Ulead COOL 3D Object Effect: Path Animation
Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation

Ulead COOL 3D Path Animation is a quick and easy way to create smooth animated titles. This is the ideal plug-in to use when you want your text to move along a certain path for a dynamic and interesting 3D marquee.

This effect is an Object Effect, which simply means that it can be applied to individual parts of your Ulead COOL 3D project (as opposed to Global Effects which apply to everything in a document). You can find this effect on the EasyPalette by looking under the Object Effects menu.

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The Path Animation effect at a glance

Animating along a path

Advanced techniques


The Path Animation effect at a glance

To activate the Path Animation plug-in, expand the Object Effects menu and select Path Animation.

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Click the attributes to learn more about each item.


Animating along a path

The easiest way to use an effect in Ulead COOL 3D is to select the effect you want, visually browse the many examples of the effect in the EasyPalette, and select one to use with your custom text message.

1.	Click the Object Effects folder in the EasyPalette (on the left).

2.	Select the Path Animation item.

3.	Double-click one of the preset examples to the right.

-or-

Drag-and-drop a preset onto your title.

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Using multiple key frame controls

Advanced techniques


Advanced techniques

For more advanced effects, use the Attribute Toolbar to fine tune your effect. If it is not visible, click the View menu and make sure this toolbar is selected.

1.	Go to the Object Effects folder in the EasyPalette and click Path Animation.

2.	If the attributes are not already visible, click the F/X button.

3.	Select a Path from the drop down list.

Note: Different paths produce different animations, and they also have different attributes to customize. Please see The Path Animation effect at a glance for more information about the various attributes.

4.	When you have created an effect that you like, you can click the Add button to save your settings to the EasyPalette.

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Using multiple key frame controls


Select Object Effects to activate the Path Animation plug-in effect. The Attribute Toolbar also changes to display the properties of the pegged board.


Click to add the settings of the current Attribute Toolbar to the appropriate folder in the EasyPalette. Once in the EasyPalette, you can easily recall the settings and apply them to other titles.

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The EasyPalette

Working with the EasyPalette


Path

Select a specific shape for the text to follow:

Tornado The title gradually rises in a spiral pattern.

Ripple Individual characters wobble in and out like a small wave passing over the text, gradually damping out to nothing.

Wind Slower and smoother than Ripple, this effect makes your title flap in the breeze.

Arc The title follows a simple trajectory that Newton would be proud of.

Pendulum Make your text titles tick and tock like an old clock.

Sling This path spins titles faster and faster until the text is flung right off of the track.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Radius

(For Path: Tornado)

This determines the size of the tornado. Set the first keyframe to a very small value (like 5), and then set the final keyframe radius value to a higher number to achieve a spiraling effect.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Height

(For Path: Tornado and Pendulum)

Determines the Y value of the path. You can set the keyframes of this effect to make a tornado rise into the air or lower the pendulum down into the pit. Just set the first and last keyframes to different values and the program will take care of all of the intermediate values.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Rounds

(For Path: Tornado and Sling)

Set this value (applies to the entire effect) to determine how many times the effect rotates. A value of 100 is equal to one rotation, 50 is half a rotation, and 200 is two rotations.

  Sling attributes

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Sling Demo

In this example, the Sling is set to make two complete revolutions (Rounds = 200), flying off of the circular path at the halfway through the second revolution (Throw = 150) with a total Length = 20. The Type is Horizontal. Please click on some of the other samples in the program and observe the values for these properties on the Attribute Toolbar.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Fit Normal

(For Path: Tornado, Ripple, Wind and Pendulum)

This determines how the effect wraps around and along the path. The exact behavior varies greatly from effect to effect. Please click a link below for an explanation of each.

  Tornado: No and Position

  Ripple: No, Position, and Mesh

  Wind: No, Position, and Mesh

  Pendulum: No, Horizontal, and Vertical

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Fit Normal set to No (left) and Position (right).


Fit Normal set (from top to bottom) to No, Position, and Mesh.


Fit Normal set (from left to right) to No, Horizontal, and Vertical.


Freq

(For Path: Ripple)

This determines how many waves or ripples there are across the text.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Amp

(For Path: Ripple)

This determines the size or magnitude of each wave or ripple.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Hit Point
Hit Point X, Y

(For Path: Ripple)

This determines the central point from which the waves or ripples appear to propagate.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Speed

(For Path: Wind and Arc)

This determine how fast the effect moves your title.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Ground

(For Path: Arc)

This determines the height of the ground above which the title will fly in its trajectory. The actual “ground” itself is invisible.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Level

(For all paths except Tornado)

This determines the strength of the effect.

Ripple Set a value between 0 and 32700. This determines the radius of the ripples.

Wind Set a value between 0 and 32700. This determines the number of waves created in the text by the simulated wind.

Arc Set a value between 0 and 100, with 10 being a completed trajectory.

Pendulum Set a value between 0 and 32700, where a value of 100 is equal to one complete swing, 50 is half of a swing, and 200 is two swings.

Sling This simply determines the percent  of completion of the sling effect, from 0% to 100%.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Direction
Angle

(For Path: Arc)

This determines the initial angle of the trajectory. A value of 0 or 180 means that the title will travel in a straight, horizontal path, while a value of 90 means the title will travel a straight, vertical path. Select other values to create a curved trajectory.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Ceiling

(For Path: Pendulum)

This determines the maximum height of the pendulum’s swing. The actual “ceiling” is invisible.

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Length

(For Path: Sling)

This determines the radius of the sling’s motion.

  Sling attributes

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


Throw

(For Path: Sling)

The Throw point is the rotation position at which the text flies out of the sling’s circular arc.

  Sling attributes

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


In this example, the Sling is set to make two complete revolutions (Rounds = 200), flying off of the circular path at the halfway through the second revolution (Throw = 150) with a total Length = 20. The Type is Horizontal. Please click on some of the other samples in the program and observe the values for these properties on the Attribute Toolbar.


Type

(For Path: Sling)

This determines whether the Sling spins on the X plane (Horizontal) or on the Y plane (Vertical).

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Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation


General Attributes

Hit Point X - For Path: Ripple

This determines the central point from which the waves or ripples appear to propagate.

Angle - For Path: Arc

This determines the initial angle of the trajectory. A value of 0 or 180 means that the title will travel in a straight, horizontal path, while a value of 90 means the title will travel a straight, vertical path. Select other values to create a curved trajectory.

Level - For Path: Sling

This simply determines the percent  of completion of the sling effect, from 0% to 100%.

Ulead COOL 3D Object Effects: Path Animation