Multiple keyframes?

[Robert Bernal]

Hi,

Newby here, I was wondering why I can only have two keypoints for text on an (inclined) plane (frame). It zooms in from a distant vantage point to a prefered stopping point. Then after a few seconds, I want it to move again. So I create another keypoint and it "ruins the middle keypoint. So I delete, (so everything is back to the same) then add keypoint (to keep everything the same) and then add another kepoint to move the text. Still, it just "melds" all of them. Thus, I am limited in my object movement options...

or am I just limited in my understanding of the program (hopefully).

I posted here because the how to wouldn't let me post, there.

Thanks

[Lin Evans]

Hi,

Essentially you are missing a keyframe. Here's the basic way it works:

You begin with some particular zoom and position of your text based on the settings of keyframe 1. If you want to keep things just as they are for the duration of the slide, then no more keyframes are needed. If you want things to change, then the next decision is to determine "when" you want them to change.

So if you want things to stay as they are for a period of time and "then" change, you need the second keyframe to have the identical settings of the first keyframe. Slide that second keyframe along the timeline to the point where you want things to begin to change. So the purpose of keyframe 2. is to prevent any change made using keyframe 1 from happening until the position of keyframe 2. Then place the third keyframe, select it, and make any desired changes in position, size, rotation, etc.

Now what will happen is your animation will begin "between" keyframe two and three and terminate with keyframe three unless you have a fourth keyframe. If you want the position, rotation, etc., created by keyframe 3 to "hold" for a period of time, then keyframe 4 should have the identical values of keyframe 3.

Remember everything is happening over time. Anytime there is a change between keyframes in size, position, opacity, rotation, etc., this will begin happening between the keyframes which have different settings. So if you want to "maintain" a constant for some period of time, you need the additional keyframe to hold what you have programmed.

Think of it as if you were writing instructions. The initial instruction is put text on my screen in this position at this size. The next instruction, assuming you want things to change before the slide time has expired would be: now keep things as they are until this amount of time has passed. You next sentence of instruction would be now beginning at the previous time begin to change and stop changing here: Finally, you next instruction would be keep things as they are until here: Each of these instructions requires a keyframe with associated values unless there will be no more changes. In such a case of no more changes, no additional keyframe is necessary

If you have problems doing this, you may want to download my first tutorial on PZR for Smarties here;

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index.php?/topic/7901-pte-made-easy-tutorials-continuously-updated/

Best regards,

Lin

[Robert Bernal]

I have the starting keyframe, the 2nd, for movement then the 3rd, to keep things the same, and the 4th for the second movement...

It didn't work... until I put it from "accelerate" back to "linear". Now, it works perfectly (except for the acceleration which I can't really notice, anyways).

Thanks for the quick reply.

[Lin Evans]

Yes, I should have told you that all keyframing must be done in linear mode.

Once everything is working, if desired, then change to non-linear motion. Also, if it isn't explained elsewhere, to set non-linear motion with multiple keyframes you need to click first on the non-linear motion - in this case accelerate, then go into Setting Up and click on each point where it says (separate here). You should also do this for each of the possibilities (Pan Zoom and Rotate) even if you don't actually have any Pan or Zoom for example. In other words glue the keframes for each of Pan Zoom and Rotate for "any" non-linear motion. This is a "safety" measure to prevent unexpected results which may have been caused by accidental and unintended changes to motions you didn't intentionally change. There is no "penalty" for setting the "glue-here" on each of Pan, Zoom and Rotate but there is a very big "plus" in terms of insurance.

This is explained in my tutorial on Non-Linear Motion - on the same link as before...

Best regards,

Lin