Clean Up (SMR)

This command is part of the Smart Magnet Rig workflow

Functionality

FK Clean Up mode
'Cleans up' broken arcs in Classic Tweens, by auto-keying every frame and snapping elements to their Magnet Targets (MT).
The automatically generated Keyframes are labeled with // so that they can be easily distinguished.*

IK Clean Up mode
When the initial selection is one or more IK Effectors, the command works in IK Clean Up mode.
More information about IK Clean Up is available here.

Build Arcs mode
When exactly 3 keyframes or 3 columns of keyframes are selected in the Timeline, the command will generate frame-by-frame animation, adjusting the symbol's position to follow a curve or an arc going through the 3 points, defined in the 3 keyframes.

Suggested use

FK Clean Up mode
When we need to quickly and efficiently clean up a limb, broken during rotation.

Example: If an arm consists of 3 Symbols – upper arm, lower arm and hand – and each of these is placed on its own layer so that we can tween them using classic tweens, we face the following problem: when rotating the whole arm from the shoulder, the upper arm will move logically between the keys while the two 'children' will be tweened along straight paths, resulting in shortening of the limb and breaking of the joints. The only way of fixing this is to convert the frames in the middle of the tween to Keyframes and reposition the elements. In traditional Flash workflow we often need to do this manually for every frame of a tween. 

Clean Up (SMR) automates the process:

1. Select the Symbols that need clean up in the first (left) key of the Tween.
2. Press Alt+Q
3. Keys are created for every frame from left to right until the next 'real' key is reached.
   Symbols are snapped into position and the automatic keys are marked with '//' so that they can be easily distinguished from the 'real' keys if the user needs to remove them, adjust their animation and create again.*

Build Arcs mode
When we need to convey a more organic movement along an arc, instead of the Classic Tween default.
The middle Breakdown Keyframe defines how the arc will look. Easing for the two sections of the arc can be chosen prior to executing the command.

Where does it work?

Timeline, Stage, one or more selected Symbols or Keyframes.

EDAP Tools shortcut

Alt+Q

Notes

In Animate 2019 and newer where Layer Parenting is available, Layer Parenting Toggle can be an alternative to Clean Up.

*Due to a bug in some versions of Flash and Animate comment labeling of frames is switched off by default as it may negatively affect timeline playback. You can enable comment labels from EDAPT Control Panel > Miscellaneous > Settings > Label processed Keyframes.

Video demonstration

All our videos are 1080p. If for some reason full HD is not available here, try watching them on YouTube.

This command is part of the Flanimate Power Tools package. Get the latest version from Downloads.