Trax menu bar
 
 
 

File menu

Import Animation Clip

Opens the Import file browser. This window lets you browse for animation clip files to import. Import Clip imports the selected animation clip to the current, highlighted character. You can import animation clips that have one of the following file formats:

  • mayaAscii (.ma)
  • mayaBinary (.mb)
  • mel (mel)
  • OBJ (.obj)
  • audio (.wav, .aif, .aiff)
  • move (.mov)
  • EPS (.eps)
  • Adobe® Illustrator® (.ai)

Import Animation Clip to Characters

Opens the Import file browser. This window lets you browse for the animation clip files you want to import to your loaded characters. Import Animation Clip to Character imports the selected animation clip to all the loaded characters in Trax. You can import animation clips that have one of the following file formats:

  • mayaAscii (.ma)
  • mayaBinary (.mb)
  • mel (mel)
  • OBJ (.obj)
  • audio (.wav, .aif, .aiff)
  • move (.mov)
  • EPS (.eps)
  • Adobe® Illustrator® (.ai)

    Clip

    Set one of the following options:

    Put Clip in Visor Only

    Adds the animation clip you are importing to the Visor.

    Put Clip in Trax Editor and Visor

    Adds the animation clip you are importing to the Trax Editor and Visor.

    Note

    When you put a clip in the Visor, you can then access it from the Outliner. See Use the Outliner with Trax for information on viewing clips in the Outliner.

Import Audio

Opens the Import file browser. This window lets you browse for audio files to import to your Soundtrack for the current scene. You can import audio files that have the following file formats:

  • WAV (.wav)
  • Audio Interchange File Format (.aif, .aiff)

For information on the Import Options window, see File > Import in the Basics guide.

Import Cache

Opens the Import file browser. This window lets you browse for and select an existing geometry or nCloth cache file to attach to the current object. If the current object already has a geometry or nCloth cache, the cache file you browse to and select replaces the original cache but does delete it from disk. See Create or import geometry caches.

Export Animation Clip

Opens the Export file browser. This window lets you browse for the location to which you want to export your animation clip. You can export your animation clips as the following file types:

  • mayaAscii (.ma)
  • mayaBinary (.mb)
  • mov (.mov)

Character Mapper

Opens the Character Mapper window. See Character > Character Mapper.

Export Character Map

Opens the Write file browser. This window lets you browse for the character set to which you want to export your character map. You can export character maps as the following file types:

  • maya Ascii (.ma)
  • mayaBinary (.mb)
  • move (.mov)
  • mel (.mel)

    Map Method

    Sets the format of the character map you want to export. The Map Method option you choose depends on which map you expect will be the easiest to edit. Before you select a Map Method, you first need to know the attributes (and their order) of both character sets.

    By Attribute Name

    Creates a map where the current character set’s attribute values are mapped to the attribute names of the target character set.

    By Attribute Order

    Creates a map where the current character set’s attribute values are mapped to the target character set based on the order (descending) of attributes in the Channel Box.

    By Node Name

    Creates a map where the current character set’s attribute values are mapped to the corresponding object and attribute names of the target character set.

    By Current Map

    Creates a map using the current mapping for the selected character sets. This is useful if you have already exported a map to fix character mapping, then later need to add new attributes to the character set. If you use By Current Map, you will only be able to edit the attribute mappings you have added since the last time you corrected the mapping.

    This option works only if you have already exported a character map and executed the resulting MEL script. See Mapping animation between characters in the Character Setup guide.

Visor

Opens the Visor window. See What are the Visor, Outliner, and Clip Library?.

Edit menu

Undo

Deletes your last action in the Trax Editor.

Redo

Repeats the last action you previously deleted in the Trax Editor.

Cut

For animation clips only.

Removes the selected animation clip from the Trax Editor and stores it in your system’s virtual clipboard. See Cut, copy, and paste clips.

Copy

For animation clips only.

Copies the selected animation clip in the Trax Editor and stores the copy in your system’s virtual clipboard.

Paste

For animation clips only.

Pastes the copied or cut animation clip from your system’s virtual clipboard to the highlighted Character in the Trax Editor.

