Define Actor Path

Used to define the path along which an actor moves. The path can be a closed element (such as a block or circle), or an open element (such as a line, line string, curve, arc, or B-spline curve).

When working with this tool, you can identify the actor graphically, or you can double-click its name in the list box that appears when Display Actor List is on.

Tool Setting	Effect
Display Actor List	If on, a list box containing the names of existing actors is displayed. See “Working with actors”.

To define the path along which an actor moves

Select the Define Actor Path tool.

Identify the actor.

Identify the path element at the path's end point.

Accept to define the path.
The Define Actor Path dialog box opens.

In the Begin Frame field, key in the path's beginning frame number. At this frame the actor will be at the same position as when the Define Actor Path tool was used.

In the End Frame frame field, key in the path's end frame number.

From the Velocity option menu, choose one of the following to set the velocity that the actor moves along the path: Constant — actor moves with constant velocity; Accelerate — actor starts at zero velocity, moving with constant acceleration to the end of path; Decelerate — actor constantly decelerates to a velocity of zero at the end of path; Accelerate-Decelerate — from rest, actor accelerates to halfway along path, then decelerates to zero velocity at end of path; Infinite — actor jumps instantaneously to the path's end, at the Begin Frame.

(Optional) To set the distance the actor moves along the path, turn on Path Distance and key in an expression in the adjacent field— for example, to move 88 master units per second, key in: 88 * tSeconds.

(Optional) To keep the actor at its original orientation, during its movement along the path, turn on Use Original Actor Orientation.

(Optional) To disable the entry in the script, turn on Disabled.
Disabled entries appear in red in the Animation Producer script entries list box. To later enable the entry, you can edit the script entry and turn off Disabled.

Click the OK button.
The Define Actor Path dialog box closes, and the script entry for the path is added to the list in the Animation Producer dialog box. If, however, the specified entry conflicts with an existing entry for this actor, an alert box is displayed instead and you are prompted to use, reject, or recreate the entry.

Key-in: ANIMATOR ACTOR PATH DEFINE

The path element defines the motion only, and not the position of the actor. That is the position of the actor when this tool is used, sets the actor's location at the start of its movement along a path defined by the path element.

If the selected element is closed, the path will consist of the entire element, and the identification point indicates the path's direction. If the selected element is open, the identification point indicates the path's end.

Moving an actor that is attached to another actor along a path may cause that actor to move independently of the actor to which it is attached.

If Path Distance is on (step 8) and exceeds the length of the path, the actor will wrap along the path (as if it was a closed path).