Prepare to import or export

Preview an animation without reducing the scene

How to view an animation in shaded mode.

To preview an animation without reducing the scene

1. Open WindowDisplay > Hardware Shade.
2. Set Tessellator Quality to HIGH to increase the quality of the shading. Then, click the Shade On button to turn on shaded mode.
   

   The model is displayed in shaded mode.

   
   Tip

   If you want to adjust your view, first turn off shaded mode, then move the camera using the hotkeys or the icons in the view title bar. (The camera moves very slowly when you are in shaded mode.)

3. Play back the animation.
4. Choose WindowDisplay > Hardware Shade to turn off shaded mode.

Expand a DAG node in the action lister

How to expand a DAG node in the action lister.

If a DAG node is grouped above a hierarchy of other DAG nodes, you can display its descendant nodes by clicking the expand item button next to the node. If you want to expand the complete hierarchy down to the leaf level, hold and select the expand item button.

To repeat the same operation on many items

You can do the same operation on many items in the lister at once by selecting all of them, then doing the action to one of them. For example, you can:

1. Select several items in the list
2. Select the Expand channels button of one of the items to expand the channels of all the selected items.

To change the name of an item

To change the name of a DAG node, camera, shader, or other item in the lister.

1. Double-click the item.
2. Use the Esc key to clear the field of its name, and type a new name.

   Names of actions can also be changed in this way.

To switch a pick function while in the Action window

When you are in any function in the Action window, you can temporarily enter the Pick function by holding down the key. For example, if you have selectedTransform > Move in the Action Window, hold down the key and click some keyframes to select or deselect them, then release the key and continue with your Transform > Move operation.

You can also use a box to pick Action Window elements. For example, if you are in Transform > Randomize in the Action Window, and you want to change the selection of keyframes to be randomized, hold down the key and drag a box around picked keyframes to unpick them, or new keyframes to pick, then randomize.

To use the Character Builder

For Animation > Editors > Deformation Control, if you choose CHARACTER BUILDER from the Frame Type menu and toggle Bulging ON, you can edit the bulge definitions in the Bulge Section Editor.

To add new sections

When editing in either the Bulge Selection Editor or Section Editor, you can add new sections or key points by holding the key and clicking and dragging to a new position.

To delete sections

You can delete sections or key points by holding down the (Windows) or (Mac) key and clicking and dragging to the section or key point you want to delete.

Export animation channels

How to export the animation channels from your model to use in other models.

You can save segments of your animation by objects, hierarchies, or scenes, and apply them to another model or scene

To export animation channels from your model

1. Select the object which you have animation applied to.
2. Choose File > Export > Anim.
3. Save the SDL file.

Import animation

How to import animation channels from other models.

To import animation channels into your model

1. Select the object which you have animation applied to.
2. Choose File > Export > Anim.