Tracking Objects

Tracking lets you connect an object to another, called the target, so that the object remains pointed at the target throughout the animation.

As the target moves, the original object pivots around its origin so that it remains pointed at the target. Normally, the original object does not change position, only orientation. However, if you offset the object's origin point, it might change location as it rotates around the offset point.

You can use tracking to quickly set up the animation of a number of objects at once. When an object is tracking another, you only have to set up the motion path of the target object. The motion of the objects tracking the target are automatically created. The original object pivots around its origin point so that it's always facing the target object.

For example, in this scene the motion of all the lights is created when you move the target object. You can use this feature to ensure that a light or the camera remains pointed at an object during the entire course of the animation. You can also use it to create motions like a radar dish following a satellite or a sunflower following the sun. A parent object cannot track its child object.

To set up object tracking interactively:

1. Select the object you want to remain stationary (that is, the one that tracks the target object).
   
   
2. Move the cursor over the target button () that appears next to the object's bounding box.
   
   
3. Drag the Target line from the button to the target object. The target object turns green. As you drag the Tracking icon from the tracking object to the target, a tracking line appears. Let up on the mouse.
   
   
   
   Move the target object to test that the tracking is working.

To set up object tracking using the Object Attributes dialog:

1. Select the object you want to remain stationary.
   
   
2. Click the button that appears next to the object's bounding box. The Object Attributes dialog appears.
3. Click the Linking tab.
4. Click the Target Object Name menu and choose the name of the target object.
   
   
   
   The selected target object will now show in the Track Object Name field.
   
   
5. Click on the OK icon to close the dialog.

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