Paste Method

Select a Paste Method if you want to paste the copied or cut animation clip to a different character.

Note

You should only copy and paste clips between characters if they have been mapped. See Map one character to another in the Character Setup guide.

By Attribute Name

Pastes attribute values to the matching attribute names of the target character set. Object names are ignored.

By Attribute Order

Pastes attribute values to the target character set based on the descending order of attributes in the Channel Box.

By Node Name

Pastes attribute values to the matching object and attribute names of the target character set.

By Character Map

Select this option only if you plan on exporting the target character’s character map. See Import or export animation data.

Start Frame

Specifies where the copied animation clip will be pasted.

Current Time

When on, the copied clip will be pasted in the source clip’s track at the position of the Trax current time indicator. For example, if the Trax current time indicator is at frame 40, then when you paste the clip it will appear at frame 40.

If a clip already occupies the time specified by the current time indicator, then a new track is created and the copied clip is inserted there.

Timeline Start

When on, the copied clip will be pasted at the current scene’s Playback Start Time. For example, if the current scene’s Playback Start Time is frame 10, then the copied clip will be pasted at frame 10.

Clipboard Start

When on, the copied clip will be pasted in a new track at the start frame of its source clip. For example, if you copied a clip whose start frame is frame 15, then a new track would be created and the copied clip would be inserted in that track at frame 15.

Split

Splits the selected animation or geometry cache clip into two separate clips. See Split clips.

By default, the first new clip that is generated is named Start and the second new clip is named End. Also, if you split animation clips, the two new source clips are named clipnStartSource and clipnEndSource.

Source Clip

For animation clips only. Specifies the status of the selected clip’s source clip after it is split.

Delete Original Source

When on, the selected clip’s source clip will be deleted from the Visor. Use this option if you know you have no further use for the source clip.

Keep Original Source

When on, the selected clip’s source clip will be retained in the Visor. Use this option if you know you will need to use the source clip sometime in the future.

Split Time

Sets where to split the clip.

Current Time

When on, the selected clip will be split at the position of the Traxcurrent time indicator.

Specify Time

When on, the selected clip will be split at the time you specify in the Split Time field.

Note

You cannot split a cycled clip. You need to first merge the clip (with no other clips) before you can split the clip. See Nonlinear Animation.

Split Time

Lets you specify a custom time at which the clip will be split. This field is only available when Specify Time in on.

Merge

For animation clips only.

Merges the selected animation cache clips. See Nonlinear Animation.

Clips can be merged within a track, or clips from separate tracks can be merged. The clip that begins first becomes the first section of the merged clip. When clips that overlap in time are merged, their animation is blended automatically.

To merge geometry cache clips, see Merge geometry cache clips.

Name

Lets you enter a name for the merged animation clip.

Merged Clip

Set one of the following options:

Add to Trax

Merges the animation clips selected in the track view area. You can only merge clips from the same character.

Add to Visor Only (Keep Originals in Trax)

Merges the animation clips selected in the track view area, stores this merged clip in the Visor, and retains the selected clips in Trax.

Merge Cache Clips

For geometry or nCloth cache clips only.

Cache Directory

Specifies the location on your server or local disk to which the merged geometry or nCloth cache you want to create is saved. Click the folder icon () to browse to a different directory.

Name

Specifies the base name for the merged geometry or nCloth cache clip you want to create. By default, the base name is mergedClip.

File Distribution

Set one of the following options:

One File Per Frame

Specifies that one merged geometry or nCloth cache file per frame of the specified Cache Time Range is created.

One File

Specifies that one merged geometry or nCloth cache file for the specified Cache Time Range is created.

Evaluate every frame(s) and Save every evaluation(s)

When creating a geometry or nCloth cache, one sample of your object’s deformations is taken every frame and saved to your cache by default.

Evaluate every frame(s) specifies how often samples are taken during geometry or nCloth cache creation. For example, a value of 2 caches the deformations or simulation of the current object at every other frame of the Cache Time Range.

