Create Animation Channels

Before a property can be animated in Foxel, it needs an animation channel.

Animatable properties are shown in the Inspector with a stopwatch icon. Clicking that icon creates the channel and makes the property available on the Timeline.

Why This Matters

Keyframes do not exist on their own.

First, a property needs a channel. Once the channel exists, keyframes can be added to it on the Timeline.

A simple way to think about it is:

• Channel: makes a property animatable.
• Keyframe: stores the property value at a specific frame.

How To Create A Channel

To create a channel:

1. Select the object you want to animate.
2. Open the Inspector.
3. Find the property you want to animate.
4. Click the stopwatch icon next to that property.

After the channel is created, the property is highlighted in blue.

This shows that the property is now animated and connected to the Timeline.

Where Channels Appear

All channels of the selected object are listed in the Timeline.

This is where their keyframes can later be created, selected, moved, copied, pasted, deleted, and adjusted.

Only channels for the selected object are shown, so select the object first when you want to work with its animation channels.

How To Manage Channels

Channels can be enabled, disabled, deleted, and assigned different interpolation modes.

Enable Or Disable A Channel

To temporarily disable a channel, click the checkbox to the left of its name in the Timeline.

When a channel is disabled, it no longer affects the animation.

Enable the channel again when you want it to control the property during playback.

Use this when you want to test animation without permanently deleting the channel.

Delete A Channel

To delete a channel, use one of these methods:

• Click the stopwatch icon again in the Inspector.
• Right-click the channel in the Timeline and choose Delete Channel.

Deleting a channel removes that property from the animation setup.

Use this when a property should no longer be animated.

Interpolation Modes

Channels can use different interpolation modes depending on the property type.

The interpolation mode controls how Foxel moves from one keyframe value to the next.

Available modes include:

• Step
• Linear
• Spline
• Tween

To change the interpolation mode of a channel, click the interpolation button next to the channel name in the Timeline.

Step

Step switches directly to the next keyframe value without interpolation.

Use this for instant changes, switches, or frame-like animation behavior.

Linear

Linear interpolates evenly between keyframes.

Use this when the value should change at a constant speed.

Spline

Spline uses a smooth curve between keyframes.

Use this when the motion should feel smoother than a straight linear transition.

Tween

Tween generates intermediate values automatically for smoother transitions.

When a channel uses Tween interpolation, keyframes can also use easing functions.

Use this when you want more control over acceleration and slowdown between keyframes.

What To Remember

• A property needs a channel before it can be animated.
• Channels are created from the stopwatch icon in the Inspector.
• Animated properties are highlighted in blue.
• Channels appear in the Timeline.
• Channels are shown for the selected object.
• Channels can be enabled, disabled, and deleted.
• Interpolation modes control how values change between keyframes.
• Tween channels can use easing functions.