Snapshot

Extras toolbar > Snapshot (on Array flyout)

Tools menu > Snapshot

Choosing Tools > Snapshot displays the Snapshot dialog. This enables you to clone an animated object over time.

Using an ice-cream cone animated along a path, Snapshot creates a stack of cones.

Snapshot spaces the clones equally in time. Adjustments in Track View let you space the clones equally along the path instead (see the second procedure, below).

Like other clone techniques, Snapshot creates copies, instances, or references. You can also choose a mesh option for use with particle systems.

Particle Snapshots

You can clone particle systems as static mesh objects. You can also produce clones of the particles themselves as meshes, when using the Snapshot dialog > Clone Method > Mesh option. This works with all configurations of particle systems, including those using MetaParticles. Usage is the same as with other types of objects.

Procedures

To clone an object over time:

Select an object with an animation path.

Snapshot also shows the effect of any other transform animations, such as rotate or scale as well as parametric modifier animation.
Click the Snapshot button on the Extras toolbar > Array flyout, or choose Tools menu > Snapshot.
Set parameters in the dialog, and click OK.

To space clones evenly by distance:

Select an object with an animated position.
Open Track View and find the Position track for the original object.
Click Assign Controller and check that the track is using a Bezier Position controller. Do one of the following:
- If the track is already using a Bezier Position controller, proceed to step 4.
- If the track is not using a Bezier Position controller, change the controller, then proceed to step 4.
Select all the transform keys and right-click one of the selected keys to display the Key Info dialog.
Click Advanced to expand the dialog.
Click Normalize Time.
Set Constant Velocity on.
Choose Tools menu > Snapshot.

The Snapshot dialog appears.
Set parameters in the dialog, and click OK.

Interface

Snapshot group

Single—Makes a clone of the geometry of the object at the current frame.

Range—Makes clones of the geometry of the object along the trajectory over a range of frames. Specify the range with the From/To settings and the number of clones with the Copies setting.

From/To—Specifies the range of frames to place the cloned object along the trajectory.

Copies—Specifies the number of clones to place along the trajectory. They are evenly distributed over the time period, but not necessarily over the spatial distance along the path.

Clone Method group

With the Copy, Instance, and Reference methods, the clone retains any animation within the object, so all the clones will be animated in the same way.

Copy—Clones copies of the selected object.

Instance—Clones instances of the selected object. Not available with particle systems.

Reference—Clones references of the selected object. Not available with particle systems.

Mesh—Use this to create mesh geometry out of particle system. Works with all kinds of particles.