Animation Timeline Editing
Before starting to read this page, please refer to the Introducing the Timeline section for more information about the user interface and tools.
In Cartoon Animator, there are 6 types of data in the tracks for Timeline Editing- Key, Clip, Representative Key, Switch and un-editable switch, Target-switching, and On/Off.
Data Name |
From |
Descriptions |
|
1 |
Key |
Property Tool Bar |
Animation Keys store RTS data (Rotation, Transformation, Scale) and Opacity data for all items and sprites, including; camera, actors, props and accessories. The animation between two keys can be auto-generated. |
2 |
Clip |
Puppet Editor |
Animation Clips store the motion clip segments of character and prop (accessories). The texts on the clip indicate
the information about the clip.
A clip can be accelerated / decelerated, looped or blended into another clip. Please refer to the Speed, Loop and Blending section for more information. |
3 |
Representative Key |
Sprite Transform Key |
This type of key implies that it contains one or more keys
(by the 2D Motion Key Editor
or Sprite Editor in
the stage mode) in the T or S tracks under the
Face Motion and Motion tracks. |
4 |
Switch and Switch Marks |
Switch: Sprite Editor Switch Mark:
Voice Clips |
Switch: When you use the Sprite Editor in stage mode to manually replace the elements in a sprite, then you are setting a replacement key (also known as a Switch). As the project plays up to the time frame where the switch occurs, then the previous element will be replaced with the designated one. Switch Mark: Switch marks are tokens representing the sprite switch timing,
governed by it's master clip (from Voice Lip Synching, Puppeteering) or motion key (from Key Editor);
it prompts you that there is a sprite switch key in other relevant tracks. |
5 |
On / Off |
Visible Setting |
The On / Off data on the Visible track stores only one status of the object. You may allow the object to be visible (On) at one frame, until it is set to be invisible (Off) in another. |
6 |
Target-switching |
Link Setting |
The Target-switching data resembles the key concept. It stores the targeting relationship between one object and its target. The target can be changed or even dissolved at any time frame. The Link features for actors and props (accessories) are under this category. |
- Please refer to the Timeline Shortcuts section for more information.