Setting Animation Automatically for Changing Parameters

Auto keyframe automatically sets keyframes in channels for animation parameters that have changed value since the last time a keyframe was set.

No keyframes are created for any animation parameters that were not previously animated.

How to Use

1

Create an object, and then select Animation > Set keyframe to create channels for the object.

2

Scale or rotate the object and select Auto keyframe.

Keyframes are set for the animation parameters of the object that have been changed by the Xform. For example, if the object was only transformed using Xform > Rotate, keyframes are created for the rotate parameters, but not the translate or scale parameters.

This function operates on a per-channel basis, and not on the picklist or hierarchy. This means that you can transform an object, pick another object, transform that object, and repeat this process for as many objects, shaders or any other animatable objects as you like. When Auto keyframe is invoked, it looks at all channels that have changed, regardless of which object is currently picked, and sets keyframes for those channels.

If the current time changes (for instance, if you select Anim > View frame, Animation > Playback, or change the current time in the Action Window or Time slider), and the channel is evaluated, then a keyframe is not created for that channel the next time you invoke Auto keyframe.

Options

This function does not have its own option box; it uses the Frame and In and Out Tangent Type option values from the Set Keyframe Options window.

To change the values to use with Auto keyframe, select Animation > Set keyframe - to open the Set Keyframes Options window, then change the Frame and In-Out Tangent Type options to the desired values.

For more information about this option box, see Animation > Set keyframe on page 52.

When you click Save, Auto keyframe uses these new values.

Example

1

Create a scene with several objects, placing them in their initial position, size and orientation.

2

Pick all the objects that you want to animate, and select Animation > Set keyframe.

3

Move each of the objects to the next snapshot time, select Auto keyframe, and enter the new keyframe time.