Keyframes

 

Keyframes (or keys) store character poses and positions. Changes made to a pose in a regular frame will not be saved, so you need to create a keyframe every time you want to adjust a character.

Keyframes are found on the Timeline.

By default, they are repesented as blue-colored rectangles.
This color can change when a keyframe is only present on some of the Animation Tracks in the folder. In such a case, this keyframe will be colored rose when the folder is closed:

See Animation Tracks to learn more about tracks and folders.

Working With Keyframes

Create/remove a keyframe:

1. Select a frame on the Timeline

2. Click  or hit the F hot key.

Create several keyframes:

1. Select a group of frames

2. Press the F key while holding Alt

Move a keyframe/group of keyframes:

1. Select it.

2. Drag it to a new position while holding Middle Mouse Button.

Note #1

If you move a key to a frame that already has another key, this key will be deleted and replaced by the one you have moved.

Note #2

The first key in the timeline cannot be moved. If you try to move it, its copy will be created instead (this is because a timeline should start with a keyframe).

Copy a keyframe/group of keyframes:

1. Select it on the Timeline.

2. Hold Shift.

3. Drag the keyframe(s) to a new position while holding the  Middle Mouse Button.

You can also move and copy groups of frames. To do this, select a group and move or copy it as you would move or copy a single frame:

An interval between two keys can be made longer or shorter by adding (with the + key) or removing (the - key) frames:

AutoKey

Keyframes can be generated automatically when you adjust scene objects:

For this feature to work, turn on the Set key on change option. It can be found near the keyframe button on the Timeline:

To disable AutoKey, click the A symbol again.

Labels

A label is an element of Timeline used to mark keyframes. Labeling keyframes has no impact on how they work, but can improve for visual convenience.


A keyframe marked by a label (red line).

A labeled keyframe is underlined with red.

To add/remove a label to a keyframe: 

1. Select the frame.

2. Click the red flag button on the upper part of the timeline:

 

See Also

Timeline

Trajectories

Interpolation

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