SolidWorks 2011 Assemblies Bible - Matt Lombard [197]
FIGURE 23.18
The timeline at the 5-second mark
Remember that the View Orientation dialog box stores both orientation and zoom factor, so when you use view 2, it may be zoomed at a different state; thus, when the view changes from 1 to 2, it may rotate and zoom in or out slightly. If you want to measure rotation more precisely, it may be a good idea to use the arrow keys rather than something like a 3D mouse.
Zooming and free view manipulation
The next step is to zoom in to the grippers and simultaneously turn the view slightly to give a better view. Before changing the view, though, it would be nice to have another pause to give the viewer the chance to see what is there. To create the pause, click the last key point in the Orientation and Camera Views row, and then Ctrl+drag it to the 7-second mark. Then move the timebar to the 10-second mark. Remember that the workflow for copying a particular key is to select and then Ctrl+drag, not just Ctrl+drag. If you Ctrl+drag without making the initial selection, you may be copying other key points that were also selected at the time. The select operation serves two functions: first, to deselect anything else, and second, to select only the key point you are interested in.
Note
When creating an animation, you have to be very careful about making changes to anything because those changes may be incorporated into the animation. If you just want to rotate the model to look at something, switch back to the Model tab near the lower-left corner of the SolidWorks window. The first tab always hides the MotionManager, and you don't have to worry about changes to the views or positions of parts being recorded.
Once you have the timebar moved to the 10-second mark, use the View Orientation (press the spacebar) to move to view 3. After doing this, zoom in on the grippers using whatever method you use to zoom: Shift+Z, middle mouse button (MMB) scroll, Zoom to Area, Zoom to Selection, Zoom In/Out, or a 3D mouse. After you have made both changes, add the key point to the Orientation change bar in the same way you have done it previously. The rotate and zoom will happen at the same time. The idea is to get a good partial side view of the grippers, such as that shown in Figure 23.19. Play the animation to see what you have created.
FIGURE 23.19
The timeline at the 10-second mark
Using Interpolation modes
When you play the animation, it may appear somewhat jerky. When the MotionManager interpolates between key points, for changing either views or part positions, the default interpolation mode is linear. This means that it changes between points at a constant speed. This creates the jerkiness because the motion starts and stops abruptly.
To remedy this, the MotionManager offers several interpolation modes. Right-click one of the key points that you have created, and select Interpolation mode at the bottom of the list that appears. Another menu flies out, as shown in Figure 23.20.
The icons for the modes signify how the motion increases or decreases between key points. In any case, curves make smoother motion than lines. Ease in/Ease out creates the smoothest motion; Ease in works best at the beginning of a change, and Ease out works best at the end of a change. Snap causes an abrupt change in position from one place the part will move immediately to another location at the next key point. The Linear option causes the part to move at a constant velocity from one point to another.
FIGURE 23.20
Selecting Interpolation mode
The default mode is linear, so if you want to change all four of the key points, you have to go through this selection four times, right? No, there is an easier way. You can marquee-select