Animating the view
Release 9.2 Last modified January 13, 2009	Print all topics in : "Building animations"

About animating the view

You can animate the view in ArcMap, ArcScene, and ArcGlobe. The animation you create is contained within a map view track, a camera track, and a globe camera track, respectively.
Reasons to animate the view:

• To move the camera around a scene or globe
  
• To follow an object that is moving through a scene
  
• To pan or zoom in and out on a map
  

There are several ways to create a camera track in ArcScene or ArcGlobe and a map view track in ArcMap.

• The simplest method, capturing perspective views, is quick and can be done with any data. Another simple method is to record a navigation using the Fly tool in ArcScene or ArcGlobe. In ArcGlobe, you can also use the Walk tool. In ArcMap, you can use the Zoom In, Zoom Out, and Pan tools.
  
• A more complex method is to create a flyby from a path, defined by selected line features or graphics. This method requires specific types of data in the display but can provide a more visually appealing animation.
  
• Alternatively, you can use the Create Animation Keyframes dialog box to create keyframes. By moving through a scene or globe or zooming in and out or panning a map, then creating a keyframe, you can create a camera track or a map view track.
  

In ArcGIS you view your map, scene, or globe through a viewer.

The view in ArcScene and ArcGlobe

In ArcScene and ArcGlobe, the viewer is also the camera. A camera's orientation is defined by two points, the observer and the target. The camera's location is defined by the observer property, and the center of your view is defined by the target property. The camera can be oriented in different angles from the same observer by setting properties, such as the inclination, azimuth, and roll angle.
Imagine what you see is what the camera sees. As you navigate through a view, you are actually moving the observer in conjunction with the target. If you set a new target on the data, that point on the data is shifted to the center of your view. There is only one camera, observer, and target set in any viewer. Familiarizing yourself with the camera, observer, and target will help you gain a better understanding of animation.

The view in ArcMap

In ArcMap, the view is the portion of your data visible in the display. It can be animated by altering its extent using the Zoom In, Zoom Out, and Pan tools on the Tools toolbar for each keyframe in a map view track.

Camera and map view properties that can be animated

Learn more about playing different camera tracks in different viewers

How to animate the view

Step 1: Create the camera or map view track

There are five ways to create a camera track in ArcScene or ArcGlobe and a map view track in ArcMap:

• Capture perspective views
  
• Move the camera/view along a path
  
• Create keyframes
  
• Create bookmarks and import them
  
• Record a navigation
  

Tips

To remove animation tracks that you have created, click the Animation drop-down arrow and click Clear Animation. All animation tracks are removed. Save animations to animation files often since there is no undo capability in the Animation Manager.

Step 2: Play the animation

There are two ways to play the animation:

• Play the animation automatically using the Animation Controls dialog box
  
• Play the animation manually using the Time View slider
  

Tips

Any feature selections set will be retained during the playing of the animation. By default, after playing or previewing an animation containing a camera or map view track, the position of the camera or view will be restored to the state before the animation was played or previewed. If you don't want to restore the state of the position of the camera or view after the animation is played or previewed, uncheck Restore state on the Animation Controls dialog box or Restore state after preview on the Time View tab of the Animation Manager.

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