Apple Motion 2 - Manual (Page 456)

456 Chapter 7 Using Text
Setting Object Duration Preferences
Before you start any project, it is recommended that you set up Motion Preferences
according to your project requirements. When working with text, you can specify that a
text object is created at the current frame (the frame where the playhead is at the time
you add the text object), or at the start of the project. By default, objects are created at
the current frame. You can also specify a default duration for any created object.
Note: This sets the same preferences for all objects created within Motion, including
text, shapes, masks, and particle emitters.
To set the object duration preferences:
1 Choose Motion > Preferences (or press Command+,).
2 Click Project.
The Project preferences pane is displayed.
3 In the Still Images & Objects preferences group, set the Default Object Duration
preference:
• To create objects that are the length of the project, select “Use project duration” (the
default setting). This means that if you are working in a 300-frame project and you
create a text object, the text object is 300 frames.
Note: If you have Create Objects At set to “Current frame,” and you create a text
object at frame 50, the text object exists from frame 50 to frame 300.
• To create objects that are a specific duration, select “Use custom duration.” Next,
enter a value in the text field, then choose Frames or Seconds from the pop-up
menu.
All objects you created will be set to the entered duration by default.
4 Set the Create Objects At preference:
• To create objects at the frame where the playhead is at the time you create a text
object, select “Current frame.”
A text object is created as soon as you click in the Canvas with the Text tool,
regardless of whether you type any text.
01112.book Page 456 Sunday, March 13, 2005 10:36 PM