cutKey

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Synopsis

cutKey [-animation string] [-attribute string] [-clear] [-controlPoints boolean] [-float floatrange] [-hierarchy string] [-includeUpperBound boolean] [-index uint] [-option string] [-selectKey] [-shape boolean] [-time timerange] [targetList]

cutKey is undoable, NOT queryable, and NOT editable.

The animation curves comprising a keyset depend on the value of the "-animation" flag:

• keysOrObjects:
  1. Any active keys, when no target objects or -attribute flags appear on the command line, or
  2. All animation curves connected to all keyframable attributes of objects specified as the command line's targetList, when there are no active keys.
• keys: Only act on active keys or tangents. If there are no active keys or tangents, don't do anything.
• objects: Only act on specified objects. If there are no objects specified, don't do anything.

Note that the "-animation" flag can be used to override the curves uniquely identified by the multi-use "-attribute" flag, which takes an argument of the form attributeName, such as "translateX".

Keys on animation curves are identified by either their time values or their indices. Times and indices can be given individually or as part of a list or range.

• -time 10pal means the key at frame 10 (PAL format).
• -time 1.0sec -time 15ntsc -time 20 means the keys at time 1.0 second, frame 15 (in NTSC format), and time 20 (in the currently defined global time unit).
• -time "10:20" means all keys in the range from 10 to 20, inclusive, in the current time unit.

• -time "10:" means all keys from time 10 (in the current time unit) onwards.
• -time ":10" means all keys up to (and including) time 10 (in the current time unit).
• -time ":" is a short form to specify all keys.

• -index 0 means the first key of each animation curve. (Indices are 0-based.)
• -index 2 -index 5 -index 7 means the 3rd, 6th, and 8th keys.
• -index "1:5" means the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th keys of each animation curve.

The cutKey command cuts curve segment hierarchies from specified targets and puts them in the clipboard. The pasteKey command applies these curves to other objects.

The shape of the cut curve placed in the clipboard, and the effect of the cutKey command on the source animation curve depends on the cutKey "-option" specified. Each of these options below will be explained using an example. For all the explanations, let us assume that the source animation curve (from which keys will be cut) has 5 keyframes at times 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30.

TbaseKeySetCmd.h

• cutKey -t "12:22" -option keys
• Keyframes at times 15 and 20 are removed. All other keys are unchanged.
• A 5-frame animation curve is placed into the keyset clipboard.
• cutKey -t "12:22" -option keysCollapse
• Keyframes at times 15 and 20 are removed. Shift all keys after time 20 to the left by 5 frames, preserving all their values.
• A 5-frame animation curve is placed into the keyset clipboard.
• cutKey -t "12:22" -option keysConnect
• Keyframes at times 15 and 20 are removed. Shift all keys after time 20 to the left by 5 frames, and place the key that used to be at time 25 at the value of the key that used to be at time 15.
• A 5-frame animation curve is placed into the keyset clipboard.
• cutKey -t "12:22" -option curve
• Keyframes at times 15 and 20 are removed. Keys are inserted at times 12 and 22.
• A 10-frame animation curve is placed into the keyset clipboard.
• cutKey -t "12:22" -option curveCollapse
• Keyframes at times 15 and 20 are removed. Keys are inserted at times 12 and 22. Shift all keys from time 22 to the left by 10 frames, preserving their values.
• A 10-frame animation curve is placed into the keyset clipboard.
• cutKey -t "12:22" -option curveConnect
• Keyframes at times 15 and 20 are removed. Keys are inserted at times 12 and 22. Shift all keys from time 22 to the left by 10 frames, and replace the key inserted at time 12 with the newly inserted key at time 22.
• A 10-frame animation curve is placed into the keyset clipboard.
• cutKey -t "12:22" -option areaCollapse
• Keyframes at times 15 and 20 are removed. Shift all keys from time 22 to the left by 10 frames, preserving their values.
• A 10-frame animation curve is placed into the keyset clipboard.

Return value

Related

Flags

Long name (short name)	Argument types	Properties
-attribute(-at)	string
List of attributes to select In query mode, this flag needs a value.
-hierarchy(-hi)	string
Hierarchy expansion options. Valid values are "above," "below," "both," and "none." (Not valid for "pasteKey" cmd.) In query mode, this flag needs a value.
-shape(-s)	boolean
Consider attributes of shapes below transforms as well, except "controlPoints". Default: true. (Not valid for "pasteKey" cmd.) In query mode, this flag needs a value.
-controlPoints(-cp)	boolean
This flag explicitly specifies whether or not to include the control points of a shape (see "-s" flag) in the list of attributes. Default: false. (Not valid for "pasteKey" cmd.) In query mode, this flag needs a value.
-index(-in)	uint
index of a key on an animCurve In query mode, this flag needs a value.
-time(-t)	timerange
time uniquely representing a key (or key range) on a time-based animCurve. Valid timeRanges include single values (-t 10) or a string with a lower and upper bound, separated by a colon (-t "10:20") In query mode, this flag needs a value.
-float(-f)	floatrange
value uniquely representing a non-time-based key (or key range) on a time-based animCurve. Valid floatRange include single values (-f 10) or a string with a lower and upper bound, separated by a colon (-f "10:20") In query mode, this flag needs a value.
-includeUpperBound(-iub)	boolean
When the -t/time or -f/float flags represent a range of keys, this flag determines whether the keys at the upper bound of the range are included in the keyset. Default value: true. This flag is only valid when the argument to the -t/time flag is a time range with a lower and upper bound. (When used with the "pasteKey" command, this flag refers only to the time range of the target curve that is replaced, when using options such as "replace," "fitReplace," or "scaleReplace." This flag has no effect on the curve pasted from the clipboard.)
-animation(-an)	string
Where this command should get the animation to act on. Valid values are "objects," "keys," and "keysOrObjects" Default: "keysOrObjects." (See Description for details.)
-option(-o)	string
Option for how to perform the cutKey operation. Valid values for this flag are "keys", "curve", "curveCollapse", "curveConnect", "areaCollapse". The default cut option is: keys
-clear(-cl)
Just remove the keyframes (i.e. do not overwrite the clipboard)
-selectKey(-sl)
Select the keyframes of curves which have had keys removed

Flag can appear in Create mode of command	Flag can appear in Edit mode of command
Flag can appear in Query mode of command	Flag can be used more than once in a command.

MEL examples

// Cut keyframes from frame 10 to 20 of cube1's "Translate X" attribute
//
cutKey -time "10:20" -attribute translateX -option keys cube1;

// Cut from all active objects all keys in the range 0 to 60
//
cutKey -time "0:60";