Moho Animation Forum

Hey guys,
Ok I just went through a long head-turn tutorial and basically got it down ok. But there is an odd problem that is happening when I insert a reference into the main timeline: No keyframe shows up on the main timeline, but rather shows up in all the individual layers of the model (face, eyes, etc). So the animation looks ok, but if I decide to delete a keyframe, for instance, I can't just delete one keyframe from the main timeline, I have to go in and delete the keyframes in ALL the layers. Any idea what it's doing that??

There is nothing odd. Actions are per layer for the scope of the layers that are inside the group like layer you defined the action. When you insert an action reference in the group like layer it is in fact inserted in all the child layers that had a keyframe defined in it. So to reverse to the previous status or you do the undo until that point or delete all the introduced keyframes in each layer. Same would happen with blend morph.
-G

Actions works with keys, if there are no keys on a layer, the action won't modify it.
Sometimes you must add "hold" keys on an action. For example, let's suppose you have a red circle on the center of the screen when creating the action. The action makes the circle to change from red to green.
Ok, now you animate your circle and say that in frame 30 it's on the corner of the screen.
Then you apply the action and it effectively changes the color from red to green, but doesn't move your circle to the center of the screen (which is what you wanted too). It's produced because the actions only has keys for color, but not for layer position.
To solve it, you must open your action and add a keyframe for translate layer, even if your layer is already on the center. It's to make the program know you want this layer be on center each time you apply the action.
Now go back to your animation, go to frame 30 (where the circle is on the corner of the screen) and apply the action again. Now your circle will change from red to green AND will back to the center of the screen.

This example can be applied to any animated channel. If there are keys, the action works. If not, action just ignores that channel.

Hey guys,
Thanks for your help and I see what you're saying. But, I've done actions before and as I recall it always put some kind of mark (keyframe) on the mainline where the actions took place. Granted I hadn't done anything quite this complicated as yet, but still, I thought there was supposed to be something showing up on the mainline.

Either way, I guess it's not a big deal as long as it's working. I wish there was a way to just remove all the keyframes at once, from all the layers, if you decided you needed to do that.

Well, thanks again guys and Selgin, I do believe I've got a tutorial of yours coming up next. Wish me luck