Finding Animation Cycles in Action Clips
 
 
 

You can find an action clip's best cycle and then trim the clip's other cycles to match that one or set markers to show where the best cycle is. Depending on what kind of animation you have, there are two different algorithms used for the cycles: energy (rotations) or frequency (marked parameters).

Note
  • If your animation is not really periodic (that is, not real cycles), the results will not be necessarily accurate.

  • If other clips overlap with the clip you are analyzing, you should mute them first; otherwise the results will be plotted incorrectly.

To find cycles using the rotations of IK joints

  1. Select the objects for which you want to find a cycle.

  2. Select the clip in which you want to find a cycle.

  3. Move to a frame to define the starting point for finding cycles.

  4. Choose Clip Find Cycles from the mixer's command bar.

    In the Find Cycles dialog box, the Energy algorithm is selected. If it finds a period, the trim or mark operation will be performed for that period.

  5. Enter a minimum cycle Duration in frames. All cycles found with a duration of fewer frames than this are rejected.

  6. Select Trim Clip or Add Markers to do either of these operations.

    Trimming tries to keep as many periods as it can. If you add markers, you can also specify a generic Marker Name. Markers are added at the initial time and then at regular intervals separated by the period found.

  7. Click OK.

To find cycles on marked parameters

  1. Mark the parameters for the animation.

  2. Select the clip driving those parameters.

  3. Move to a frame where your reference value is.

  4. Choose Clip Find Cycles from the mixer's command bar.

    The Frequency algorithm is selected in the Find Cycles dialog box. If it finds more than one period is found, the trim or mark operation will not be performed because multiple cycles cannot be calculated.

  5. Enter a minimum cycle Duration in frames. All cycles found with a duration of fewer frames than this are rejected.

  6. Select Trim Clip or Add Markers to do either of these operations.

    Trimming tries to keep as many periods as it can. If you add markers, you can also specify a generic Marker Name. Markers are added at the initial time and then at regular intervals separated by the period found.

  7. Click OK.