Mini-Curve Editor
Similar to the Keyframe Editor, mini-curve editors provide a way to animate parameters
outside the Keyframe Editor’s interface using keyframes in a graph. Animations created
in a mini-curve editor don’t appear in the Keyframe Editor.
Two Particle behaviors—Scale Over Life and Spin Over Life—have mini-curve editors in
the Inspector (when the Increment Type parameter is set to Custom). Mini-curve editors
are also present for paint objects, in the Stroke pane of the Shape Inspector.
By default, the mini-curve editor is collapsed and shows a scaled-down representation
of the parameter curve.
Collapsed mini-curve editor
To expand a mini-curve editor
µ
Click the disclosure triangle next to the collapsed mini-curve editor.
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Chapter 12
Keyframes and Curves
The expanded mini-curve editor appears.
Auto Fit checkbox
Edit Keyframes tool
Sketch Keyframes tool
Transform Keyframes tool
Mini-curve editor
When expanded, the mini-curve editor shows a representation of the relevant animation
curve. In the example above, the Over Life parameter is mapped to the X axis and the
Custom Spin parameter is mapped to the Y axis.
The procedure for adding keyframes in a mini-curve editor is slightly different than adding
them in the full-sized Keyframe Editor.
To add keyframes in the mini-curve editor
Do one of the following:
µ
Double-click the curve.
µ
Option-click the curve.
µ
Control-click the curve, then choose Add Keyframe from the shortcut menu.
To modify a keyframe value in the mini-curve editor
1
Double-click the keyframe in the mini-curve editor.
Its value field is activated.
2
Enter a value in the value field, then press Return.
Note: To dismiss an active value field without making changes, press Esc.
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The mini-curve editor provides the Edit Keyframes, Sketch Keyframes, and Transform
Keyframes tools, and each functions in the same manner as in the Keyframe Editor. For
more information on using the Edit Keyframes tool, see
Using the Edit Keyframes Tool
.
For more information on using the Sketch Keyframes tool, see
Using the Sketch Keyframes
Tool
. For more information on using the Transform Keyframes tool, see
Using the Transform
Keyframes Tool
.
The Auto Fit checkbox sets whether Motion scales the animation curve to fit within the
confines of the mini-curve editor.