Animation path properties

Length

Displays the length of the path

Path Type

Displays the animation path type. Animation paths have different behavior depending on the type; see Types of animation path objects

Duration

Set the total time the animation will run.

This parameter is linked to the Duration in the Create Movie dialog box; changing the value in either place changes it in both places.

Camera Height

For a Walk Path Type, set the camera height above the model surface; the camera remains at that height above the surface of the active design layer (which may not be the same layer the animation path object is on) as it follows the terrain/slab, including climbing stairs

Preview

Play

Plays the animation in first- and/or third-person view in one or more view panes; the animation plays starting with the selected keyframe

Pause

When an animation is playing, pauses the movement and allows access to edit the parameters in the Object Info palette

Skip Forward

Click to select the last keyframe on the path

Skip Backward

Click to select the first keyframe on the path

Time (0%–100%)

Enter a number or move the slider to move the camera to a location defined as a percentage of the Duration

Activate Camera View

(appears when no camera is activated)

Links the view in the selected view pane to the camera object on the animation path; when the camera is activated, the view pane displays the active view of the camera position on the path

Deactivate Camera View

(appears when a camera is activated)

Unlinks the view pane view from the camera position.

Any navigation actions other than editing the keyframes or the settings in the Object Info palette automatically deactivate the live camera view. The same custom 3D view displays, but the link to the animation path object is no longer active. Click Activate Camera View again with the view pane active to reestablish the link.

Open Camera View in New Pane

Opens a floating view pane and activates the camera view

Keyframe

Keyframe

Use the Next and Previous arrow buttons to move forward and backward sequentially through the keyframes

Add Keyframe

When the camera base is not located on an existing keyframe, adds a keyframe to the path at the camera’s location; see Adding and deleting keyframes

Delete Keyframe

Deletes the selected keyframe

Speed (-99%–100%)

Enter a number or move the slider to set the speed of the camera near the selected keyframe relative to the other keyframes on the path; see Editing a camera’s speed

View Angle (12°–130°)

Enter a number or move the slider to set the camera’s view angle.

This can also be done by manually manipulating the camera; see Changing the camera’s view angle.

Display Frames

Displays hash marks for each camera frame on the path. More camera frames around a keyframe indicate the camera moves more slowly in that area. Fewer frames indicate the camera moves more quickly along that part of the path.

Keyframes

Displays the number of keyframes on the path

Animation

Create Movie

Opens the Create Movie dialog box to prepare a movie file to share; see Creating a movie of an animation

Name

Enter a name for the animation path; the name must be unique on the design layer