Block Controller

Main toolbar > Open Track View > Expand Global Tracks in the Track View hierarchy. > Block Control

Graph Editors > Track View > Open Track View > Expand Global Tracks in the Track View hierarchy. > Block Control

A Block controller is a Global List controller that allows you to combine several tracks from multiple objects over a range of time, and group them as "Blocks." These Blocks are then used to re-create the animation anywhere in time. Blocks can be added, removed, scaled, moved graphically in Track View, and saved. Blocks can represent either absolute or relative animation.

To form a guitar chord, all the rotations of the fingers and hand can be saved as a block. This block can then be used to recreate the hand and finger position, rotation, and animation whenever the chord is played in an animation.

Procedure

To create and use a block:

1. Animate two objects moving in the viewports. Make the final keyframe for the objects frame 10.

2. Open Track View.

3. On the Track View Hierarchy, expand Global Tracks, expand Block Control, and then select Available.

   Available is the track below the Block Control track.

4. On the Track View toolbar, click Assign Controller, select Master Block in the dialog, and then click OK.

5. In the Track View Edit window, right-click over the Master Block track, and select Properties in the dialog.

6. On the Master Block Parameters dialog that displays, click Add.

7. On the Track View Pick dialog, expand the tracks for the two animated objects.

8. Press CTRL, click the Position track for both objects, and then click OK.

9. On the Block Parameters dialog, type a name in the name field.

   Choose a name that will remind you of the animation in this block.

10. Set the End value to 10, and click OK.

    The Block will contain animation between frame 0 and frame 10.

11. Click OK on the Master Block Parameters dialog to close it.

12. In the Track View Edit Window, right-click over the Master Block track.

13. Select the name of the block you created earlier.

    The Block displays in the Track View Edit Window.

14. Drag the Block to start at frame 20, and click Play.

    The animation repeats at frame 20. You can create a number of blocks for a period of animation for objects. these can be pasted into the Master Block track.

    • Once a block is added, a slave controller is added to the controllers on the tracks for the block. This enables communication between the track and the Block controller.

    • With the Blend track (below the Master Block track in the Track View hierarchy) you can animate how much of the block animation will be in effect. Negative values reverse the animation.

    • Controllers that each block uses are listed under the block name. This allows you to adjust the data for a particular block.

Interface

Block Control Track: Displays in Track View under Global Tracks.

To create a MasterBlock Control, expand Block Control, select Available, and click Assign Controller on the Track View toolbar.

MasterBlock Track: Displays in Track View after assigning a Master Block controller to an available track.

Right-click the track in the Track View Edit window for a choice of displaying the MasterBlock Parameters dialog or inserting a Block, if a one has been created.

Blocks: Display as colored rectangles in the Track View Edit window. Right-click a Block to display the Block Keys Properties dialog. Click and drag the center of a block to move it in time. Select a key in the corner of a Block to move one edge of the block (scale time).

Block Keys Properties dialog: Right-click over a block to display the Block Keys Properties dialog.

Relative Motion: Toggles between relative and absolute motion.

Start and End: Sets the start and end frame for the block (scale the block).

Blend Track: Animates the influence of a Block by creating keys with different values in the Blend Track. Default=1.0

MasterBlock Sub Tracks: Displays a block name and associated tracks below the MasterBlock track. Keys on these tracks can be edited to change block behavior.

MasterBlock Parameters dialog

After assigning a MasterBlock, right-click the MasterBlock track to display the MasterBlock Parameters dialog. This is the first step in creating a Block.

Track View Pick dialog

The Track View Pick dialog displays when track selection is necessary, by clicking Add in the MasterBlock parameters dialog for example. Select tracks in the dialog to include in a Block. Valid tracks are darker.

Block Parameters dialog

After clicking Add in the MasterBlock Parameter dialog and selecting tracks in the Track View Pick dialog to create a Block, clicking OK in the Track View Pick dialog displays the Block Parameters dialog.

Attach Controls dialog (Loading Blocks)

The Attach Controls dialog displays when you click Load in the MasterBlock Parameters dialog. Tracks in Blocks saved previously can be mapped to tracks in the current scene.

Slave Parameters dialog (Slave Controller)

Every time a Block is created, all tracks within the Block are assigned a slave controller, which allows the MasterBlock to transfer key data. See Slave Parameters dialog.