extend camera path

[Anonymous]

I extended a spline used for a camera path by joining the end to another spline. When the camera gets to the end of the original spline it stops at 100%. Is there a way to recognise the longer spline without detaching and reattaching it?

[Anonymous]

oops, found it in track view

[Anonymous]

No I didn't. Would appreciate guidance.

[leeminardi · Accepted solution]

Do not attach one of the splines to the other.  Instead, use target and weight to control the flow of the camera along one spline and then the other.

For example, let's say you have an animation of 150 frames and that from frame 0 to 70 the camera should follow line001 and from 71 to 150 it should follow line002.  Add both line001 and line 002 to the camera. With Autokey on:

-   at frame 0 set the weight for line001 to 100 and weight 0 for line002 for percent along line of 0.0%

-   at frame 70 set the weight for line001 to 100 and weight 0 for line002 for percent along line of 100.0%

-   at frame 71 set the weight for line001 to 0 and weight 100 for line002 for percent along line of 0.0%

-   at frame 150 the weight for line001 is still 0 and the weight is 100 line002 for percent along line of 100.0%

~Lee

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Easy when you know how. 

[Anonymous]

Is there a reason why it jumps back to the beginning of the path when it gets to 100% along path? It is OK at 99.9%.

The other thing I have noticed is my start % sometimes jumps - to +50ish% then I reset it to zero and next thing it is -50ish%. I can see the whole % track jump in track view.

[leeminardi]

It is difficult to debug this without a file.  Can you post a file of just the two paths and the camera?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for looking at this. It is OK as I have sent it. At step 777 when I had it as 100% it was jumping back to the beginning of line001. Now when I change it to 100% it is OK. That is what is puzzling me - it seems to change its behaviour over time. Maybe I am doing something wrong.

[leeminardi]

If it is working then you may not want to touch it.

A few things I noticed on the dope sheet for the camera.

1. I don't understand why the % values jump around. -0.1 at F0,  89.539 at F476,  0.319 at F477, etc.

2. The weights for 0 and 1 look good but weight 2 (Line002) has some funny values.  it should be 0 to F932 then 100

3. The % transitions are custom (for the weights you use flat and sometime linear).  I would prefer to use linear or step.  A custom transition can cause wobble  when present near adjacent keyframes.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the tips. I think I need to understand how to use the dope sheet and curve editor better.