How to use freeze points properly?

[EricTheFish]

I'm using Moho 12.5. I'm trying to understand the "Freeze Points" functionality under the Draw Menu, the docs don't really explain this feature and I can't find anything on the forum.

I'm on frame 20 and I've tried "freezing" some points on a shape and I get keyframes added, but the points are still able to be moved about. I thought they would be frozen in place when a shape is moved or something?

Can anyone please explain how this feature should work?

Thanks

[Greenlaw]

'Freezing' means keyframing, it does not mean the points will be 'locked' and made unmovable.

Freezing can apply to bones or points, and it's mainly used to hold a pose, position, or shape across multiple frames. There are other reasons to freeze selected items but holding is probably the most common usage.

Exactly what are you trying to do?

[Greenlaw]

If you want to move a shape, it usually makes sense to transform or deform the layer the shape is in. Transforming the points in a shape inside a layer isn't the same as Transforming the layer. In other words, moving the points is changing the drawing, not moving it.

Transforming a layer is done using the Transform Layer tool. Deforming the contents of a layer is done using Bones, a Mesh layer, or using the Follow Path tool.

FYI, this is why texture fills don't don't move or deform when you transform points. To make the texture move with the shape, you need to transform the layer, or use bones or mesh warps to deform the drawing.

I hope that makes sense.

[EricTheFish]

Ah! Thank you for clearing that up. I was just experimenting in order to understand the various options and tools available in Moho.

Probably got confused because the options are under the Draw menu. The Freeze options under Bones make immediate sense.

Thanks again for the fast response. Much appreciated!

[Greenlaw]

Sure. Just to be clear, there's nothing wrong with moving a shape's points to make it appear 'move' within the layer--there are times when you really want that.

It's just important to understand that there is a difference with the methods and some effects will be applied differently. For example, Motion Blur works when you animate the layer with the shape (directly or with bones) but it will not when you animate the points of the shape. This is because in the second case, Moho doesn't see this animation as 'motion'. In other words, one method affects physical position of the shape and the other affects the appearance of the shape.

Hope that helps. It will make a lot more sense once you start creating your own rigs and animating them.