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< Dev:Ref | Release Notes | Animation | Armatures

[edit] 2.40 Release

[edit] NLA

[edit] New Key Bindings

Shift S snap to frame for both Action and NLA window.
Fix for HOME key in Action Window. Didn't check for mapped NLA time yet.

T - Timeslide in Action window - you can proportionally squeeze or stretch the selected keys, with current mouse position as reference. Only works with more than 3 keys selected horizontally.

I've remapped the old T (IPO type) to Shift T ... might be temporal, I have an idea for a cool 2D manipulator system that makes it much friendlier to grab/scale/slide keys all in once.

Duplication of markers in the timeline with Shift D (in the frame menu too)
PageUp moves action up one row (SHIFT == move to top)
PageDown moves action down one row (SHIFT == move to bottom) multiple selections allowed

NLA: Hotkey Alt S resets (syncs) action start/end in selected Strips
NLA: Panel for Strips allow setting negative Action start
NLA: When transforming strips, the selected keys for that action don't get included (caused weird errors)
Action: cleanup of drawing horizontal bars.
Action: Pulldown menu option Lock time was in different location than for the other pulldowns

[edit] Interface changes

The weird beveled button in Action/NLA didn't accurately show what time it was actually on. I've replaced it with an Icon now, diamond shaped, in a design derived from the TimeLine markers.

The new icon file, with the key markers for NLA and Action.

[edit] NLA and action time control

If you click in the NLA window on the action (linked to Object), it makes sure the Timing as drawn in the Action editor is not corrected for NLA. If you also set the Object to Action", this timing will be executed on the Object as well (not NLA time).

[edit] NLA Window

Insert a {{Literal|NLA strip]] makes it size 100 frames if the actual action is smaller than 2 frames, otherwise you cannot even select it :)

Transform in NLA with the "Lock" feature, not only draws other windows, but also evaluates (depgraphed) all Objects involved. Try select all in NLA and drag around!

[edit] Stride

http://blender.org/cms/Advanced_Stride_suppor.720.0.html

Previously, using the Stride Bone tried to get that Bone motionless on the path by correcting the internal time of the action. This however caused too many problems, especially with irregular walks.

The new system also tries to keep the Stride Bone motionless, but this by moving the entire armature, and not changing the timing of the Action.

To make editing strides easier, I've added a new option in the NLA panel to disable the path. This way you can quickly switch to editing the action itself (keying the stride bone) and viewing the result.

[edit] ACTION

[edit] TimeSlide in Action Window

Press T, and you can proportionally squeeze or stretch the selected keys, with current mouse position as reference. Only works with more than 3 keys selected horizontally.

I've remapped the old T (IPO type) to Shift T ... might be temporal, I have an idea for a cool 2D manipulator system that makes it much friendlier to grab/scale/slide keys all in once.

Also: fix for HOME key in action editor (didn't do Pin)

Small thing, just filling a gap that we really need here - Added duplication of markers in the timeline with Shift D (in the frame menu too)

[edit] Todo

When action/nla was added in Blender, a lot of duplicate code was generated. That's for another time.

[edit] 2.43 Release

[edit] NLA Editor Improvements

[edit] Object Strips Collapsing

Strips under an object's strip in the NLA editor can now get collapsed, like items in the Outliner.

Once an object's strips have been collapsed, it is still possible to add strips to that object; Other operations will not be possible.

[edit] Snap Tools

Like the Action Editor, the NLA Editor only used to have one type of Snap To Frame possible. Now there are two options, like in the Action Editor. These options move the start frame of the strips to the appropriate frame, and offset the end by the appropriate amount so that the length of the strips stays constant.

Snap To Nearest Frame
Snap To Current Frame

[edit] Menu Entries

There were quite a few functions that were still hotkey only.

[edit] Add Strip

This can now be found under the Strip menu.

[edit] Convert Action To Strip

This can also now be found under the Strip menu. It is now not dependant on mouse-location, and will act on the active action of the active object.

[edit] NLA Window follows visibility for scene layers

NLA window now follows visibility for scene layers

[edit] Mute Strip

NLA Strip "Mute" option, to temporally disable a strip. Option only in Properties panel still, should be in menus and hotkey.

[edit] action modifier

Action Modifier paths now support Speed curve.

http://download.blender.org/demo/test/2.43/0001_0150_speed.avi

By default the Speed maps in the range 0-100 frames, since there's not an actual time relationship here.

IMPORTANT: this didn't work before, and default Curve Paths have a speed Ipo, so past saved scenes will work different now!

Speed curve points are now drawn on the 3D path as well. With select info for selected points, if Curve Object is active.

Duplicating Objects with NLA ActionModifiers now also correctly copies object pointers, so a duplicate works as expected.

Dev:Ref/Release Notes/Animation/Armatures/Non Linear Animation