How to save animations within Character Animator??

[the_gibble]

[newbie alert]  I'm just learning about "Triggers"  and I was wondering if it is possible to animate a body part (Arms) and do all the animation within Character Animator using the 'Draggable' tag on a body part. 

The tutorials I've been watching have the animations made outside of Character Animator [in Photosop] and brought in as a sequence and then turned into Trigger Animations.

But could I drag the arms around (using the Draggable Tag) and capture that motion / pose? And make it into a sequence that can then be converted to a Trigger Animation??? Ideally, I'd like to create more poses/animations within the App, if possible.

PS. I know that you can capture animation derived from the MoCap tool- but its still unclear how to capture animations made on the timeline.

[TheOriginalGC]

It sounds like what you want to do is use a replay. This is often used to set up a sequence of motions attached to a trigger to have a character do things like point and wave. Please take a look at this video and see if what's happening there is what you want to do. Replays (Adobe Character Animator Tutorial) (youtube.com)

[the_gibble]

Thanks so much for the tip and link to the Replay videos. That is super helpful and should be a great solution to what I need. THANK YOU @TheOriginalGC !!!

Follow up Question: I'd like to trigger specific angles of the Character at specific points in the animation. i.e FRONT/3/4, Profile etc. If I miss hitting these points while recording via webcam, what is the best way to switch to a specified view at a specified time? Ex Switch to Left Profile at the 2:32 time??

I hope that makes sense 😉

[TheOriginalGC]

I do not know of an easy way to change the view angle without using the camera input. Sorry.

[the_gibble · Accepted solution]

Thanks for trying @TheOriginalGC .
I think my workaround will simply be to create multiple models that consist of a single view Ex. Front Model, Profile, Right Model, 3/4R Model, etc. and just load them as needed. Its not ideal but it should allow me to have the control I'd like to have.

[k_oshiro]

If you want to control the movement of the head without the webcam, you can have it trigger the position of the head.
The default puppet “Stardust” or"NINJA"is a good example.
Press the keyboard keys Q,W,E,R,T to change the direction of the head.
You can record it in any timeline.
Thanks.

[the_gibble · Accepted solution]

Thanks so much @k_oshiro , thats exactly what I was looking for! I am scanning through the Stardust file now to see how that was set up. It looks like both the 1. Head & Body Turner + 2 Triggers (for individual head angles)  are on Stardust and can be used simultaneously too!  Thanks for steering me to this file, I am learning alot! 

1. So would a trigger override the Head & Body Turner? Does the 'Latch' checkbox means this triggers stays activated until told differently?

PS. Sorry for these newbie questions. I've been watching tons of tutorials and take in alot of information that even covered this sort of info- but often its an "information overload" and its difficult to recall exactly what I need and where it was.

Thanks!

Essentially, it looks like 

[k_oshiro]

I'm glad you found a solution.

The head turner and trigger movements are independent of each other.
When I am moving my face with the webcam.
Head Turner behavior is enabled,
trigger, your head will change direction instantly.
Try it with a unicorn puppet.

Your observations about the latch function are also correct.

Thanks.

[the_gibble]

Hi @k_oshiro ,

On a similar note- is it possible to have multiple body angles in the rig? The same way there is a numerous Heads [Frontal, Right, 3/4, etc]- but numerous bodies [Frontal, Right Profile, etc]. See image below to help clarify, if needed.

[k_oshiro · Accepted solution]

Hello.
It is possible to move the body as well as the head.
Add a “head turner body turner” behavior to the body in each direction.
Change “Head Turner” to “Body Turner” in the Puppet Track behavior.
ThankYou.

[the_gibble]

Thats exactly what I was looking for! Thanks again @k_oshiro . 
I'll start playing around with that. I appreciate your help!