KF times: Bug, design or something else?

terrypin wrote on 10/1/2015, 11:42 AM

This is behaviour that has puzzled me mildly for many years, through many MEP versions, but I've finally got around to asking about it.

Quite frequently I find that the value displayed by a KF does not match its position on the timeline, as in this example of KFs on a title object::

Higher resolution: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/MEP-KF-Times-1.jpg

P.S. I have a vague recollection I asked this before, a few years ago, but if so I haven't found it.

Comments

browj2 wrote on 10/1/2015, 3:00 PM

Hi Terry,

The kf's start at the beginning of the object, not the timeline. Why yours says 2s when it looks like the kf is at the beginning of the object, I don't know. My kf in 2014 shows up as 00:00 and I created another at 02:01 (I'm on 29.97fps), and they show up correctly. Note that you have the actual location from the beginning of the timeline indicated at the top left of the preview monitor. Logic, you can't put keyframes on an object beyond the object, so they have to be relative to the object.

johnebaker wrote on 10/1/2015, 3:33 PM

Hi Terry

. . . . I have a vague recollection I asked this before, a few years ago, but if so I haven't found it . . . .

I remeber this one and we found that the Keyframe positions are relative to the start of the object with a gotcha - that is - the start of the unedited object

You can see this if you do the following:

Start a new project
Add a video object to the timeline
Cut the 1st second off the beginning of the object
Select an effect and at a keyframe at what is now the beginning (0 secs)
Add another keyframe at say 4 secs.
Click the keyframes they display 1 and 3 sec respecitvely (well mine do)

Get this behaviour in MEP 2014, 2015 and 2016 - have not checked earlier versions.

HTH

John EB

terrypin wrote on 10/2/2015, 2:54 AM

Thanks John, that's the one. I'd forgotten about that gotcha.

In fact the issue is immediately apparent when assigning just the first KF, which displayed 1:00 instead of zero.

@John CB

"Logic, you can't put keyframes on an object beyond the object, so they have to be relative to the object."

Well ... when you change the length of an object after adding KFs, the KFs can still be present even though now invisible 'beyond the object'.

I think we've discussed this one at least once before too. BTW, the site's search tool is not too smart, so I tend to use Google Advanced instead. Will have a look tomorrow.

browj2 wrote on 10/2/2015, 8:53 AM

I knew that my answer was too easy and that there had to be more, especially after recalling our discussions of hidden kf's.

I'm going back to my plumbing work which has now turned into a complete bathroom renovation. I'll be taking my frustrations out on the old cast iron bathtub with a sledge hammer on the weekend. I might even film some of it.

johnebaker wrote on 10/2/2015, 9:51 AM

Hi John CB

. . . . I'll be taking my frustrations out on the old cast iron bathtub with a sledge hammer on the weekend. I might even film some of it. . . . .

Aaaah the joys of video making - should be good for some effective (I know bad pun - lets out a big groan) exploding bath tub shots - hope you keep out of range of the shrapnel.

Cheers

John EB