Exclude Left End Point

Use Exclude Left End Point to exclude the beginning key in a selected block of time.

• Track View > Dope Sheet Introduction > Extras toolbar > (Exclude Left End Point)

If you paste the same block of time repeatedly, one block following the other, you can create a looping segment in your animation. To create a smooth looping animation, you need to exclude either the first or last key of the copied block to prevent keys from doubling up at the ends.

The key to be excluded must be at the exact start time of the copied block of time.

Note: By default, the Extras: Dope Sheet toolbar doesn't appear in the Dope Sheet Editor. You'll find a method for displaying it in the following procedure.

Procedures

To animate a loop by copying and pasting keys:

1. In Dope Sheet mode, highlight one or more item labels in the Controller window to specify tracks for time editing.
2. Use (Select Time) to specify a block of time.

   At least one track in the block should start with a keyframe. Also, for a smooth loop, the first and last frame of the selection should be the same.

3. Right-click an empty section of the toolbar area and choose Show Toolbars Extras: Dope Sheet.

   The Exclude Left End Point and Exclude Right End Point buttons appear.

4. On the Track View toolbar, click (Exclude Left End Point).
5. On the Track View toolbar, click (Copy Time).

   The selection is copied to the clipboard, minus the first frame.

6. Click to define an insertion point in the key window.

   The last position key should be your insert point.

7. Click (Paste Time).

   3ds Max opens the Paste Time dialog.

8. In the dialog, choose Paste Absolute or Paste Relative. For an animated loop choose Paste Absolute, then click OK.

   3ds Max pastes the time, including keys.

9. Play your animation to observe the effect.