The key frame is added.

Removing a Key Frame

• Right click on the key frame and choose Remove Key Frame.

Keyboard Shortcuts

1. Moving a Key Frame

• Click and drag the pin.

2. Duplicating a Key Frame

• Alt+Click and drag the pin. (Both key frames have the same value. They can therefore "freeze" the animation at any given time.)

3. Moving a Set of Key Frames for an Element (either the camera, lights, heliodons or objects)

• Shift+Click/Dragging the pin results in all pins to the right of the click moving in a proportional time.

Guides

These serve as visual Timeline tags (gray vertical line).

Enables the user to synchronize more than one animated element (e.g.: moving a camera must match the same instant T as opening a door) or to synchronize animated settings tied to the same element.

Creating a Guide

• Double clicking in the Timeline (not on the slide bar) causes a vertical blue line to appear.

Deleting a Guide

• Double clicking on the vertical blue line makes it disappear.

Moving a Guide

• Drag and drop.

NB: Moving the cursor on the slide bar near a blue guide magnetizes the cursor. This makes it easier to synchronize parameters among several animated elements.

Adding a Guide to the Cursor

• Position the cursor on the Timeline.

• Right click on the cursor and choose the Add Guide item. Double clicking in the Timeline near the cursor will also add the guide for the cursor position.

The guide is created.

Deleting a Guide from the Cursor

• Right click on the cursor and choose the Remove Guide item. You can also double click the guide.