Animate > Create Clip

 
 
 

Creates a clip. See Animation clips and Create clips.

Animate > Create Clip >

Opens the Create Clip Options window.

TipYou can also access the Create Clip Options in the Trax Editor by selecting Create > Animation Clip > .

Create Clip Options window

Name

Specifies a name for the clip. Default is clipn. If you rename a clip, the associated source clip is automatically renamed to match the new clip name.

Time Range

Specifies the clip’s time range in the Trax Editor:

Selected

Uses a time range you’ve selected in the Time Slider for the clip. To select a time range, -drag through the desired times in the Time Slider’s Time Slider.

Time Slider

Uses a time range defined by the Playback Start and End times of the Time Slider.

Animation Curve

Uses a time range that spans the range of the character set’s animation curves. That is, the start time is the time of the first key on the character set, and the end time is the time of the last key.

Start/End

Specifies a time range from Start Time to End Time.

Start Time

Lets you specify the start of the time range (available if Start/End is on).

End Time

Lets you specify the end of the time range (available if Start/End is on).

Offset

Lets you specify the offset behavior for animation channels from one clip to the next. (See also Absolute and Relative channel offsets, Offset clip channels.)

Absolute

Sets the channels within the clip to absolute offset, meaning the channels do not accumulate motion from previous channels, and play exactly as they are in the animation curves. Use this setting if you want to create a sequence of cycled animation.

NoteAbsolute is the default Offset setting for new clips and imported clips.
Relative

Sets the channels within the clip to relative offset, meaning the channels will accumulate motion. The motion from the equivalent channel in the previous clip is added to the clip's own animation.

Relative Root(s) Only

Sets a mixed offset where some channels are set to absolute and some are set to relative, depending on whether they are roots of the character hierarchy. Use this option if you want to replicate the former default behavior from previous versions of Maya.

Subcharacters

Set the following:

Include Subcharacters in Clip

When on, creates a single source clip that includes all animation curves for the character set and all its subcharacter sets.

Include Hierarchy

When on (the default), the hierarchy below the selected objects are included in the clip. When off, only the selected objects themselves are included in the clip. Only animated attributes are included in the clip; non-animated objects are ignored.

Keys

Set the following:

Leave Keys in Timeline

When on, the current character set’s keys are not removed from the Time Slider when you create a clip for the current character’s animation curves. This is useful if you do not want to use the clip right away, but want to store it for future use. By leaving the keys in the Time Slider, you can create another clip with the keys.

If you turn on Leave Keys in Timeline, the Put Clip in Trax Editor and Visor option is dim to prevent keys in the Time Slider from adding to the clip animation in the Trax Editor. This would have a doubling effect on the animation. If you create a clip for a character set and later key the character set, the animation keys are then added to the clip animation. See Key on top of clips.

When off, the current character set’s keys are removed from the Time Slider when you create a clip for the current character’s animation curves.

If you want to create several clips for different time ranges of a character set’s animation, turn off Leave Keys in Timeline and turn on Put Clip in Trax Editor and Visor. Create a clip with the entire range of desired keys, then split the clip into the desired animation segments. See To split a clip.

Clip

Specifies where to put the clip you’re creating:

Put Clip in Visor Only

This setting is useful if you won’t use the clip currently but want to store it for future use.

Put Clip in Trax Editor and Visor

Lets you work on the clip in the Trax Editor now. This is the default setting.

Timewarp

Set the following option:

Create Timewarp Curve

Creates a time warp curve for the selected clip. See To create a time warp for a clip.