NLA Clip editing question - Polyloop

CarlLydon · 18th October 2007, 18:42

The Non-Liniar Animation Clip feature is a really great tool that I'm anxious to apply to a current project. This makes Carrara more like other animation programs that I'm used to such as Flash and After effects, where you can easily have nested loops...

I learned how to make an animation clip by creating an animation group then editing the keyframes within the clip. So far, so good.

However, what I really need to do is take an existing keyframe animation and use the new clip feature to loop it...

How can I take an existing set of keyframes and get them inside a clip? I can't seem to copy and paste these keyframes in there when I'm editing the clip, and there doesn't seem to be any way to automatically add these to the clip at clip creation....

Thanks.

Couerl · 18th October 2007, 21:40

You have to convert to an animation group and then save the poses as clips and apply them to the track.

I.E. there's no simple way to convert existing animations into NLA ones.

(that I know of)..

CarlLydon · 18th October 2007, 23:11

Yea, but how do I "save the poses as clips?" I can't get my exisiting keyframes into any clip that I make...

Are you saying that there's no easy way, or no way at all?

It would be a good thing to be able to do; any other animation program would allow you to convert an animation into a re-usable clip after the fact. Flash can, after effects can, Director can....

Otherwise, you'll need to really plan ahead; you can't say "oops! I should have done this as a clip... to late"

Couerl · 18th October 2007, 23:32

Easy, first:
Create an animation group on your charecter.
Scrub over to the keyframe you want on the timeline
Select the NLA tab (Make sure animation group is highlighted in properties).
Save as clip

Couerl · 18th October 2007, 23:36

After you save the clips, you can drag drop them anywhere on the NLA track in the sequencer and under edit, you can check "blend" so they all interpolate together.

Couerl · 18th October 2007, 23:38

I'll do the "Cliff Notes" version of an NLA tut tonight if I can.. It's really pretty easy.

CarlLydon · 19th October 2007, 05:50

Thanks so much!

Honestly, I read the manual a few times but I didn't see this. Great, this is perfect for what I need to do.

Couerl · 19th October 2007, 05:54

Good, you get it figured out then? It's really pretty simple once you get the first few steps.

CarlLydon · 19th October 2007, 18:43

Yes, thanks to your instructions. Is that in the manual?

Couerl · 19th October 2007, 19:02

I would think so, but not sure, I haven't really looked at the manual since Carrara 2 or 3.

18th October 2007, 18:42	#1 (permalink)
CarlLydon Extrusion Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 182	NLA Clip editing question The Non-Liniar Animation Clip feature is a really great tool that I'm anxious to apply to a current project. This makes Carrara more like other animation programs that I'm used to such as Flash and After effects, where you can easily have nested loops... I learned how to make an animation clip by creating an animation group then editing the keyframes within the clip. So far, so good. However, what I really need to do is take an existing keyframe animation and use the new clip feature to loop it... How can I take an existing set of keyframes and get them inside a clip? I can't seem to copy and paste these keyframes in there when I'm editing the clip, and there doesn't seem to be any way to automatically add these to the clip at clip creation.... Thanks. __________________ Carl J. Lydon games • cd • illustration • 3-d • medical • animation http://www.chamberofchat.com/ http://isointeractive.com/

18th October 2007, 23:11	#3 (permalink)
CarlLydon Extrusion Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 182	Darn Yea, but how do I "save the poses as clips?" I can't get my exisiting keyframes into any clip that I make... Are you saying that there's no easy way, or no way at all? It would be a good thing to be able to do; any other animation program would allow you to convert an animation into a re-usable clip after the fact. Flash can, after effects can, Director can.... Otherwise, you'll need to really plan ahead; you can't say "oops! I should have done this as a clip... to late" __________________ Carl J. Lydon games • cd • illustration • 3-d • medical • animation http://www.chamberofchat.com/ http://isointeractive.com/

19th October 2007, 05:50	#7 (permalink)
CarlLydon Extrusion Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 182	Thanks so much! Honestly, I read the manual a few times but I didn't see this. Great, this is perfect for what I need to do. __________________ Carl J. Lydon games • cd • illustration • 3-d • medical • animation http://www.chamberofchat.com/ http://isointeractive.com/

19th October 2007, 18:43	#9 (permalink)
CarlLydon Extrusion Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 182	Yes, thanks to your instructions. Is that in the manual? __________________ Carl J. Lydon games • cd • illustration • 3-d • medical • animation http://www.chamberofchat.com/ http://isointeractive.com/

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18th October 2007, 21:40	#2 (permalink)
Couerl Polygurbs Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Denver Posts: 1,295	You have to convert to an animation group and then save the poses as clips and apply them to the track. I.E. there's no simple way to convert existing animations into NLA ones. (that I know of)..

18th October 2007, 23:32	#4 (permalink)
Couerl Polygurbs Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Denver Posts: 1,295	Easy, first: Create an animation group on your charecter. Scrub over to the keyframe you want on the timeline Select the NLA tab (Make sure animation group is highlighted in properties). Save as clip

18th October 2007, 23:36	#5 (permalink)
Couerl Polygurbs Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Denver Posts: 1,295	After you save the clips, you can drag drop them anywhere on the NLA track in the sequencer and under edit, you can check "blend" so they all interpolate together.

18th October 2007, 23:38	#6 (permalink)
Couerl Polygurbs Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Denver Posts: 1,295	I'll do the "Cliff Notes" version of an NLA tut tonight if I can.. It's really pretty easy.

19th October 2007, 05:54	#8 (permalink)
Couerl Polygurbs Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Denver Posts: 1,295	Good, you get it figured out then? It's really pretty simple once you get the first few steps.

19th October 2007, 19:02	#10 (permalink)
Couerl Polygurbs Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Denver Posts: 1,295	I would think so, but not sure, I haven't really looked at the manual since Carrara 2 or 3.