Can't copy keyframes between projects

Support Animation and Rigging
1

Hello,
EDIT: I now know how to copy keyframes between projects, thanks to Cyaoeu [appending is the right way]!

EDIT 2: Thangs (again) to Cyaoeu, I also know how to add specific keyframes to one channel at the time without affecting other channels now; please see my last post in this thread.

BUT I still don’t know how to ADD those keyframes to an already existing set of keyframes on the timeline!

(I first posted this as a separate question, but it was removed and merged into this thread, so this thread may become a bit confusing.)

This is the problem: When I select and copy one set of keyframes from one rig in the Dopesheet, and then try to paste that selection onto another rig in the Dopesheet, all keyframes (for a dozen rigs) are pasted.

So is there a way to just copy/paste the selected keyframes?

If that isn’t possible, is there then a fast way to lock all other rigs in the Dopesheet than the one that I want to paste the selection on to?

I ask because it’ll take a lot of time to manually lock each part of each rig.

…

When I try to copy and paste keyframes between dopesheets in two projects, I get the following error: “no animation data in buffer to paste”.

I checked the forum and saw another user say that transfer between projects is impossible.

However, I know for sure that I’ve done it before: The only problem was that the pasted keyframes overwrote all existing keyframes in the target project, so I had to lock all objects that shouldn’t be affected by the pasted keyframes.

I found a usable workaround:

  1. Copy and paste the animated object itself - including its keyframes - between the two projects.
  2. Move the pasted keyframes to the desired location and delete the pasted object.

This works, but it’s a mess, so it would be great to just copy/paste the keyframes without the object…

2

…

3

You can append just the actions instead.

4

Append : File --> Append --> (select blend file) --> Scene

5

Thank you, Cyaoeu!

EDIT: OK, now I get it, please ignore the rest of my post below! Here’s what I did wrong: I assumed that I should append the name of the rig itself.

But the right way is to append the name directly below the rig’s name in the Dope Sheet.

I’m sure that’s plain and simple for anybody else, but it wasn’t for me. :slight_smile:

Now, I’d just like to know how to add those keyframes to an already existing set of keyframes on the timeline - without copying/pasting all other keyframes from all the other rigs in the project.
…

I’ve tried the following; could you please tell me what I’m doing wrong?

  1. I have two almost similar experimental .blends - only difference is one set of keyframes. I want to copy those keyframes between the two projects.
  2. Each .blend has 10 metarigs, named metarig.001, metarig.002, etc.
  3. In the Dopesheet, I rename the target’s metarig.003 to avoid conflicts.
  4. In the target .blend, I press Shift F1.
  5. I locate the original .blend and click the Action-folder.
  6. I now have what seem to be two relevant options: Key.003Action and meta1a.003.
  7. I try both (each time, I check all three “Append from Library” boxes at the bottom left of the screen).
  8. I return to the target .blend, and select the renamed target-rig.
  9. I switch from DopeSheet to Action Editor.
  10. Now, I don’t know what to do. :slight_smile: I’ve clicked the scroll-down menu at the right (with the diamond-icon), and there I see a list of what I assume are Actions. When I click the various names in that list, different sets of keyframes are applied to the rig. So that seems to be what I’m looking for, sort of. This list also includes the name of the newly appended item - but when I click on that, nothing happens; i.e. the keyframes are just the ones that were there already, as opposed to the appended/imported ones.

So, what do I do wrong?

6

Thank you, AMDBCG!

EDIT: Please ignore this post; problem is solved (please see post above).

Do you mean that I should append the entire scene, move the imported keyframes to the desired location, and then delete the rest of the appended scene?

That seems to be a smart way to get around the “no animation data in buffer to paste”-issue - but I still don’t know how to actually paste the copied keyframes directly onto one target only:

When I select and copy one set of keyframes for one rig in the Dopesheet, and then try to paste that selection onto another rig in the Dopesheet, all keyframes (for a dozen rigs) are pasted.

7

…bump…

Is it really impossible to paste, or otherwise insert, select keyframes in a specific channel in the Dope Sheet (without also pasting them to all other unlocked channels in the project)?

The only way I can see it can be done is this - and this procedure is incredibly timeconsuming:

  1. Copy the desired keyframes in the Dopesheet.
  2. Paste them at the end of the timeline in the Dopesheet (so they don’t overwrite all other existing keyframes in the project)
  3. Delete all the keyframes that are now pasted in all channels by mistake
  4. Move the remaining, pasted keyframes back to their desired location.
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You can filter the keyframes with the magnifying glass (or just box select the ones you want), copy, then move the frame number and paste them. You can copy keyframes from one action to another one assuming the channels already exist, otherwise you’ll have to insert new keyframes on the rig you’re copying to at the first frame.You can also try clicking the arrow icon, that will make sure only the channels on the selected rig are shown.

1 Like
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Thank you so much, Cyaoeu! Clicking the ARROW icon (‘Only include channels, etc.’) solved the problem! Absolutely awesome! :slight_smile: