Patchwork 3D Enterprise 2021.1 X5

Bézier Curve Path Type

For a Bézier Path animation, Camera Animations defines the behavior of the camera's position and orientation as well as that of the camera target's position.

For the purposes of this editor, the camera is the position of observation, along with properties such as zoom and camera angle. The target, or the point being observed, is the center of the viewport when the scene is viewed using this camera. The center of the current active viewport at the time the clip is created is used as the initial target position for the clip. However, you can set a different initial target in this editor.

The camera's position, its target, or both can be animated by Bézier curve path. Selecting an option for each element allows you to set its behavior for this clip.

Tip

To find the name of a curve, hover over it with your cursor. Its name is displayed in the information bar at the bottom of the screen.

Position path options:

Position

Use

Settings

Follow Bézier path

Choose this option to enable the drop-down menu. This menu lists all of the Bézier curves created in your product. Select the curve you wish to use as the path for the camera's position. The camera will move along the Bézier path at a constant speed.

The button image175.png

beside this option reverses the direction of the path.

Follow null

Choose this option to enable the drop-down menu. This menu lists all of the null objects in the product and is available only if you have at least one null. A null constrained by Follow path to a Bézier path and animated by channel animation serves as a moving tripod for the camera. The camera will move with the null object, respecting the easing established by the channel animation.

The camera animation and the path constraint animation must start and end at the same time in the timeline.

For more information see:

Stationary

Choose this option in order not to animate the camera's position.

The button acquire_position_direction_1.png

beside this option sets the fixed camera position using the camera position in the active viewport.

Target path options:

Target

Use

Enabling Enhanced Transparency

Settings

Follow Bézier path

Choose this option to enable the drop-down menu. This menu lists all of the Bézier curves created in your product. Select the curve you wish to use as the path for the camera's target

The button image175.png

beside this option reverses the direction of the path.

Follow position path

Choose this option to have the target's position be calculated automatically in order to precede the camera along the camera's position path.

Only available if you have selected Follow Bézier path as the Position path.

Follow null

Choose this option to enable the drop-down menu. This menu lists all of the null objects in your product. Select the object you wish to use as the camera's target.

Only available if you have at least one null. A null constrained by Follow path to a Bézier path and animated by channel animation serves as a moving base for the camera's target.

The camera animation and the path constraint animation must start and end at the same time in the timeline.

Fixed direction

Choose this option to lock the target's position in relation to the camera and prevent the modification of the camera's orientation. As the camera moves along its path, the target moves in exactly the same way.

Only available if you have selected Follow Bézier path as the Position path.

The button acquire_position_direction_1.png

beside this option sets the relative target and camera positions based on the current relationship in the active viewport.

Stationary

Choose this option in order not to animate the target's position.

The button acquire_position_direction_1.png

beside this option modifies the initial target position by replacing the previous initial position with the current center of the active viewport.

In the Duration field, provide the clip length in seconds.

Note

A camera animation by Bézier path provides a linear development of the camera and target positions over time, and takes into account all of the curve as the path.

Tip

The start point along the curve is defined on the Bézier path itself. Right-click on the curve where you would like to place the start point and select bezier_path_start_1.png Place start here.