Learning Maya

Lesson 23 - Exploring the Graph Editor Toolbar

Go to Windows > Animation Editors > Graph Editor.

The Graph Editor Window.

The Graph Editor Descriptions.

1. Move Nearest Picked Key: It allows to position of our keys as well as our tangent handles very quickly.

select the keys which you want to move.

click the 'Move Nearest picked key tool' and move, by hold the tangent handle.

You can move the f-curves freely by using this 'Move Nearest Picked key tool'.
Notice your selection of the keys remain the same. Wherever you keep the mouse cursor
and move, only that particular key we are able to move freely.

2. Insert Key Tool: It helps to adding keys while still maintaining the continuity in the F-Curve.

Lets say we focus on Translate Z here.

Lets say we want to add a key on Frame 11, Click 'Insert Key tool' and..

use the 'Middle mouse' button click on the F-curve to get the key.

If we go back to all the F-Curve and see, Notice it does'nt add keyframe to all the curves. It just add the keys to what we specify in our selection.

You can Add as many keys you like to.

and you can even..

Select all of the curves and click where you want the keys, Notice it generate keys on all the selected curves.

3. Add Key tool: It similarly works like a insert key tool, only with the add key it will allows us to add a key while maintaining our default In and Out tangency.

If we goahead and click on the selected curve notice we get a flat tangency.

4. Lattice Deform Key: It helps to tweek the animation by giving you a 'scaling box' around the selection.

Select a bunch of keys.

click on the 'Lattice Deform' Key to bring the 'Scaling box' around the selected area.

You can scale out keys 'proportionally' based on how we move these circles in the corner of the box.

rather than going to the circles..

you can also going inside the boxes and move around.

5-6 stats: Time / Value.

lets concentrate translate Z here, and say we multiply its position by 'time'.

The position on the key is on frame 21 and we are going to multipy by 2 so that means on the stats bar '*=2'

(Multiply, Equal, 2), Notice the key is shifted to 42.

Lets do the same thing for out value, but here instead of adding we are going to subtract.

7. Frame All: It Frames the 'Whole F-curves' in the Graph editor.

8. Frame Playback Range: It will set the graph editor view into the playback range what we have selected.

9-10-11-12-13 Tangent Tools: Spline, Linear, Clamped, Stepped, Flat Tangents.

14. Buffer curves Snapshot: It allows to take a 'snapshot'.

Lets select translate Z here and..

Go to View > Show Buffer Curves, and Move the key below. Notice the snapshot appears (b).

and if you want to take the snapshot of 'A' position click on 'Buffer Curve Snapshot'

NOTE: you can make only one snapshot at a time.

15. Swap Buffer Curves: It allows to Swap curve.

Here we have 'A' and 'B', 'A' is the original curve and 'B' is the snapshot.

Click on the 'Swap Buffer Curve' to swap the 'curve' between our keys.

16. Break Tangent: Select the key to break the tangent handle, once you have selected click on the 'Break Tangents' you can see the color change in the handle.

17. Unify Tangents: If you want to move the handles evenly, then click on 'Unify Tangents'.

18. Free Tangent weight: Select the key and Go to Curves > Weighted Tangents.

You can see the Different in the handle, the handle 'size' will change according to the curve. Click on 'Free Tangent Weight', and then you can stretch or squash the handle.

19. Lock Tangent: Once you are done with the adjustments, click on 'Lock Tangent' to lock its position. Once the position is locked you can move the handle proportionally.