Flex／Curve Control Panel

Flex/Curve Control Panel

Theflex/curvecontrol panel handles both object types, which are used to determine the 3-D position/shape of a curve in 3-D, even if it has no discernable point features. If you select a curve, the parameters of its parent flex (if any) will be shown in the flex section of the dialog.

New Flex. Creates and selects a new flex. Left-click successively in a 3-D view or the perspective view to lay down a series of control points. Right-click to end.

Delete Flex. Deletes the selected flex (even if it was a curve that was initially clicked).

Flex Name List. Lists all the flexes in the scene, allowing you to select a flex, or change its name.

Moving Object List. If the flex is parented to a moving object, it is shown here. Normally, “(world)” will be listed.

Show this 3-D flex. Controls whether the flex is seen in the viewports or not.

Clear. Clears any existing 3-D solution for the flex, so that the flex's initial seed control points may be seen and changed.

Solve. Solves for the 3-D position and shape of the flex. The control points disappear, and the solved shape becomes visible.

All. Causes all the flexes to be solved simultaneously.

Pixel error. Root-mean-square (~average) error in the solved flex, in horizontal pixels.

Count. The number of points that will be solved for along the length of the flex.

Stiffness. Controls the relative importance of keeping the flex stiff and straight versus reproducing each detail in the curves.

Stretch. Relative importance of (not) being stretchy.

Endiness. (yes, made this up) Relative importance of exactly meeting the end-point specification.

New Curve. Begins creating a new curve—click on a series of points in the camera view.

Delete. Deletes the curve.

Curve NameList.Shows the currently-selected curves name among a list of all the curves attached to the current flex, or all the unconnected curves if this one is not connected.

Parent Flex List.Shows the parent flex of this curve, among all of the flexes.

Show.Controls whether or not the curve is shown in the viewport.

Enable.Animated checkbox indicating whether the curve should be enabled or not on the current frame. For example, turn it off after the curve goes off-screen, or if the curve is occluded by something that prevents its correct position from being determined.

Key all.When on, changing one control point will add a key on all of them.

Rough.Select several trackers, turn this button on, then click a curve to use the trackers to roughly position the curve throughout the length of the shot.

Truncate.Kills all the keys off the tracker from the current frame to the end of the shot.

Tune.Snaps the curve exactly onto the edge underneath it, on the current frame.

All.Brings up theCurve Tracking Controldialog, which allows this curve, or all the curves, to be tracked throughout an entire range of frames.