Using the Animation Timeline

Use

You can use the Animation Timeline to create and modify keyframe animation on models. It shows the animation sequence hierarchy for the selected object, with time progressing in a graph-like display beginning at the left.

Activities

Displaying the Timeline

Do one of the following: .

  • Click an Edit Keyframes icon for a property in the Object Properties or Material Properties windows.

  • Choose Start of the navigation pathWindow Next navigation step Panels Next navigation step Animation TimelineEnd of the navigation path from the menu bar

Displaying Tracks

Click the tracks in the sequence hierarchy.

Creating a Key

  1. Select the object to which you want to add a key.

  2. Right-click in the time/frame where you want to insert the key, and choose Insert Key. A key is inserted on every track for the selected object

Selecting a Key

Do one of the following:

  • Click the key in the timeline to select an individual key.

  • Drag a box selection in the timeline in Selection mode to select multiple keys.

Editing Keys

  1. Select one or more keys.

  2. Do one or more of the following:

    • Drag the keys up and down in the timeline to change the component values.

    • Drag the keys along the timeline to change the time/frame.

    • Right-click in the timeline and select Properties to edit the keys’ properties.

    • Right-click in the timeline and choose Start of the navigation pathTrack Options Next navigation step TCB InterpolationEnd of the navigation path or Start of the navigation pathTrack Options Next navigation step Linear InterpolationEnd of the navigation path to edit the keys’ interpolation.

    • Right-click in the timeline and choose Start of the navigation pathTrack Options Next navigation step Start CyclicEnd of the navigation path to set the key as the start point of a cyclic animation.

    • Right-click in the timeline and choose Start of the navigation pathTrack Options Next navigation step End CyclicEnd of the navigation path to set the key as the start point of a cyclic animation.

Deleting Keys

  1. Select one or more keys.

  2. Right-click in the timeline and choose Delete Keys.

Duplicating a Sequence

  1. Right-click the sequence you want to duplicate and select Duplicate. The Animation Options window is displayed.

  2. Click Add. The new sequence is added to the animation. It has the same settings as the originally selected sequence, and can be edited as required.