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Channels record how the value of a parameter changes over time. You can think of a channel as a parameter animation. Houdini’s animation editor allows you to view and edit animated parameters (channels), as well as shows how Houdini fills in the transitions between keyframes.

In Houdini, you can bring up the animation editor by creating an animation editor pane tab or choosing Windows ▸ Animation Editor.

Animation editor views

The different views of the animation editor can be selected using the buttons at the top left of the animation editor pane:

  • Graph view

    The graph view displays the animated values of parameters as a graph. You can edit the shapes of the animation curves between keys, move keys backward or forward in time, and edit keyed values.

  • Dopesheet

    The dopesheet shows keys as colored squares on a grid of channels and frames.

  • Table view

    The table view displays the value of the parameters at each keyframe.

Graph view of the animation editor

You can also navigate to the different views by hovering over the animation editor and using the following hotkeys:

Hotkey

View

1

Graph view

2

Dopesheet view

3

Table view

Additional animation editor interfaces

The animation editor provides the following additional interfaces for editing animation:

  • Channel list

    The channel list allows you to view and edit the values of parameters, and control which parameters are keyed. You can view the channel list on the left side of the animation editor, as well as put the channel list in its own pane.

  • Channel groups

    Channel groups allow you to easily see, select, and keyframe different groups of parameters. You can view the channel groups on the left side of the animation editor, as well as in the channel list pane.

  • Animation layers

    You can create layers of animation to edit the existing base animation.

Tip

in any of the animation editor sub-panes to show the commands and options specific to the sub-pane.

Common toolbar controls

General animation editor options

Switches the pane to graph view.

Switches the pane to dopesheet view.

Switches the pane to table view.

Launches the help browser.

Start Frame/End Frame

The far left and far right frames that are displayed in the main window.

Jumps to the previous keyframe.

Jumps to the next keyframe.

View framing options

Home Channels (All Graphs)

Homes all the channels by panning and zooming the main window to show all the keys in the graph or dopesheet.

Vertical Adapt

Automatically pans and zooms the graph to keep all the vertical values visible when selecting different channels.

Horizontal Adapt

Automatically pans and zooms the graph to keep all the horizontal values visible when selecting different channels.

Frame Selection

Pans and zooms the main window to show the area of the graph or dopesheet that is selected.

Frame range and frame range slider

The start and end frame values are the far left and far right frames that are displayed in the main window.

The frame range slider above the main window represents the range and location of the animation editor’s timeline within the global frame range (the global frame range is displayed in the playbar at the bottom of the Houdini UI).

Note

The frame range slider does not line up with the frames on the timeline directly underneath it nor is it directly tied to the start and end frame values.

Resize the slider by dragging the left and right edge of the slider. Drag the middle to move the slider along the global frame range.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks are markers on a single frame or range of frames in the timeline that help to organize and identify the different parts of your animation at a glance. You can create, edit and view bookmarks in the graph view and dopesheet of the animation editor, as well as on the playbar and in the bookmark editor.

To view/hide bookmarks in the graph view or dopesheet, select one of the options in View ▸ Show Bookmarks.

Bookmarks in the graph view
To...Do this

Create a bookmark

click on the timeline and choose Create Bookmark.

In the Bookmark pop-up window:

  • The Name you specify will appear on the timeline at the bookmark location.

  • By default, the Start frame is set to the current frame on the timeline, and the End frame is set to one second after the Start frame. For example, if the current frame on the timeline is 80, and FPS = 24, then by default, Start = 80 and End = 104.

Move to the previous/next bookmark on the timeline

⌃ Ctrl + to move to the start frame of the previous bookmark.

⌃ Ctrl + to move to the start frame of the next bookmark.

Move and resize bookmarks on the timeline

⌃ Ctrl + drag a bookmark to move it.

⌃ Ctrl + drag either end of the bookmark to resize the bookmark frame range.

Double-click a bookmark to set the displayed frame range to the frame range of the bookmark. Double-click the bookmark again to jump back out to the previous frame range.

If you have navigated into the bookmark frame range, doing ⌃ Ctrl + and ⌃ Ctrl + will move you to the previous/next bookmark frame range.

Bring up the bookmark menu

click a bookmark to bring up a menu with the following options:

Edit Bookmark

Brings up the Bookmark pop-up window that is used when creating a bookmark.

Set Frame Range from Bookmark

This is equivalent to double-clicking the bookmark.

Delete Bookmark

Deletes the bookmark.

Send Bookmark to Back

Sends the bookmark to the back of the timeline so as not to obscure the user from interacting with other bookmarks at the same frame range.

Panes

General

Animation

Rendering

Advanced

Other