Saving Animations

When you create a rendered animation, the SOLIDWORKS software reviews the model to check for in-context relationships or assembly features. In an animation motion study, in-context references and assembly features might cause parts to change shape.

For example, an assembly feature cut that references a moving component might cause parts to change shape as the cut moves. In-context references might cause parts to change shape as the components to which they are referenced move in the motion study.

You cannot create a video with part shape changes when:

  • Processing with accelerated rendered animation.
  • Using PhotoView 360.
  • Exporting the animation to .lxo files.

If the motion study has part shape changes, the parts maintain their original shapes. If part shape changes are an essential part of the animation, this may be undesirable.

If in-context features or assembly features are in an assembly, the system asks if you want to use accelerated rendered animation processing to process the rendered animation.

Do one of the following:

  • Click Yes if the motion study does not have part shape changes.
  • Click No if the motion study has part shape changes.

You can save any animation created in the MotionManager as a:

  • Microsoft .avi file.
  • MP4 video .mp4 file.
  • Flash video .flv file.
  • Matroska video .mkv file.
  • Series of .jpg files for still images.
  • Series of .bmp files for still images.
  • Series of .tga files for still images.
  • Series of .png files for still images.
  • Series of .tiff files for still images.
  • Luxology scene .lxo (when Renderer is PhotoView 360).
This may result in slow rendering times.

To save animations:

  1. Click Save Animation (MotionManager toolbar).
  2. In the Save Animation to File dialog box:
    • Enter a name for File name.
    • Select a format for Save as type.
    • Select a value for Renderer.
    Unless you have PhotoView 360 installed, only the SOLIDWORKS screen is available as the renderer.
  3. Under Frame Information:
    1. Enter a value for Frames per second (default is 7.5).
    2. Select one of the following:
      • Entire animation
      • Time range to specify a start and end value so that the software saves part of the animation.
      • Single frame to select and save one frame from the animation.
  4. Click Schedule to specify the animation save time.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Adjust values in the Video Compression dialog box and click OK.