Editors

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When you select a cube action without content then you will get the Animation Data panel in the sidebar.

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Animation Data Panel

Animation Data panel

When you select a cube action without content then you will get the Animation Data panel in the sidebar.

This panel allows you to edit existing actions or add more actions. This way you can add several actions to an object. Add action, record keyframes, and then push down the action to create an action strip of it.

With selecting an action channel, with a not pushed down action, it shows the current action. When you select a track channel then it shows a New button where you can add more action channels.

Animation data property

Data Browser

The list of available actions in the scene.

Entry	What it does
Action Edit Box	The name of the current active action. You can rename the action here too.
Number of users	The number of users for this data.
Fake User	Has this data a fake user assigned. Fake user is a concept to keep data in the scene even when it has no users.
Add	Adds a new blank Action.
Remove Action	Removes the action from the current channel.

Extrapolation

Action to take for gaps past the strip extents.

Entry	What it does
Hold	Affects both sides of the strip. This should only be set on the very first strip.
Hold Forward	Affects the region after the clip, only. This can be set on any strip.
Nothing	Affects only the region of the strip itself. This can be set on any strip.

Blending

Affects how the property values directly produced by the strip are combined with the result of evaluating the stack below. The bottom-most strip is blended on top of the default values of the properties.

Replace

The top strip is linearly blended in with the accumulated result according to influence, completely overwriting it if influence is set to 100%.

Combine

Depending on the type of each property, one of the following methods is automatically chosen:

Axis/Angle Rotation

result=previous+value*influence

This results in averaging the axis and adding the amount of rotation.

Quaternion Rotation

Quaternion math is applied to all four channels of the property at once:

result=previous×valueinfluence

Proportional (Scale)

result=previous*(value/default)influence

Others

result=previous+(value-default)*influence

This allows layering actions that can also be used as a standalone. Properties keyframed at their default values remain at default.

Add, Subtract, Multiply

The result of the strip is multiplied, subtracted, or added to the accumulated results, and then blended in according to influence.

result=mix(previous,previous(+-*)value,influence)

Influence

Amount the active Action contributes to the result of the NLA stack.

Strip Tab

The settings for the currently selected action strip. You need to have a action strip selected to show this tab.

Entry	What it does
Name	The name of the currently selected action strip. To rename the strip click into the edit field, change the name and press enter.
Mute	Disable the action strip.

Active Strip panel

Frame Start + End

The start and end position of the strip.

Extrapolation

Action to take for gaps past the strip extents.

Entry	What it does
Hold	Affects both sides of the strip. This should only be set on the very first strip.
Hold Forward	Affects the region after the clip, only. This can be set on any strip.
Nothing	Affects only the region of the strip itself. This can be set on any strip.

Blending

Replace

The top strip is linearly blended in with the accumulated result according to influence, completely overwriting it if influence is set to 100%.

Combine

Depending on the type of each property, one of the following methods is automatically chosen:

Axis/Angle Rotation

result=previous+value*influence

This results in averaging the axis and adding the amount of rotation.

Quaternion Rotation

Quaternion math is applied to all four channels of the property at once:

result=previous×valueinfluence

Proportional (Scale)

result=previous*(value/default)influence

Others

result=previous+(value-default)*influence

This allows layering actions that can also be used as a standalone. Properties keyframed at their default values remain at default.

Add, Subtract, Multiply

The result of the strip is multiplied, subtracted, or added to the accumulated results, and then blended in according to influence.

result=mix(previous,previous(+-*)value,influence)

Entry	What it does
Blend In + Out	Number of frames to fade in or out the action strip.
Auto Blend In/Out	Number of frames for blending in and out is automatically calculated from overlapping strips.
Playback	Reversed: The action strip is played in reversed order. This just works when timing is determined automatic. · Cyclic Strip Time: Cycle the action strip.

Animated Influence subpanel

Control the influence settings by an F-Curve instead of automatically determined. The F-Curve can be edited in the Graph Editor.

Entry	What it does
Influence	The influence value.
Animate Property	Set or remove a keyframe at current position.

Animated Strip Time subpanel

Control the Strip time settings by an F-Curve instead of automatically determined. The F-Curve can be edited in the Graph Editor.

