There might be times when you want to convert a footstep animation to a freeform animation, or vice versa. This can occur when someone gives you an animation file that's animated in one mode, while you prefer to work in the other.
Animators tend to develop a preference for either freeform or footstep animation. The ability to convert between the two means you can work in either format without concern for compatibility with other artists.
Using the Convert tool on the Motion panel 
Biped rollout, you can convert between footstep and freeform animation.
There are no special considerations when converting from footsteps to freeform; this procedure works for all footstep sequences. However, to convert successfully from freeform to footstep animation, you must observe certain rules in order for footsteps to be generated.
Converting from Freeform to Footsteps
When converting from freeform to footsteps, footsteps are generated for a foot only during periods between two planted keys. In other words, the conversion process looks for times when a foot has two consecutive, identical keys with an IK Blend setting of 1 and Object space selected. In this case, a footstep icon is placed at the foot's location, with the duration of the footstep set by the time between the two identical keys. This is the only condition under which foosteps are generated.
If converting freeform animation to footsteps does not create the expected result, your freeform animation might need adjustment prior to conversion. See Using IK Keyframe Parameters for information on setting freeform planted keys.
If your freeform motion hasn't been prepared with planted keys for converting to footsteps, you can convert it to footsteps by loading it as a motion capture file and specifying footsteps as the extraction method. This technique uses a different method to determine footstep location and duration, and so can sometimes successfully convert to footsteps where the Convert command cannot. See Importing Motion-Capture Data.
Procedures
To convert between footsteps and freeform animation:
- On the
Motion panel Biped rollout, click (Convert). Depending on which is the current animation method, either the Convert to Freeform dialog or the Convert to Footsteps dialog appears.
- Change settings in the dialog as necessary, and click OK.
If you're converting to freeform animation, the footstep patterns are removed from the viewport, gravity and dynamics are removed, and footstep mode is disabled. You are now working with a purely freeform animation.
If you're converting to footsteps, and the operation is successful, footsteps appear in the viewport, biped dynamics is turned on, and Footstep mode is enabled.