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The Layers are mixed from bottom to top. Meaning that a Layer layer above will overwrite a Layer layer below.

Note
titleLayer designation
The Layer name does not refer only to the keyframe manager window (editor) but does refer to the animation layer too (content). In this section, we will focus on the Layer as animation layer.

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Info
titleLayer selection and different informations

The Mixer is the only place to select your different Layers. You can not manipulate keyframes of an unselected Layer in the Timebar. You need to select it first in the Mixer.

Selecting a Layer in the Mixer:

  • will Will display its keyframes in the Layer Window.
  • will Will display its keyframes in the Timebar.
  • will Will display its controllers in the Picker Window.
  • will Will display the activated channels of its controllers into the Transform window (an activated channel is a channel that will be keyframed)

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A Layer (or animation layer) is a selection set of keyframable controllers (controllers available for the moment: joints, IK controllers and RF controllers). You may only work on one Layer layer at a time.

Note
titleLayer keyframing rule
Keep in mind that the keyframes are synchronized on each controller of a Layer. For example, if you work on the default Layer containing all the hierarchy of the character, and then you select the thumb joint to create a keyframe, it creates a keyframe for all the joints of the Layer. If, then, you change this keyframe timing, it will change the timing for all the other joints too.

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Layer Edit Mode: Activate the Layer Edit Mode to add or remove controllers (in the Picker window) and/or controller channels (in the Transform window). Once entered into the Edit mode, the Picker window displays hammer icons in front of the keyframed key framed controllers and the Transform window displays hammer icons in front of the keyframed key framed channels. 

 Audio Layer Sound: Mute/Unmute the current audio layer

Note
titleAbout IK and Reverse Foot chains

IK and Reverse Foot (RF) chains must be "complete" “complete” meaning that IK or RF targets can not be alone in a Layer or without all the joints of their respective chain. So if you remove a joint of a chain it will automaticly automatically remove the respective IK or RF controller. However, it won't remove the other chain joints.

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Info
titleAnimation layer blending mode

Akeytsu now supports Override blending and Additive mode. In order to switch between both modes, simply right-click on the layer you want to affect, and clic click on the available mode : if you're in override, then additive will be there, and vice-versa.


Mixer Features

Create Layer: Add a new Layer composed of the selected controllers with a default keyframe (time 0). When you create a Layer, its Edit mode is enabled: it means that you can add/remove channels and controllers by checking/unchecking thecorresponding "hammer" the corresponding “hammer” icons in the Picker and Transform windows. Please notice that a created Layer will remain in Edit Mode (hammer icon) until you disable it.

Info
titleNew Space Switch Process

Space Switch Layers do not exist anymore. Meaning from now on you do not have to deal with syncing MRS and SpaceSwitch keys. Space Switch feature is now directly handled into current MRS Stackers using only the dedicated field into the Transform dialog. This feature allows you to dynamically handle your props, meaning by that giving you the ability to change the space of a joint or an IK target at a specific time. You can find the space switch working process on the following page Space Switch Process.

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Create Audio Layer: Open the explorer and allows you to pick up an audio file. Then Akeytsu will create a new audio layer. This new layer will have the name of your audio file, so you can easily see which layer holds which sound.

Duplicate Layer: Add a copy of the current Layer with all controllers, keyframes and color. Name is incremented.

Merge Layers: Merge together the selected Layers. If you select only one Layerlayer, it will merge with the below one. In case you select several Layers, the remaining Layer will be the last one selected. When you merge Layers layers with opacity <1, the result Layer will have opacity = 1 but preserving the visual result of blended Layers.

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Info
titleExtract alternative feature
If you click on "Extract Layer" on “Extract Layer” + Ctrl button, you will create a new Layer with your joints only, but these joints remain in the current Layer too. It is a kind of duplicate feature, but only for a selection of controllers.

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Note
titleAbout IK and Reverse Foot chains

As evoked previously : IK and RF chains must be "complete" so “complete”. So, if you select a joint of a chain in order to create a new Layer, to extract (or to Ctrl-extract) a Layer, it will involve all the joints of the chain (plus the target).


Delete Layer: Delete the selected Layers.