Entry	What it does
Influence	The influence value.
Animate Property	Set or remove a keyframe at current position.

Action Clip panel

This represents the ‘object data’ of the strip. Much like the transform values of an object.

Entry	What it does
Action	The action that is referenced in the strip. This can be changed to replace the current strip’s value with another Action in the scene.
Slot	Define which subset is meant for this strip.
Frame Start / End	The start and end frame values of the strip. Note. To loop the animation you might need to reduce the End Frame by one frame to have a loopable animation. Note. If you select values that are above or below the actual keyframe count of the Action, then the F-curve Extrapolation will be applied.
Sync Length	Set the Start and End Frames to the first and last keyframed frames of the Action.
Now	Causes the Start and End Frames, above, to be reset to the first and last keyframed frames of the Action.
Playback Scale	Stretches the strip.
Repeat	Repeats the strip by the chosen value. With a value of 1 the strip plays once.

Action panel

Entry	What it does
Manual Frame Range	Set the playback frame range manually. · Start: The start frame. · End: The end frame.
Cyclic Animation	Make the animation loop.

Modifiers Tab

Modifiers Tab - Modifiers Panel

F-Curve modifiers are similar to Object modifiers. They allow to add adjustable non destructive effects. And they can be layered on top of each other.

Different to the Object modifiers you can't reorder this modifiers. You have to create it in the order that you need it.

Add Modifier

The list of modifiers. Choose by clicking.

Entry	What it does
Copy F-Curve Modifiers	Copy the F-Curve Modifiers of the active F-Curve.
Paste F-Curve Modifiers	Paste copied F-Curve modifiers to the active F-Curve.

Adjust Last Operation - Add F-Curve Modifier

Entry	What it does
Type	A drop down list with the Type of modifier to add.
Only Active	Only add a modifier to the currently active curve.

Modifier header

Every modifier is a panel. And every panel has a header area with some general UI elements.

Entry	What it does
Triangle button	Every modifier panel can be expanded or collapsed by clicking at this triangle button.
Active	This is the panel that you currently edit. When you edit a panel while it is not set to the active one, then the changes will not be applied.
Modifier name	The name of the modifier. Read only.
Muted	Enable or disable this modifier.
Delete F-Curve Modifier	Delete this modifier.

Generator modifier

Polynomial Mode

Use Expanded Polynominal or Factorized Polynominal algorithm. With these mathematical formulas you can create lines, parabolas, and other more complex curves by changing the values in the poly order field.

Entry	What it does
Additive	Add on top of the existing curve instead of replacing the existing curve.
Order	The hightes value of X for this polynominal.
Coefficient	Coefficient for X.
x^1	Coefficient for X.
Use Influence	Temper the F-Curve Modifier effect by a default influence factor. Expanding the Use Influence sets it to active. It reveals a value slider then. · Influence: The influence factor.

Restrict Frame Range

Expanding the Restrict Frame range sets it to active. It reveals some value slider then.

Entry	What it does
Start / End	The start and end frame of the generated curve.
Blend In / Out	Fade the curve in or out for chosen frame numbers.

Built- in Function modifier

Generate a curve by built in functions.

Curve Type

The available wave forms for the curve.

Entry	What it does
Additive	Add on top of the existing curve instead of replacing the existing curve.
Amplitude	The amplitude of the curve wave. Adjusts the Y scaling.
Phase Multiplier	A phase multiplier for the curve wave. Adjusts the X scaling.
Phase Offset	A phase offset for the curve wave. Adjusts the Y scaling.
Value Offset	A constant value offset for the whole curve. Adjusts the X scaling.
Use Influence	Temper the F-Curve Modifier effect by a default influence factor. Expanding the Use Influence sets it to active. It reveals a value slider then. · Influence: The influence factor.

Restrict Frame Range

Expanding the Restrict Frame range sets it to active. It reveals some value slider then.

Entry	What it does
Start / End	The start and end frame of the generated curve.
In / Out	Fade the curve in or out for chosen frame numbers.

Envelope modifier

The Envelope modifier allows you to modify the overall shape of the curve by control points.

