Quick Motion Tool

The Quick Motion Tool allows you to quickly create motion axes and frames and attach them to selected objects automatically. The Quick Motion Tool will allow you to assign data and attributes without opening the Properties window for each axis or frame. Quick Motion Tool will automatically apply repetitive and incremental information for all axes or frames that it creates.

To use the Quick Motion Tool

IMPORTANT: The Quick Motion Tool will open if only one axis (Linear or Rotation) or frame is selected.

1. Select an axis (Linear or Rotation) or frame with no attached objects.
2. From the Tools menu, choose Quick Tools > Quick Motion Tool.

Result: The Quick Motion Tool window appears.

3. On the Quick Motion Tool window, specify the naming pattern and patch settings.

• Axis/Frame Name: Type the name of the selected axis or frame.
• Axis/Frame Number: Type the starting number associated with the Axis/Frame Name. This number increases by one with every new axis or frame created by the Quick Motion Tool.
• Patch Type: From this drop-down list, select the type of patch for the selected axis or frame.
• Choose None to disable the DMX Patch and Motion Patch control settings.
• Choose DMX Patch to enable and define the DMX Patch control settings.
• Choose Motion Patch to enable and define the Motion Patch control settings.

DMX Patch:

• Patch: Type the starting DMX address of the first axis or frame in the sequence.
• Auto Increment: Select this checkbox if you want the DMX address to automatically increment for every new axis or frame that the Quick Motion Tool creates.
• Custom Increment: Select this checkbox and choose Additional if you want the increment added at the end of each axis/frame patched; or choose Total if you want the total increment to the next axis/frame's address.

Motion Patch:

• Universe: Select the Motion Control Universe from the list of motion universes that exist in this file or click New to create a new patch universe name in this file. This drop-down list will display None if no motion universes have been created in this file.
• ID: Specify the root ID of the axis or frame.
• Auto Increment: Select this checkbox if you want the value to automatically increment.

Result: The Result: line at the bottom of the Quick Motion Tool window displays the naming pattern of the motion axes/frames that are about to be created, along with the specified patch pattern.

4. Click OK.

Result: The Quick Motion Tool dialog box closes and the cursor is ready for next selection.

5. Select one or more objects to attach to the axis or frame from Step 1.
6. Right-click and choose Proceed from the menu that appears, or press P.

Result:

• WYSIWYG moves the axis or frame from Step 1 to match the insertion point of the selected object(s). If multiple objects were selected, the axis or frame moves to the insertion point of the first object that was selected.
• If a different name was entered in the Axis/Frame Name field, this name is assigned to the axis or frame selected in Step 1.
• The axis or frame is patched according to the defined settings.
• The selected objects automatically attach to the axis or frame.

7. Select the next object(s) to be attached to a new axis or frame (that is about to be created).
8. Right-click and choose Proceed from the menu that appears, or press P.

Result:

• WYSIWYG creates a copy of the motion axis or frame from Step 1. This new axis or frame is assigned the "next name" in the naming pattern defined in Step 3. If a patch was defined, the "next patch" is assigned to the new axis or frame.
• WYSIWYG moves the new axis or frame to match the insertion point of the object(s) selected in Step 7. If multiple objects were selected, the axis or frame moves to the insertion point of the first object that was selected.
• The selected objects automatically attach to this new axis or frame.

9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 until all necessary motion axes or frames are created.
10. To finish using the Quick Motion Tool, right-click and choose Finish from the menu that appears.

Result: If one or more objects are selected, a final axis or frame is created as per Step 8; if no objects are selected, no axis or frame is created and the Quick Motion Tool window closes.