Recorded data in timeline getting changed whenever there is a change in the puppet.

[Mehakkkkk]

Whenever I make any change in my puppet in character animator, the recorded data in my timeline gets overridden and reflects the same change automatically.

I don't understand why this is - the change should reflect in live input but how can it reflect automatically in data that is already recorded? 

[TheOriginalGC]

It is likely that the original timeline recordings are still there, just being superceded by a more recent "take" in the timeline. Take a look at your timeline. Look for a part that is greyed out. Look for parts above it that are occupying the same time. This feature exists so you can blend multiple takes together to get the performance you want.

[Mehakkkkk]

Thank you for your response. However, takes are not what I'm referring to. Let me try and explain the issue again. I have a puppet - I recorded a scene using the same puppet with triggers and behaviours etc etc. However, if I make any changes to the same puppet, the already recorded data in my timeline also reflects the same change automatically. So if I were to change the colour of the t shirt for example - it's not just live input that reflects that change. In already recorded data as well the colour would be changed. Similarly, any trigger, anything at all moved around means my recorded data keeps changing. I don't understand this, that's the main difference between live data and recorded data no? If I record something, I shouldn't have to worry about it changing with the changes I make to the puppet.

[TheOriginalGC]

Let me see if I understand what you're trying to do. Are you trying to make changes to the puppet and the timeline is meant to record the original appearance of the puppet?

[Mehakkkkk]

No. I had a full puppet set up and recorded something. I needed to add a few things to a puppet after that for another segment. When I made those changes to the puppet, what I had already recorded in the timeline also got altered.

[TheOriginalGC]

In what way did the tiemline get altered?

[Mehakkkkk]

Whatever I change - gets changed in recorded data. For example of I toggle off the visibility of a layer, it disappears from the recording as well. If I change the colour of the glasses, the colour of the glass in the recording also changes.

[TheOriginalGC]

The timeline always presents the puppet "as-is." It doesn't know how to save visual changes from one frame to the next. The only changes it records are those that can be saved with a keyframe.

[Mehakkkkk]

I recorded something in the timeline - for eg. the colour of the glasses was black. Now I have changed the colour to blue - so instead of glasses being black in the already recorded data, they are blue. Similary, every time I move things around in the puppet file, the recorded data also changes. Shouldn't it allow us to decide whether we want the new changes in the puppet to be applied to already existing recorded data - similar to illustrator asking whether we want brush stroke weight changes to be applied to already existing strokes? 

There is no difference between live input and recorded data otherwise, once you record something, you expect it to remain unchanged, you don't want to have to worry about it and go back to it again and again every time you edit the puppet. You realise certain things that you need the puppet to do as you progress through the animation but if you change anything, it changes what you already recorded too. This makes the workflow very difficult because it's not easy to go back and forth. Every time I make a mistake also for example, my recorded data changes and I have to keep fixing it again and again. Is there no way that the recorded data is freezed once and for all?

[TheOriginalGC]

One possible way is to use a swap set. For instance, have both kinds of glasses in your puppet and swap from one to the other when you need to make the change. Character Animator is designed to handle that. Otherwise, you'll need to save your progress as a video clip and splice the segments together in Adobe Premiere.

[Mehakkkkk]

If i want to ensure that this doesn't happen in the raw file and want to keep the raw file, does that mean that every time I'm happy with a segment I have recorded, I duplicate the puppet and use the new puppet file to record the next segments so if I make any changes to the new puppet, the old recording linked to the original puppet remains as is. Would that work? If every new scene had a separate duplicated version of the original puppet?

[TheOriginalGC]

That sounds logical. Make sure that you're editing the duplicate and not the original.

[Mehakkkkk]

What would be the best way to duplicate the puppet so a new backend source file in illustrator is also created for the duplicate puppet and I don't have to rig the puppet again? I've read a few different responses but asking you since you might be able to guide better.

[TheOriginalGC]

Export puppet might be your best bet, giving each export a different name. Linking the export to a different name might be more challenging - if you have a preferred method, go for it. How many unique puppets are we talking about here? Because if the number is less than 5, it might be easier to just use save as to create a new original and re-rig it.