Anchoring objects?

[Fractacular]

Is there any way to anchor the object you are animating?

If not, is there a better way to keep the object centered so you can rotate it instead of the camera view?

Thanks!

[bib]

Objects are fixed, only the camera can move. By carefully playing with the rotations arrows in the main window and the Xmid...Zend parameters you can rotate nicely around objects.

For example:
http://fav.me/d4tvtjh
http://fav.me/d4u058p
http://fav.me/d4u14hc

Well there might be possibilities to move objects around using pretransforms, but it's easier to use the camera movements IMO

[Fractacular]

Thanks bib!

[kameelian]

Well, of course, the other way is to use the direction arrows at the bottom
left of the main window. I don't use it much myself (preferring the navi)...
but and it CAN produce much more 'stable' rotates if you can get your head
around it - and you don't have to render each keyframe, just insert the
result of pressing the arrows into the anim window.

When I get chance, I will add a small bulb rotation to youtube to show the
difference in smoothness possible

hope this helps

Kam

[Fractacular]

Thanks kam!

[bib]

Well, of course, the other way is to use the direction arrows at the bottom
left of the main window. I don't use it much myself (preferring the navi)...
but and it CAN produce much more 'stable' rotates if you can get your head
around it - and you don't have to render each keyframe, just insert the
result of pressing the arrows into the anim window.

Using the arrows, this is what I meant. But I realize that in fact, I don't know if they make the object really turn or if they make the camera turn around the object!

[kameelian]

I don't know if they make the object really turn or if they make the camera turn around the object!

I think its an illuson either way. If the object looks grounded, we can move around it
but if it is floating, it appears to rotate.

and, oops Bib, it does now look like you did say that anyway.
I just read it that you meant careful use of arrows in the in the Navi window.

kam

[kameelian]

update;

here is that mini vid

The green version is smooth - using the main window arrows.
 By the time it has turned purple, it is using the navi -
see how much more wobbly it is - is this what you meant about
keeping the object 'centred'? You have to use the direction
arrows in the Navi very carefully together to get it smooth.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/nbvwfAvphIY&rel=1&fs=1&hd=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/v/nbvwfAvphIY&rel=1&fs=1&hd=1</a>

Kam