Save every evaluation(s) specifies which samples are saved during geometry or nCloth cache creation. For example, a value of 2 specifies that only every other sample specified by the Evaluate every frame(s) option is saved to your geometry or nCloth cache.

For more information, see Geometry cache creation.

Delete existing cache files after merge

Specifies that all your enabled geometry or nCloth cache nodes are deleted when the merged cache clip is created. However, your geometry or nCloth caches on disk are preserved.

Trim Before

Removes the segment of the selected animation or geometry cache clip that comes before the Trax current time indicator’s position.

Trim After

Removes the segment of the selected animation or geometry cache clip that comes after the Trax current time indicator’s position.

Duplicate

For animation clips only.

When you duplicate an animation clip, a new track is generated and a copy of the clip is added to this track.

Duplicate Input Connections

When on, creates a copy of the selected animation clip whose duplicate animation is independent of the original clip’s source animation. This means you can edit the animation on this new clip and it won’t affect the animation on your original clip—it will only affect the duplicate.

When off, creates a copy of the selected animation clip whose duplicate animation is dependent on the original clip’s source animation. This means any modifications made to the original clip’s animation are propagated to the duplicate clip.

Duplicate Input Connections is off by default.

Copy

Set one of the following options:

Put Copy in Visor Only

Places the duplicate clip in the Visor only.

Put Copy in Visor Only is available only when Duplicate Input Connections is on.

Note

When you place clips in the Visor, you can then view and access them from the Outliner. See Use the Outliner with Trax for information on viewing clips in the Outliner.

Put Copy in Trax Editor and Visor

Places the duplicate animation clip in both the Trax Editor and the Visor.

Put Copy in Trax Editor and Visor is available only when Duplicate Input Connections is on.

Time Warp

Set one of the following options:

Duplicate Time Warp Curve

When on, an independent copy of the selected animation clip’s time warp curve is created for the duplicate clip. This is useful, for example, when you want a group of characters to all have the same run cycle animations, but you want each of the characters to run at a different speeds.

Instance Time Warp Curve

When on, a dependent copy of the selected animation clip’s time warp curve is created for the duplicate clip. Any changes you make to the original clip’s time warp curve are propagated to the duplicate time warp curve.

Instance Time Warp Curve is on by default.

No Time Warp Curve

When on, the selected clip’s time warp curve is not copied to the duplicate clip.

Copy Channel Offsets

Lets you apply the current channel offset settings from one animation clip to another. This is useful when you want multiple clips to have the same offset settings.

Note
  • The source and destination clips must belong to the same character.
  • The source and destination clips must have common channels.
  • You cannot copy clip channel offset settings from one source clip to multiple destination clips.

Quick Select Sets

Lets you select a Quick Select Set. When you select a Quick Select Set in Trax, the animation or geometry cache clips that are part of the set you select are quickly loaded and displayed in the track view area.

For information on creating a Quick Select Set of clips, see Quick Select Set.

Group

For animation clips only.

Creates a group under the current character and places the selected animation clips in tracks under that group.

Ungroup

For animation clips only.

Removes the selected group from its character and places the group’s tracks directly under its character or parent group.

View menu

Frame All

Frames all animation and geometry cache clips in the track view area so that each clip’s start and ends are visible.

Frame Selection

Frames the selected animation or geometry cache clips in the track view area.

Frame Playback Range

Frames the current playback range in the track view area.

Center Current Time

Centers the track view area on the current time.

Graph Anim Curves

For animation clips only.

Launches the Graph Editor and displays the animation curves for the current, selected animation clip.

Modify menu

Attribute Editor

Opens the Attribute Editor and displays the selected character’s, animation clip’s, object’s, or geometry cache clip’s nodes and attributes.

Enable/Disable

Turns on or off the selected animation clip’s animation curves or the selected geometry cache clips cache. See Enabled/disabled clips or Enable or disable geometry cache clips.

Activate/Deactivate Keys

For animation clips only.

Turns Activate Keys on or off for the selected animation clip. The Activate Keys mode lets you key into a clip. See Active/inactive clips.

Remove Empty Tracks

For animation clips only.

