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Path manager

You can manage your Paths using the Path Manager.

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The Path Manager can either be opened through an effect's Tool drop down menu or via the Windows > FX Tools > Path Manager menu.

The Path Manager has four different tabs:

  • The Manage tab allows you to choose a path amongst those already saved in the Bin, and then to rename, copy, delete or even invert it, (the path will in this case be taken in the reverse direction when used).
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When you use an effect of the Paint or Motion group, the Constant Speed option move the keyframes of the path to keep the same speed along your path for your strokes or animations. This is notably useful when you work with the Motion > KeyFramer or Motion > Multiplane Camera effect. The speed of the moved images or the speed of the camera movement will be directly linked to the Progress Profile of those effects. The speed control will then be optimised.

  • The Average tab has four popup menus for you to choose the Bin paths. It allows you to set the values for each FX Stack keyframe of the current path as an average derived from the keyframes of every chosen path.

1st path 2nd path Path average

  • The Smooth tab allows you to smooth the values associated with the FX Stack keyframe of the path chosen (the higher the numeric value, the more the paths will be smoothed after application).

Basic path Smoothed path

  • The Size tab allows you to modify the size of the complete path on each of the three axes (horizontal, vertical or depth). This may be useful if you wish to transfer a path from one project to another with a different size.

Basic path Path reduced by 50% on the horizontal axis

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Using a value of -100% on one of the axes allows you to completely flip your path. To move the entire path on the screen, you simply select all its keyframes in the HUD and then click-slide using the mouse.

Saving paths​

We saw that it is possible to save paths to be used later for an effect of your choice (option Add to Bin). However, a path saved in this manner may not be recovered after closing and re-opening TVPaint Animation.

Two methods are available to solve this problem:

  • The effects of the FX stack and their parameters may be saved in a Bin FX menu (see lesson 12). This save mode offers the advantage that it also stores the path(s) associated with your effect so that they may be recovered when re-starting TVPaint Animation.

  • You may also save your paths before closing TVPaint Animation, then reload them after re-start thanks to the File menu of the Path Manager. You can also export a path into Lightwave Motion format.

The saved path is that of the Manage popup menu, a loaded path will be added in the path bin and available in the popup menu of the Manage tab.