Blender 2.8 How do you have multiple animations in 1 blender file?

Support Animation and Rigging
1

Title says it all. I knew how to do it in previous version, but how is it done it 2.8?

2

It’s a long time since I’ve done any animation but when I did I assigned a fake user to an action in the Action Editor so it wouldn’t disappear when I created a new animation. Seems that is still possible in 2.8

3

Thanks for the reply, however I am not very good when it comes to the actual blender interface and menus. If you wouldn’t mind, could you spell it out for me?

4

Actually your title does not say it all, you should clearify your use case. Are you talking about multiple scenes?

5

Simple example:

  1. Open new Blender file with default cube
  2. Switch to Animation layout (from menu bar along the top)
  3. Change the Dope Sheet (bottom panel) to Action Editor using the dropdown there
  4. Select cube and hit I key, then click Location to insert a keyframe on frame 1
  5. In timeline move playhead along (say to 50)
  6. Move cube along x axis some distance
  7. Hit I key to insert new keyframe (choose Location again)
  8. Now you have an animation probably called CubeAction. Use play button on timeline to try it out
  9. Hit the shield icon next to the Action name to create a fake user.
  10. Hit double page icon next to that to create new (duplicate) action, probably called CubeAction.001
  11. Return cube to start (origin)
    12 Delete the key on Frame 50 or whatever you used (box select and x key)
    13.Move playhead to frame 50 again
    14 Drag cube along the y axis this time
    15 Insert Location key

You now have 2 animation, one a movement along x and the other a movement along y. Select one of them in the action editor name dropdown and play.

If you didn’t add a fake user to the first animation it would vanish when you create the new one.

Note, my animation experience is many years old. There may well be better ways to do this now but noone else seems to be suggesting any yet.

5 Likes
6

Just launched a new add-on which saves your animations in different version in one blend file, like?
Check it out here.

7

I followed your process, but this happened,

  1. I animate arm only for the 1st action editor, shielded it and create a new action
  2. I animate leg only for the 2nd action editor, shielded it
  3. I go back to check my arm animation but the leg pose from the 2nd animation is applying on my 1st animation which i didn’t animate it for my 1st action editor

Could anyone tell me what I did wrong?