I’ve only just recently discovered synfig, and have been slowly learning how to use the program. I’m currently in the process of making a short animation for an english assignment and was wondering if you guys could help me out.
I’ve put my animation on a time loop (of a candle flame moving back and forth) and was wondering how I could break this time loop at a specific frame in order to continue animating as normal. I’ve tried looking up on how to do this, but because I’m still very new to Synfig, some of the terminology confuses me and I can’t figure out how to break the time loop.
If someone could please show me how to do this, that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Just change the duration to INF (infinite) or EOF (end of time).
Beware that the moment when you change the Duration parameter, should be the right one to let the animation be smooth with the loop.
-G
I really appreciate your help, but I still can’t break the time loop, even after what you said I’ve attached a screenshot of my animation setup, maybe that way you could tell me if something obviously wrong. I’m trying to break the time loop at 8 seconds. I tried putting in EOT, but that just made the time loop stop altogether. When I try 8 seconds, the limeloop only starts at the 8 second mark, leaving a few seconds of animation before it un looped… which is the opposite of what I am trying to do. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but could please show me maybe what values I should be using for the timeloop? All help is very much appreciated!
This time loop layer always causing troubles. I’ll try to explain what Genete said in a very direct way with a more detailed explanation in the end.
To escape a time loop you have to:
In the layer’s parameters of the time loop, you need to remove the ‘green guy’ from ‘Duration’ parameter. Just right-click on him and set ‘Allow animation’.
On the time line navigate to a place where you want to break the animation. And enter the animation mode.
In the time loop parameters, set ‘Duration’ to ‘EOT’ (End-of-Time).
Now you have three waypoints. One before the current, we left it as it is. One is current, we convert it to the constant (right-click on it -> Both -> Constant). And one after current, this one have to be removed (right-click on it -> Remove). Here’s the result you should get:
Now test it. Pay attention, that loop will always break at the very first frame of you animation, so you need to break it in the right place. See example, it illustrates this break-in-the-wrong-place thing,
Detailed explanation:
‘Green guy’ is a guard that says “You shall not pass!” to the animation. So when you attempt to change such parameter in animation mode it just changes the usual way. It’s done to prevent unnecessary parameters to be animated, e.g. ‘Blend method’.
Setting ‘Duration’ to EOT. If you set it to 0f, then the whole animation will stop, because you try to play it from 0f (local time) to 0f (duration). And EOT means it’ll continue to play your animation to the end of the time…
Removing waypoint after current one. If you skip this step, then at the next waypoint ‘Duration’ parameter will be restored to the value before current waypoint. It’s a standard Synfig’s behavior, but there’s a magical button somewhere that can change it.
Converting current waypoint to the constant. Without it, ‘Duration’ will be smoothly interpolated from value you set to the EOT and the constant type will just set immediately at the waypoint. Interpolation can be a bit confusing sometimes, so you better read this: wiki.synfig.org/Waypoint ExTimeLoop.sifz (1.08 KB)
Thankyou thankyou thankyou! It worked! You are a lifesaver, thankyou so much! Thanks for spending the time to make a detailed explanation for me, it’s just what I needed! It makes a whole lot more sense now
I’ve attached a screenshot of my animation setup, maybe that way you could tell me if something obviously wrong. I’m trying to break the time loop at 8 seconds. I tried putting in EOT, but that just made the time loop stop altogether. When I try 8 seconds, the limeloop only starts at the 8 second mark, leaving a few seconds of animation before it un looped… which is the opposite of what I am trying to do. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but could please show me maybe what values I should be using for the timeloop? All help is very much appreciated!
