thrusting action towards camera

[basshole]

I emailed you privately, Vern. Thanks.

[basshole]

I'd like to revisit this thread and see if there's a way to "rescue" the animation I created, or if I'm screwed and have to start anew. If I wasn't clear enough, I followed the method outlined in the "Anime Studio User's Manual" , under tutorials, tutorial 5.7 "Frame by Frame Animation". What I'd be looking to do is create a moveable/reusable action or animation I could insert anywhere.

I tried creating an action, and then, in the action's timeline, making layer 1 in the switch the active layer at frame 1, making layer 2 in the switch the active layer at frame 2, and so on, just like it is in the real timeline. However, unless I'm viewing it wrong, I just get a mess.

[synthsin75]

If you already have it working on the main timeline, just create an action for the top grouping layer (or switch if all of the needed animation is only there) and copy the main timeline to frame one of the action.

Also, if you have one of the switch layers sub-layers selected it will not show correctly.

[basshole]

Thanks. Looks like I found a solution. I don't know why I didn't try this back in May, when I realized my problem.

So basically, I would go to, say, frame 8 of the animation on the main timeline. On frame 8, I copy all the keys for layer 8 of the switch, and then paste them on frame 0. Then I delete all the keys out of layer 8. This "permanentizes" layer 8/frame 8.

So when I make my action, on the switch layer, I go to frame 8 on the action timeline and assign the switch to layer 8, and so on. Seems to work.

[basshole]

Success! Jeez. . .it six months to figure that out. Oh well. May was early in my ASP career, relatively speaking, so I forgive myself.

Anyway, kids, let that be a lesson.

It seems actions are confined to a single layer, in certain instances? I had to make a separate action for the left and right arms. I assume it's because I had a separate switch layer for each? I guess if I'd put the action in the parent bone layer, as above suggested, I could have saved myself a little trouble.

[funksmaname]

if you put both switch layers into a group and are on the group layer when you create the action, it will be created for all layers below it - one action.
Just remember if you go directly between sublayers when creating your action you will be thrown out of action mode and find yourself on the main timeline again. This can be avoided by always click up to the top layer in the hierarchy and then back down again... there is a script for selecting parent layer (using letter J) which makes this a lot easier, you just press J and pick your next layer...

[basshole]

Ah! a group layer just for the purpose of putting two switches into one action. . .brilliant! I wish my brain would think like that without having to be told.

PS. HOly crap this stuff gets confusing.