Entry	What it does
Envelope	Reference Value: Set the Y value to center the envelope around. · Min: The lower distance from reference value for 1:1 default influence. · Max: The higher distance from reference value for 1:1 default influence.
Add Control Point	Add a control point. A control point has two sub points, a lower control point and a higher control point.

Use Influence

Temper the F-Curve Modifier effect by a default influence factor.

Expanding the Use Influence sets it to active. It reveals a value slider then.

Influence

The influence factor.

Restrict Frame Range

Expanding the Restrict Frame range sets it to active. It reveals some value slider then.

Entry	What it does
Start / End	The start and end frame of the generated curve.
In / Out	Fade the curve in or out for chosen frame numbers.

Cycles modifier

Add a cyclic motion to a curve that has two or more control points. The option can be set before or after the curve.

Trivially Cyclic Curves

When the Cycle Mode for both ends is set to either Repeat Motion or Repeat with Offset, and no other options of the modifier are changed from their defaults, it defines a simple infinite cycle.

This special case receives some additional support from other areas of Blender:

Automatic Bezier handle placement is aware of the cycle and adjusts to achieve a smooth transition.

The Cycle-Aware Keying option can be enabled to take the cycle into account when inserting new keyframes.

Before Mode

Set the cycle mode before the first keyframe.

Count

Maximum number of cycles to allow before first keyframes. A value of 0 means infinite.

After Mode

Set the cycle mode after the first keyframe.

Count

Maximum number of cycles to allow after last keyframes. A value of 0 means infinite.

Use Influence

Temper the F-Curve Modifier effect by a default influence factor.

Expanding the Use Influence sets it to active. It reveals a value slider then.

Influence

The influence factor.

Restrict Frame Range

Expanding the Restrict Frame range sets it to active. It reveals some value slider then.

Entry	What it does
Start / End	The start and end frame of the generated curve.
In / Out	Fade the curve in or out for chosen frame numbers.

Noise modifier

Adds noise to the curve.

Blend Type

How to blend the noise with the curve.

Entry	What it does
Scale	The overall size of the noise. The bigger the value the less frequent the noise.
Strength	Adjust the Y value of the noise.
Offset	Time offset of the noise.
Phase	The random seed for the noise.
Depth	How detailed the noise function is.
Legacy Noise	Use the legacy way of generating noise.
Lacunarity	Gap between successive frequencies. A value of 0 disables the feature.
Roughness	Amount of high frequency details.
Use Influence	Temper the F-Curve Modifier effect by a default influence factor. Expanding the Use Influence sets it to active. It reveals a value slider then. · Influence: The influence factor.

Restrict Frame Range

Expanding the Restrict Frame range sets it to active. It reveals some value slider then.

Entry	What it does
Start / End	The start and end frame of the generated curve.
In / Out	Fade the curve in or out for chosen frame numbers.

Limits modifier

Sets limits to the curve in specified x and y range values.

Entry	What it does
Minimum / Maximum X	Cuts the curve at these minimum and maximum frame values.
Minimum / Maximum Y	Clamps the curve at these minimum and maximum values.
Use Influence	Temper the F-Curve Modifier effect by a default influence factor. Expanding the Use Influence sets it to active. It reveals a value slider then. · Influence: The influence factor.

Restrict Frame Range

Expanding the Restrict Frame range sets it to active. It reveals some value slider then.

Entry	What it does
Start / End	The start and end frame of the generated curve.
In / Out	Fade the curve in or out for chosen frame numbers.

Stepped Interpolation modifier

Adds steps to the curve by rounding the values.

Entry	What it does
Step Size	The number of frames to hold each frame
Offset	A number of offset frames before frames get held.
Start Frame	Restrict the modifier so that it just acts before its end frame.
End Frame	Restrict the modifier so that it just acts after its start frame.
Use Influence	Temper the F-Curve Modifier effect by a default influence factor. Expanding the Use Influence sets it to active. It reveals a value slider then. · Influence: The influence factor.

Restrict Frame Range

Expanding the Restrict Frame range sets it to active. It reveals some value slider then.

Entry	What it does
Start / End	The start and end frame of the generated curve.
In / Out	Fade the curve in or out for chosen frame numbers.

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