Animation Tool

Basic Workflow

1. Use the application '1+1+1 Layout with Console' and open the 1Ds panel, two 3Ds views and the 4Ds panel,
2. Display a reconstructed model in a 3Ds view,
3. Go to the ANIMATION 4D context tab and turn on the display of 3D path, keyframes and the camera by ticking off all 3 options,
   
4. Expand 'Animation Objects' in the left menu of the 4Ds window (see the picture below) - click the plus sign next to the term 'Animation Objects'; expand also 'Camera' in the same tree,
5. To change a 3Ds window to show your animation in, click the 2nd button located in the upper-left part of the 4Ds panel - this can be applied also in the 6th step,
6. Create key-frames (positions at the video timeline) in the 4Ds view - follow these steps:
   • rotate, move, and/or zoom in/out your scene to get another view of the model that you want to be used in the animation; you can also make use of the numpad shortcuts for quick setting of standard views (see at the bottom),
   • click the Add a key-frame button (see tooltips for the 4D buttons) accessible from the top of the 4Ds panel - this will create a starting point of the camera trajectory both in the chosen 3Ds and the 4Ds view,
   • adjust the view and create another key-frame doing the same - you can alternatively right-click the timeline area in the desired position and add a key-frame from this context option, or Ctrl + drag a created key-frame; you can even use the Insert button to add a new key-frame; the last option is to double-click the camera in the 3D view,
   • if there happen to be 2 frames placed on each other or you want to move the position of any of them, just drag the newly created frame to a side in the 4Ds timeline - this will also prolong the camera trajectory between the 2 framed views,
   • add as many key-frames as you like - please note that each new key-frame is added under the blue slider knob line in the 4Ds, when the knob is placed within the created key-frames, otherwise it will be placed behind the last frame.
7. Modify the camera path in the 3Ds according to your liking - you can slide the camera on the blue 3D path; when it is double-clicked, you can rotate the camera widget in 3 directions by dragging one of the circles in the desired direction; to change the camera coordinates, do the same with the camera pivot (showing the camera 3D coordinates system); see also section 'Selected key-frames panel' at the bottom of this tutorial,
8. Review (play the animation) and modify your creation until satisfied,
9. Render and save your animation using the last button in the top menu of the 4Ds window.

Buttons in the 4D Window

• Pair Views These buttons (in the upper-left part of the 4Ds panel) apply the current 4D parameters to the selected 3Ds view. A replayed animation will be displayed in the paired 3Ds view. Camera key-frames will be added from the view.
• Play/Pause plays or pauses an animation, when the blue slider knob line is positioned within the timeline in the 4Ds window, except when it is at the end and the Loop function (see below) is turned off. To play the video again in this case, move the blue line to the start and hit the Play button.
• Stop pauses an animation being played and jumps to time 0s (to the animation start).
• Loop On/Off When an animation hits its end, it will be replayed again. Click the toggle button again to stop the looping.
• Prev key-frame jumps to the previous key-frame.
• Next key-frame jumps to the next key-frame.
• Add a key-frame adds a new key-frame (from a paired view).
• Delete the selected key-frames deletes the selected key-frame(s). For advanced selection options, navigate to the Key-frame controls below.
• Render animation renders a video from the created animation. In case of animation with zero length, it will render just one frame - an image. Click here to learn more about the video export settings.

Other Controls

Timeline

Animation

Key-frames

Selected key-frames panel

This panel will show up in the 1Ds panel, when you click on a key-frame in the 4Ds view.

Time Duration of the selected key-frame. Retyping this value will change the frame position on the timeline. When all key-frames are selected, the number typed here will also create a new key-frame in the 4Ds (unless it already exists), otherwise it displays the key-frame in the 4Ds.

• Camera position
  x/y/z 3D coordinates of the camera. You can change these values to adjust the camera position assigned to the key-frame in the 3Ds view.
• Camera rotation
  Camera Rotation Type
  
  • Classic (yaw, pitch, roll) Yaw/pitch/roll angles in degrees. You can change these values to adjust the camera rotation assigned to the key-frame in the 3Ds view.
  • Look at uses these two additional parameters:
    Camera looks at point - defines coordinates of a point for the camera to focus on. See changes in these values in the 3Ds view.
    Camera up vector - defines a direction of the camera view, is used to set up the camera roll, at least one coordinate has to be of a non-zero value. See changes in these values in the 3Ds view.
• Camera projection parameters
  Focal length / zoom A focal length for the perspective view, distance of the focal point from the camera centre, smaller focal length results in a larger field of view; zoom for the parallel projection.
  Projection Perspective or Parallel.

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