Paths, working with

Introduction

Paths provide an additional method of adding movement to objects, by defining points through which the object will pass.

Drawing a path

To draw a path, select an object and click the path tool button. You may also press and hold down the p key.

You can now insert new points by right-clicking in the edit area and select for instance Add curve point.

Timeline

Whenever an object has a path, this will show in the timeline. Clicking the small arrow next to the object will show a timeline view of the path.

The vertical lines in the timeline view show where path points lie. If you click them the path point in the edit area will be selected. You can drag them to change the point's time on the path.

When the mouse pointer is a move pointer () you can drag downward to create a pause on a path point.

The empty space corresponds to the time the object is not moving and instead pausing on the path point.

Timeline context menu

Right-click on the path in the timeline view to open the path timeline context menu.

Auto adjust path timing

Adjusts the time intervals between path points based on the distance between them. This has the effect of maintaining a constant speed throughout the path movement. This will include the pauses on path points.

Setup path intervals

Opens a dialog in which to enter the time in between each path point - the same time will be used regardless of the distance between the points.

Setup path pauses

Opens a dialog where you may enter the amount of time to pause on each of the points in the path.

Delete path pauses

Delete any and all pauses on path points.

Dialogs

Path context menu

Right-click the edit area to bring up the path context menu.

Add curve point

You may also use Ctrl+left click.

Add line point

You may also use Ctrl+Shift+left click.

Delete point

Deletes the selected path point.

Point type

You may also use the corresponding buttons in the Path movement dialog.

Lines

Make the point a hard corner point.

Curve

Make the point a curve point.

Symmetry

If unchecked, allows for independent control of the curve entering the point as well as the exiting curve.

Movement

Linear

Maintains a constant speed during the interval in between this point and the next.

Accerelerate

Increases speed during the interval.

Slow down

Decreases speed during the interval.

Copy path

Copies the path to the clipboard.

Paste path

Pastes a copied path.

Note: This will overwrite an existing path on the object.

Save path...

Save the path to a file on disk. The file extension for a saved path is .disepath.

Load path...

Load a path from disk.

Delete path

Delete the entire path.

Special

Collapse path points

Retains the points but puts them all at the starting point.

Distribute path points

Retains the points but puts them in a line from the start to the end point.

Invert path points

Switches position of the points so that the last point is the first and so on.

Copy path to all objects

Copies the current path to all objects in the scene.

Note: This will overwrite any existing paths.

Path settings

The tab in the ribbon holds the properties for a selected point in a path. For instance, further specify for how long the object's path should pause on the selected point.

Point type

Lines

Make the point a hard corner point.

Curves

Make the point a curve point.

Symmetric curves

If unchecked, allows for independent control of the curve entering the point as well as the exiting curve.

Point time on path:

The exact time on the timeline the point will be passed.

Pause time at point:

The exact time on the timeline to pause on the point.

Point position

Specify the position in space (X,Y,Z) of the point.

Point angle

The object, when passing, will have to rotate to angle up.

The angle is defined in degrees for X, Y and Z.

Note: You may enter a value of over 360, in which case the object has to rotate several times to angle up!

Speed type