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Hello there
How to set keyframes
At the object level, select and transform objects and characters to position them for keyframing.
Selecting an object automatically scopes (makes key-able) commonly animated parameters in the channel list and/or animation editor. To scope other parameters, or change which parameters are automatically scoped, see how to scope parameters.
| To... | Do this |
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Set keyframes on all scoped parameters |
Press K or choose Edit ▸ Set Keyframe. |
Set keyframes on all parameters of the current operator’s active handle |
⌃ Ctrl + K Press |
Set keyframes on the selected object’s position |
⇧ Shift + T |
Set keyframes on the selected object’s rotation |
⇧ Shift + R |
Set keyframes on the selected object’s scale |
⇧ Shift + E |
Key everything |
Press ⌃ Ctrl + A to select all, then press K. |
Protect certain parameters from being keyframed |
In the parameter editor pane, press |
Automatically create keyframes whenever you change parameters (auto-key) |
Turn on the See auto-key for more information. |
Auto key button on the playbar.See also how to edit keyframes and channels.
Tip
You can set the default curve function for new keyframes in the animation preferences (Edit ▸ Preferences ▸ Animation).
How to set and manage keyframes in the parameter editor
| To... | Do this |
|---|---|
Set a keyframe on a parameter |
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Remove a keyframe |
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Move the playbar to the next/previous keyframe for a parameter |
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Tip
For parameters with multiple components (for example, a position parameter with X, Y, and Z values) you can click individual component text boxes, or click the parameter label to affect all components at once.
Color coding for keyframes and parameters
Houdini color-codes the background of parameter edit fields in the parameter editor, and the keyframe ticks on the playbar timeline, according to the current keyframe status.
"Pending changes" means you've changed one or more parameters so the value is different from the previous keyframe, but you haven’t set a keyframe to save those changes yet.
The timeline only shows key markers for the currently scoped parameters.
Background |
Timeline mark |
State |
|---|---|---|
Green |
Green |
Keyed This component is animated and you're on a keyframe. |
Bright green |
Partial key One or more of the scoped channels are keyed at this frame, but not all. |
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Yellow |
Orange |
Pending changes You've changed this component on a keyframe, but not committed the change. You can set Houdini to automatically commit changes on keyframes. |
Light blue |
'Tween This component is animated (either with keyframes or an expression), but you're not on a keyframe. (Click the name of a parameter to switch between showing the current value and the expression.) |
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Steel blue |
Disabled key This component is animated (either with keyframes or an expression), but the channel is disabled in the dopesheet. |
How to animate an object moving along a path curve
Use the Follow Path tool on the Modify shelf tab.
View the animation curves for keyframed parameters
See scoping and the animation editor.
