Position Ranges

Position Ranges mode allows you to position range bars independently from their associated keys and produce special effects.

• Track View > Dope Sheet Introduction > Ranges toolbar > (Position Ranges)

The process of adjusting a range bar independent of its keys is called decoupling the range. Positioning a range bar so it matches the first to last keys of a track is called recoupling the range.

Note: The Ranges: Dope Sheet toolbar doesn't appear in Track View by default. To open it, right-click an empty area adjacent to the Dope Sheet toolbar and choose Show Toolbars Ranges: Dope Sheet. Save your layout after you do.

Decouple a Range Bar

You decouple a range bar for two reasons:

• You want some keys at the start or end of an animation range not to take effect.

  Keys outside of the range bar are ignored during animation playback. The keys outside the range still affect interpolated values inside the range, but the applied Out-of-Range type is used to animate time outside the range bar.

• You want to add extra time before the first key or after the last key that is not affected by the applied Out-of-Range type.

  Time beyond the first or last key of the track, but still within the range, uses the constant value of the nearest key within the range.

Procedures

To decouple a range bar from its keys:

1. Right-click an empty area adjacent to the Dope Sheet toolbar and choose Show Toolbars Ranges: Dope Sheet.
2. On the Track View toolbar, click (Position Ranges).
3. In the Track View Key window, drag the entire range bar left or right of the keys, or drag either end of the range bar to make it longer or shorter than the keys.

   Using Out-of-Range types in conjunction with this procedure allows you to change the behavior of an animated loop. Positioning either end of a range bar changes the loop.