Template Animations

Create an Animation Template
Save Animation as Template 
 A user defined animation can be saved as an animation template to be later used in other animations. 
 To create an animation template the user has to choose the option "Save as Template" from the context menu of an existing user defined animation. 
 
 After this operation the "Add New Template" dialog will get open. 
 
 To create a template some settings are mandatory: 
 
 Choose a location for the new template and name the template in the "Add New Template" dialog.  
 Select the desired animated properties to be part of the template by enabling the checkbox on the right side of each animated property.  
 
 After the creation of it, the template will be displayed both in the Solution Explorer panel or in the Templates panel where it can be easily identified through the specific icon. 
 
 Use a Template 
 When the user needs to create a new animation associated to any of the available nodes from a scene, the "Add Animated Property" option from the context menu will be used. 
 
 The "Property Animation Configuration" dialog will become visible. To use an existing template the user has to check the "Create key frame sequence from template animation" radio button. All the existing animation templates will become available in the Template Animation section. Select an Animation Property Template and press < OK >. 
 
 After its creation, the new animation template will be displayed as a read only animation in the Animation Timeline panel. 
 
 The animation templates are also displayed in the animation's combobox of the Toolbar. 
 If the Animation combo-box is not visible, it can be activated through the menu "View > Toolbar > Animation".  
 
 By using a template, instead of creating a new animation, the user has the possibility to use an existing template animation if it fits the developing project. 
 
 Edit a Template 
 Editing an animation template is possible using a special editing mode from Animation Timeline panel. After a new animation has been created from a template, the user can select an animated property and choose from the context menu the option "Edit template" > "Enable". 
 
 While being in this special editing mode, all the modifications performed by the user will affect the current animation, the original animation template and all the animations created based on that template. 
 
 After the desired modifications have been performed, the user can exit from the special editing mode by choosing the "Edit Template" > "Disable" context menu option. 
 
 Run a Template Animation 
 Because animation templates are not linked to any scene it is not possible to run them. So when a template animation is selected, the [ Start the playback of the animation ] button will be disabled. 

Create Animation From Template
To create a new animation from template the "Add Animation From Template" context menu option should be used. This is possible on following types of animations: Imported animations and Template Animations. 
 
 Imported Animations 
 If an object which has its own animation gets imported, that animation will be available in two different panels: "Imports" and "Solution Explorer". When righting click on the imported animation in any of the two mentioned panels, the "Add Animation from Template" context menu option will become available. 
 
 By using it, an "Add New Animation" dialog will pop up in order to give the user all the available options regarding the creation of a new animation. (See the continuation below, under the "Template Animations" section) 
 
 Template Animations 
 Template animations (animations saved as a template) are available in both the "Templates" or "Solution Explorer" panels. A specific context menu option named "Add Animation From Template" should be used to create a new animation. 
 
 Add New Animation Dialog 
 So, if the user would like to create a new animation from an Imported animation or a Template Animation, it will have this possibility via the "Add New Animation" dialog. The mentioned dialog lists all animated properties part of the template animation together with the path to the transformable, on which the property animation will be applied: 
 
 The check box beside each row means that the property will be animated in the newly created animation. If the second column is empty, the item corresponding to the path from the first column was not found in the current scene. 
 Choose the destination folder of the new animation, fill its name and enable the property "Export Always" if you would rather prefer the animation to be part of the asset.