29.7.1 Creating an Animation

You can define any number of key frames (up to 3000) to create your animation. By assigning the appropriate numbers to the key frames, you provide the information ANSYS FLUENT needs to create the correct number of intermediate frames. For example, to create a simple animation that begins with a front view of an object, moves to a side view, and ends with a rear view of the object, you would follow the procedure outlined below:

1.   Determine the number of frames that you want in the animation. For this example, consider the animation to be 31 frames.

2.   Determine the number of key frames that you need to specify. In this example, you will specify three: one showing the front view, one showing the side view, and one showing the rear view.

3.   Determine the appropriate key frame numbers to assign to the 3 specified frames. Here, the front view will be specified as key frame 1, the side view will be key frame 16, and the rear view will be key frame 31.

4.   Compose the scenes for each view to be used as a key frame. You can use the Scene Description dialog box (see Section  29.6) and the Views dialog box (see Section  29.5) to modify the display, and any other dialog boxes or commands to create contours, vectors, pathlines, etc. to be included in each scene. After you complete each scene, create the appropriate key frame by setting the Frame number and clicking on the Add button under Key Frames in the Animate dialog box. (See Section  29.7.5 for special considerations related to key frame definition.)

Be sure to change the Frame number before clicking on the Add button, or you will overwrite the last key frame that you created.

You can check any of the key frames that you have created by selecting it in the Keys list. The selected key frame will be displayed in the graphics window.

5.   When you complete the animation, you can play it back as described in Section  29.7.2 and/or save it as described in Section  29.7.3.

Deleting Key Frames

If, during the creation of your animation, you want to remove one of the key frames that you have defined, select the key frame in the Keys list and click the Delete button. If you want to delete all key frames and start over again, click the Delete All button.