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Pasting over last keyframe of cycle without losing the cycle
Posted: Wed May 29, 2024 12:28 pm
by Reindeer
When I animate a cycle I often edit its start and end keyframes (classic example: the first pose in a walk, and the last, cycling back to frame 2).
I usually tweak the pose on frame 1 of the cycle until I have what I like, then copy that pose and paste it on the last frame of the cycle. But pasting makes the cycle turn back into a linear motion, so I need to tell Moho to create the cycle again.
Is there a way of pasting a keyframe on the last frame of a cycle whilst keeping the cycle itself?
Re: Pasting over last keyframe of cycle without losing the cycle
Posted: Wed May 29, 2024 2:06 pm
by slowtiger
Here's what I do:
Let's say I've got a cycle 1-2-3-4-5-6. I let it run until I need to make it stop, at that point I create keys and the cycle stops. If I want to go into the cycle again, I just copy that 1-2-3-4-5-6 to where I need it.
Most times my stop and start position is somewhere inside the cycle. So I'll have 1-2-3-4-5-6_1-2-3-4-5-6_1-2-3-a-b-c-d, and then later e-f-g-4-5-6_1-2-3-4-5-6_ and so on. My original cycle 1-2-3-4-5-6 keeps unchanged, I only apply changes to copies of that.
Re: Pasting over last keyframe of cycle without losing the cycle
Posted: Wed May 29, 2024 2:22 pm
by Reindeer
slowtiger wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 2:06 pm
Here's what I do:
Let's say I've got a cycle 1-2-3-4-5-6. I let it run until I need to make it stop, at that point I create keys and the cycle stops. If I want to go into the cycle again, I just copy that 1-2-3-4-5-6 to where I need it.
Most times my stop and start position is somewhere inside the cycle. So I'll have 1-2-3-4-5-6_1-2-3-4-5-6_1-2-3-a-b-c-d, and then later e-f-g-4-5-6_1-2-3-4-5-6_ and so on. My original cycle 1-2-3-4-5-6 keeps unchanged, I only apply changes to copies of that.
Yes, that's a very nice thing about Moho, the way one can exit a cycle in any given point (and start again) because the posing is so flexible. My description wasn't very clear but I meant is simply not losing the cycle when I paste over the cycle's last frame (whatever the pose may be).
Taking your example of 1-2-3-4-5-6, if I edit the pose in 1, I need to paste the same pose on 6 (where the cycle arrows point back, in the timeline). As soon as I paste pose 1 on frame 6, frame 6 reverts to linear motion, meaning the cycle arrows disappear and I have to tell Moho to put a cycle there again.
What I have in mind is a "paste keeping cycle" sort of command.
Re: Pasting over last keyframe of cycle without losing the cycle
Posted: Wed May 29, 2024 2:22 pm
by Reindeer
Reindeer wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 2:22 pm
slowtiger wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 2:06 pm
Here's what I do:
Let's say I've got a cycle 1-2-3-4-5-6. I let it run until I need to make it stop, at that point I create keys and the cycle stops. If I want to go into the cycle again, I just copy that 1-2-3-4-5-6 to where I need it.
Most times my stop and start position is somewhere inside the cycle. So I'll have 1-2-3-4-5-6_1-2-3-4-5-6_1-2-3-a-b-c-d, and then later e-f-g-4-5-6_1-2-3-4-5-6_ and so on. My original cycle 1-2-3-4-5-6 keeps unchanged, I only apply changes to copies of that.
Yes, that's a very nice thing about Moho, the way one can exit a cycle in any given point (and start again) because the posing is so flexible. My description wasn't very clear but what I mean is simply not losing the cycle when I paste over the cycle's last frame (whatever the pose may be).
Taking your example of 1-2-3-4-5-6, if I edit the pose in 1, I need to paste the same pose on 6 (where the cycle arrows point back, in the timeline). As soon as I paste pose 1 on frame 6, frame 6 reverts to linear motion, meaning the cycle arrows disappear and I have to tell Moho to put a cycle there again.
What I have in mind is a "paste keeping cycle" sort of command.
Re: Pasting over last keyframe of cycle without losing the cycle
Posted: Wed May 29, 2024 3:35 pm
by SimplSam
There is a function within the AE Key Tools that does this:
https://mohoscripts.com/script/ae_keytools
It is a little odd to use:
- Select the Copy From keyframe
- Move the timeline ruler to the Destination Frame (
i.e. Cycle Keyframe frame)
- Click the [<->] button
Re: Pasting over last keyframe of cycle without losing the cycle
Posted: Wed May 29, 2024 9:04 pm
by Hoptoad
Oh boy, I know what you mean. I'm always fiddling with my animation cycles, so I feel like I'm not being properly efficient whenever I renew the Cycle Interpolation for the umpteenth time.
This is my work-around.
If my animation cycle is cycling up to, for example, frame 40, then I change the frame length of the animation to 40. Afterwards, when I play the animation, the animation cycles without the Cycle Interpolation.
Once I work out the kinks and the animation is a work of breathtaking genius, or at least no longer looks like I animated it while falling down a flight of stairs, I extend the frame length to whatever it needs to be and install the Cycle Interpolation, once and for all.