Adding Keyframe problem!!

[Matsuemon]

Hey guys,
I'm so sorry to be asking such a dumb question, but believe it or not, I'm stuck on how to do a very basic thing, and I can't seem to find the answer. I know how to add keyframes once I've moved a character to a new position, that's easy because it does it automatically. But, I'm working on one of Darth Furby's head-turn tutorials, and it requires that I select all the points in the various sections of the head, and add a keyframe to each section. The problem is, I can't add the keyframes the way he is doing it in the older version of AS, by right clicking and selecting "add keyframe." So... if I just want to add a keyframe to a stationary, posed figure after selecting the points, how do I do it?? To make matters even worse, my channels aren't even visible until I add a keyframe, so I can't figure out how to show all the channels on the left side, which I could probably then add a keyframe to.
Thanks for your help

--Jason

[Víctor Paredes]

To make visible the timeline, move the points (or modify any value you want) on the desired frame. Once there is a keyframe, the channel will be visible on your layer.
From my own experience I can tell you it was hard to get it at first, but once I assimilated the new timeline behavior it became on one of my favorite features.

[Matsuemon]

To make visible the timeline, move the points (or modify any value you want) on the desired frame. Once there is a keyframe, the channel will be visible on your layer.
From my own experience I can tell you it was hard to get it at first, but once I assimilated the new timeline behavior it became on one of my favorite features.

Hey Selgin,
Yah but my problem is that I'm needing to add a keyframe to a frame where I don't want to move the character. I just want to add one as is, and I just can't figure it out. I guess I could always select the points, move them a little bit (just to add a keyframe) then move them back to the original position. But that seems like extra work for no reason. I know I'm missing something.

[Víctor Paredes]

Create the new keyframes, then copy and paste the frame zero keys over the new ones. Some tools have a reset button you can use to create keyframes too.

[Matsuemon]

Create the new keyframes, then copy and paste the frame zero keys over the new ones. Some tools have a reset button you can use to create keyframes too.

Selgin,
haha I can't create the frame zero keyframes. The only time it allows me to create a keyframe is if I've already moved something into position. Otherwise there is nothing I can click on to just create one. So I can't copy frame zero keys if I can't create them in the first place. This is so frustrating. I just did a head-turn but it couldn't have gone more wrong, and I have NO idea how to fix it.

[jonbo]

Try using the copy keyframe option in the animation submenu. Select the layer you want a keyframe for and goto the animation submenu at the top of the screen. Choose the copy keyframe option, this will bring up the submenu for this option. There are alot of different channels you can choose from, most time you want the point translate and layer tranlate channels but you can choose whatever you need. Check off the channels you want and select copy to frame 1. This will create a keyframe in both frame zero and frame one. I should add that you need to be on frame zero before you do this.

[Matsuemon]

Try using the copy keyframe option in the animation submenu. Select the layer you want a keyframe for and goto the animation submenu at the top of the screen. Choose the copy keyframe option, this will bring up the submenu for this option. There are alot of different channels you can choose from, most time you want the point translate and layer tranlate channels but you can choose whatever you need. Check off the channels you want and select copy to frame 1. This will create a keyframe in both frame zero and frame one. I should add that you need to be on frame zero before you do this.

Hey Jonbo,
I'll have to try that, but I think I figured it out, now. I just use the select points tool and select my points, then click on the translate points tool and then click once on one of the selected points. That creates a keyframe, but before I was worried that it was only affecting the one point rather than all the points, but it seems to select them all.

Ooooh yes you're right about the "copy frame" thing! That brings up the channels menu! Thanks for the info, that was really bugging me.

[Víctor Paredes]

Matsuemon.
You can create keyframes of anything on any frame just modifying the value you want.
Frame zero always has keyframes. Always. It's just you can't see them until you create a new keyframe on another frame.
So, for example, if you want to see the keyframes of layer opacity, go to the desired frame (different to zero), modify the opacity on layer proprieties (99%, for example) and press ok. Now you have a new keyframe and opacity is showed on timeline. Now, if you want to get back opacity but still seeing the channel on timeline, just select the keyframe of the frame zero (which have a value of 100%) and paste it over your new keyframe (which had 99%). That's all.

This behavior of timeline exists to avoid to see channels you rarely use (maybe blur, layer shear, etc.). It's useful too because it shows you different keyframes depending of the layer selected, so you don't get lost searching for an specific channel, like in previous AS versions, it's all always accessible.
I don't think copying all keyframes be a good idea. I recommend you to try to adapt you to this feature. I swear you it's great once you get used to it.

[Matsuemon]

Hey Selgin,
Ohhh I see what you're saying. I had no idea you could access channels and do keyframes that way. I'll try that out today. I knew I had to be missing something, but after so much trying and failing you start to get frustrated haha. Thanks for the help!