Modify keys or tangents on a motion trail

After you create a motion trail to preview an object's animation, you can edit keys on the trail directly in the scene view. For information on changing the appearance of the motion trail, see Edit motion trail properties.

To modify keys on a motion trail

1. -click the motion trail and select Modify Keys from the marking menu.

   This sets the motion trail to Modify Keys mode, letting you adjust keys directly on the motion trail as follows:

   To...	Do this:
   Insert keys	Click the motion trail where you want to insert a key.
   Move keys	+ to drag keys along the motion trail.
   Delete keys	+ click.

   Note

   If you are editing a selected motion trail key using the Graph Editor, note that using the Region Tool or Lattice Deform Keys Tool to modify curve segments can effectively adjust the motion trail so that the selected key is deleted. In this case, the Graph Editor refreshes to display an empty graph view, since the selected key no longer exists.

   This type of modification to the motion trail can occur if you created the trail based on a fixed time range, for example with a Start time of 1 and an End time of 10. If you drag a region including a key at frame 8 until it is beyond the 1 to 10 range, the motion trail key at frame 8 is deleted.

To display and edit tangents

Motion trails can display editable tangents of the following types: Spline, Linear, Clamped, Flat, Fixed, Plateau, and Auto.

1. Select an editable key on the motion trail, then do either of the following:
   • In the Attribute Editor, turn on Show In Tangent or Show Out Tangent (on the motionTrailnHandleShape tab, under MotionTrailShape Attributes).
   • -click, then select Show In Tangent or Show Out Tangent from the menu that appears.

   The in or out tangent now displays on any selected key.

2. Select the tangent handle (the tip of the tangent), then use the Move tool to adjust the tangent and modify the shape of the trail.

To display and edit timing beads

1. Select an editable key on the motion trail, then do either of the following:
   • In the Attribute Editor, turn on Show In Bead or Show Out Bead (on the motionTrailHandleShape tab, under MotionTrailShape Attributes).
   • -click the key and select Timing Beads In or Timing Beads Out from the menu that appears.

   Pink timing beads now display before or after any selected keyframe on the trail.

2. Drag the timing beads toward or away from the keyframe to control the speed at which the object approaches and moves away from the selected key. Stretch the beads further apart to slow the movement, or compress the beads closer together to speed up the movement.