Tangent modes

You can select a tangent mode for knots that determines how their tangents are calculated.

Knots support the following tangent modes:

• Linear
• Auto
• Bezier

Linear tangent mode

Use the Linear tangent mode to create a spline with straight lines or sharp corners.

The Linear tangent mode sets a knot's tangents to a length of 0 so that they point directly at the preceding and following knots.

In Linear mode, tangents are automatically computed and cannot be directly manipulated in the Scene view.

Auto tangent mode

Use the Auto mode to create splines with smooth curves.

The Auto tangent mode calculates a knot's tangents based on the positions of its preceding and following knots. When you create a new knot on a spline in Auto mode, the preceding knot's segment curve adjusts according to the position of the new knot. If you rotate a knot in Auto mode, its tangents do not rotate with it.

In Auto mode, tangents are automatically computed and cannot be directly manipulated in the Scene view.

Note

The Auto tangent mode creates Catmull-Rom splines.

Bezier tangent mode

Use the Bezier tangent mode to create splines with tangents you can directly manipulate and modify in the Scene view.

You can select the following Bezier modes for knots in the Bezier tangent mode:

• Mirrored
• Continuous
• Broken

Mirrored Bezier mode

Set a knot's tangents to point in opposite directions and have equal lengths.

A knot in Mirrored mode always points to its Out tangent. If you move tangents in Mirrored mode, the parent knot rotates to point to its Out tangent. If you rotate a knot in Mirrored mode, its tangents rotate with it.

Note

For splines with non-uniform scaling, a knot in Mirrored mode might not point to its Out tangent. Non-uniform scaling is when the Scale in a Transform has different values for the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis. For example, a spline with Scale values of (1 , 5, 10) has non-uniform scaling.

If you select a tangent and set it to Mirrored mode, it mirrors the opposite tangent. For example, if you set an Out tangent to Mirrored, the In tangent's length and direction change, but the Out tangent's length and direction do not change.

Continuous Bezier mode

Align a knot's tangents so they always point in opposite directions. The length of tangents in Continuous mode are independent of each other and you can set them to different values.

A knot in Continuous mode always points to its Out tangent. If you move tangents in Continuous mode, the parent knot rotates to point to its Out tangent. If you rotate a knot in Continuous mode, its tangents rotate with it.

Note

For splines with non-uniform scaling, a knot in Continuous mode might not point to its Out tangent. Non-uniform scaling is when the Scale in a Transform has different values for the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis. For example, a spline with Scale values of (1 , 5, 10) has non-uniform scaling.

If you select a tangent and set it to Continuous mode, it aligns with the opposite tangent. For example, if you set an Out tangent to Continuous, the In tangent's direction changes, but the Out tangent's direction does not change.

Broken Bezier mode

Dissociate a knot's tangents from each other. Use the Broken mode to directly manipulate each tangent's length and direction.

If you rotate a knot in Broken mode, its tangents rotate with it.