Animation Timeline

Timeline panel is shown when file has animations or if this pane was shown from menu. This panel allows to view, play, create and change animation. Animation menu in main menu provides alternate way to work with animations.

1. Time Slider.
2. Playback buttons: Previous frame, Next frame, Play backward, Play forward, Start, End
3. Animation Sequence
4. List of objects, animated in this sequence.
5. Time Range Selector
6. Toolbar
7. Animation Curves or Expanded tracks.
8. Animation tracks. Tracks shows length of animation and keys.

Toolbar

• Create new animation sequence.
• Snap horizontal movements to nearest frame.
• Autokeying. When checked, all changes in objects position will be saved to animation keys.
• Record Active Object button. Click on it in order to create animation keys for selected objects at current time/frame.

 

Animation Sequences

FinalMesh supports multiple animations per single scene file. For instance, character may have "Run", "Idle", "Jump" animations in one file and it is possible to switch animations in Animation Sequences window or via Animation menu.

• Create Sequence - click on New button or Right Click on existing animation or empty space and in context menu select New command. New animation with auto name will be created.
• Duplicate Sequence - Right Click on existing animation and select Duplicate command. Duplicated sequence may be good starting point for new animation.
• Edit Sequence Properties - Right Click on existing animation sequence and select Properties.
• Make Sequence Current - double click on any animation or in Right click seunece context menu select Make Current command.
• Delete Sequence - select sequence and click button. or Right Click on seqence and select Delete.

List of Objects

List of objects, animated in this sequence.

Context menu

Here you may copy all animations of this object in selected sequence. In order to paste this animation right click on select this object in scene tree or in 3d viewport and select Paste Animations. Animation will be pasted into currently active animation.

 Animation Curves and Tracks

Context menu

Right click menu is available for animation sequence, 3d object, animation track, or keys.

Selection

• Use single mouse click to select keys.
• Ctrl+Click select/deselect additional keys.
• Click on empty space without Ctrl - deselect all.
• Click and mouse drag - draw rectangle selection. Previous selection will be cleared.
• Ctrl+Click and mouse drag - Draw selection and add to previously selected keys.
• Shift+Click and mouse drag - Draw selection and remove from previously selected keys.

Dragging keys.

• Click on selected key and drag - move selected keys.
• Click on non selected key and drag - select this key and move selected keys. Selection should be empty.
• Click and drag vertical line around keys - drag key time.
• Alt+ drag of selected keys - drag key value.

Tools

FinalMesh has tools to modify animation sequences as a whole. Right click on any sequence and select action from modify menu. Same actions are available in top level Animation menu.

Currently available tools are:

• Reverse - invert animation in time.
• Offset - offset animation in time by seconds or frames.
• Fit to Range - fit animation sequence into required time range.
• Combine - combine two animations into single one.
• Split - split animation into two animations by specified point in time.

See Also

• Floating and Docking