Apple Motion 4 User Manual

Page 898

Play:

Sets the LiveFont movie to play Forward, Backward, or Ping Pong. This is not the

same as the Direction parameter. Using the Freehand font as an example, when Play is
set to Backward, the text begins completely drawn and erases (in the direction specified
in the Direction parameter).

Loop:

Sets the number of times the LiveFont movie plays through. The default setting

is 1, meaning that the LiveFont plays one time. A value of 3 means that it plays through
three times. For example, when the Loop parameter of the Freehand font is set to 3, each
character is drawn one time, then disappears, is drawn a second time, then disappears,
and is drawn a third time and remains.

To End:

Loops the movie until the end of the text duration.

Note: When To End is enabled, the Loop parameter is ignored.

Hold First:

Drag the slider or use the value slider to set the delay, in seconds, of the start

of the font’s “animation.” For example, when using the Freehand font and Hold First is
set to 3, the text does not begin to “draw on” for 3 seconds.

Note: The font “animation” varies depending on the LiveFont and can include the drawing
on of the font, the moving of highlights around the font, and so on.

Hold Last:

Drag the slider or use the value slider to set the amount of time, in seconds,

that the font stays visible once the movie is completed. For example, when using the
Freehand font and Hold Last is set to 0, the text disappears as soon as it is finished drawing.

Modifying the Color and Style Attributes of LiveFonts

Although the LiveFonts are preset, their colors can be modified. Additionally, Outline,
Glow, and Drop Shadow parameters can be added to the LiveFonts.

To change the color of a LiveFont

Select the text with the applied LiveFont, click the Text tab in the Inspector, then click
the Style tab.

Use the Color well or color picker to define a new color.

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Chapter 14

Animating Text