Cloning and Duplicating Layers
At times, you will need to create a large group of characters such as a crowd, school of fish or flock of birds. You can do this by cloning or duplicating a layer during production. The difference between cloning and duplicating is that a clone uses the same drawings for all layers. A duplicate is simply an independent copy.
If you want to maintain the ability to modify drawings and propagate the changes through all layers, then you should clone drawings. If you simply want to copy your drawings and be able to modify your drawings without affecting the original layer, use the duplicate option.
Cloning Layers
A cloned layer is linked to the original element directory. If a drawing is modified in the original or cloned layer, both will be updated. However, clone layers can have linked or different timings.
In the Timeline view, the left part of the layer is a module, same as in the Network view. These modules are linked to columns. The right part of the Timeline view corresponds to the Xsheet column. These columns can contain drawing exposures or value keyframes. One module can be linked to several columns; one drawing column and parameter columns (rotation, position, scale, pivot, etc.).
When cloning layers, you have the ability to clone the drawings and the corresponding columns (timing) or only the drawings. If you choose to clone the drawings and timing, your module will be linked to the same element folder as well as the same drawing and function columns. Therefore, if you change the drawing exposure or keyframe on one layer, all cloned layers will be updated.
You may want to create a large group of characters reusing the same animation, but want to slightly offset the timing so they are not dancing or walking quite on the same beat. For example, if you create a walk-cycle for a soldier and want to use it for an entire army, you may want to have 50 layers with 50 different drawing exposures to produce a slight difference in the timing. If you copy your layers and their drawings 50 times over, it will create a heavier scene. It is better to clone the 50 layers with only their drawings without linking to the same function and exposure columns.
1. | In the Timeline, Xsheet |
2. | Do one of the following: |
‣ | From the Xsheet view menu, select Columns > Clone Selected Columns: Drawings Only or Columns > Clone Selected Columns: Drawings and Timing. |
‣ | From the top menu, select Edit > Clone to clone the columns' drawings only. |
‣ | From the Timeline view menu, select Layers > Clone Selected Layers: Drawings Only or Layers > Clone Selected Layers: Drawings and Timing. |
‣ | In the Xsheet View or Timeline View toolbar, click the Clone Selected Layers/Columns: Drawings Only button. You might need to add this button to your toolbar using the Toolbar Manager. |
‣ | In the Network View menu, select Modules > Clone Selected Layers: Drawings Only or Modules > Clone Selected Layers: Drawings and Timing. When you clone a module, it does not automatically connect itself to the Composite module of your scene. |
The cloned layer appears.
By default, when you select a module in the Network view and perform a copy/paste using Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + C and ⌘ + V (Mac OS X), this creates a CLONE not a duplicate. Modules will be linked to the same drawings. Pegs will be linked to the same function columns.
To duplicate a layer in the Network view using shortcuts, press Ctrl + C (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + C (Mac OS X) and Ctrl + B (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + B (Mac OS X) for Paste Special, and select Create New Columns.
Duplicating Layers
You can duplicate a layer to have a copy of the drawings that are independent from the original ones, as well as an independent timing (exposure). When you need the drawings to be modified independently, you will want to duplicate the layer instead of cloning it.
1. | In the Timeline, Xsheet |
2. | Do one of the following: |
‣ | In the Timeline view menu, select Layers > Duplicate Selected Layers. |
‣ | In the Network view menu, select Modules > Duplicate Selected Modules. When you duplicate a module, it does not automatically connect itself to the Composite module of your scene. |
‣ | From the Xsheet view menu, select Columns > Duplicate Selected Layers. |
‣ | From the top menu, select Edit > Duplicate. |
‣ | In the Xsheet View or Timeline View toolbar, click the Duplicate Selected Layers/Columns button. You might need to add this button to your toolbar using the Toolbar Manager. |
The duplicated layer appears.
By default, when you select a module in the Network view and perform a copy/paste using Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + C and ⌘ + V (Mac OS X), this creates a CLONE not a duplicate. Modules will be linked to the same drawings. Pegs will be linked to the same function columns.
To duplicate a layer in the Network view using shortcuts, press Ctrl + C (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + C (Mac OS X) and Ctrl + B (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + B (Mac OS X) for Paste Special, and select Create New Columns.