Removes all empty tracks from the current character.

Create menu

Animation Clip

Creates an animation clip for the current character. See Animation clips and Animate > Create Clip.

Constraint Clip

The options in the Create Constraint Clip Options window are the same as those in the Create Clip Options window, with the exception that the Create Constraint Clip Options window does not contain the Time Range Animation Curve option. For information on the options in the Create Constraint Clip Options window, see Animate > Create Clip.

Expression Clip

The options in the Create Expression Clip Options window are the same as those in the Create Clip Options window, with the exception that the Create Expression Clip Options window does not contain the Time Range Animation Curve option. For information on the options in the Create Expression Clip Options window, see Animate > Create Clip.

Pose

Creates a pose for the current character. See Poses.

For information on the Create Pose Options window, see Animate > Create Pose.

Blend

For animation clips only.

Blends the selected animation clips. You can only create a blend between two animation clips at a time. See Blends and Create and edit blends.

Initial Weight Curve

Sets how the blend is interpolated at the beginning, middle, and end of the animation clip.

Linear

Changes attribute values at a constant rate from the beginning to the end of the clip.

Ease In

Changes attribute values slowly at the beginning and quickly at the end.

Ease Out

Changes attribute values quickly at the beginning and slowly at the end.

Ease In Out

Changes attribute values slowly at the beginning and end, and quickly in the middle.

Rotation Blend

Specifies how to blend between the rotations in animation clips.

Quaternion Shortest

Uses quaternion interpolation to find the shortest path between rotations from the first clip to the second clip in the blend. Quaternion Shortest is on by default.

Quaternion Longest

Uses quaternion interpolation to find the longest path between rotations from the first clip to the second clip in the blend. This path is in the opposite direction from Quaternion Shortest.

Linear

Creates a linear interpolation between clips that blends the values at a constant rate.

Character Set

Creates a character set for the current object. See Characters, groups, and subcharacters.

For more information on the Create Character Set Options window, see Character > Create Character Set > .

Time Warp

For animation clips only.

Creates a time warp curve for the current animation clip. See Time warps and Create and edit time warps.

Time Warp

Set one of the following options:

Enabled Time Warp Curve

Activates the time warp curve for the current animation clip.

Disabled Time Warp Curve

Deactivates the time warp curve for the current animation clip.

Quick Select Set

Creates a Quick Select Set for the current animation or geometry cache clips. Quick Select Set lets you create a selection set for multiple clips from various clips and characters. The selection sets you create with this option appear under Trax menu bar > Edit > Quick Select Sets.

You can edit the membership of an existing quick select set with the Relationship Editor. See Relationship Editor.

Geometry Cache

Creates a geometry cache clip for the current object. See Geometry Cache > Create New Cache and Create or import geometry caches.

Library menu

Insert Clip

For animation clips only.

Lets you insert an animation clip into the current track. The list of clips contains the names of all the animation clips in your scene.

Insert Pose

Lets you insert a pose into the current track. The pose list contains the names of all the poses in your scene.

List menu

Autoload Selected Characters

When on, any objects or characters you select in either the scene view or the Time Slider’s Current Character drop-down list are automatically loaded into Trax. Also, when you cancel your selection in the scene view, all characters and objects are automatically removed from Trax.

Load Selected Characters

Only available when Autoload Selected Characters is off.

Loads all selected characters or objects into Trax, replacing the currently loaded characters or objects. If you select Load Selected Characters, cancelling your selection in the scene view does not remove the characters and objects from Trax.

Add Selected Characters

Only available when Autoload Selected Characters is off.

Loads the selected characters or objects into Trax. Use this menu item to add characters or objects to Trax when there is already a number of characters or objects loaded in Trax.

Bookmarks

For characters only.

Bookmark Current Characters

Creates a bookmark for the current, highlighted character in Trax. Character bookmarks let you quickly load characters into Trax.

Use the Bookmark Current Character option box to name your bookmarks.

All the character or object bookmarks you create appear as a list under List > Bookmarks.

Remove All Bookmarks

Deletes all the current scene’s character bookmarks.