Motion Canvas turning Black

Question

Motion Canvas turning Black

Good Evening Again Everyone!

This is a second post regarding the same thing. I thought I had it resolved because I just closed the program, re-opened it and it was fine...but it came back again for the third time and it is becoming a little problematic. I am posting screenshots of the screen controls AND this time I can pinpoint when it happened. I was moving the camera anchor point and it changed from a perfect screen to what you see here.

Original Post:

Another one of my random, hopefully quick questions. (Thank goodness for you guys!)

I'm working along in Motion just great and all of a sudden (I swear I'm not doing anything!!) the screen goes from normal...to this. I save my work often, so if I close Motion and go back in everything is back to normal.

But seriously...has anyone had this happen to them and if so do you know the reason why? Can it be fixed? Thank you!!!

Posted on May 19, 2024 7:12 PM

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Answer 1

fox_m

Level 6

12,595 points

May 22, 2024 7:24 PM in response to Creator_needs_help

What catches my attention is this:

It's in all your screen shots.

What is not outlined is how you are getting there or WHY you're there. Are you selecting it? Do you have a keyboard shortcut set up to set that view?

If you saved your project with this camera view set, then when you reopen the project, it ***might*** open in normal view until it finishes loading, then resets the saved camera view (I don't know -- I'm just guessing...)

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Answer 2

fox_m

Level 6

12,595 points

May 22, 2024 8:23 PM in response to Creator_needs_help

ok...

Whatever that black mess is, it's probably in Group 1 which is a 2D group and no matter what camera angle you're using, it will still be as if there is NO camera in use at all (and that would definitely make things look as you don't expect). If you're using something that blends with your scene in that group, it will definitely not look as expected when you change the camera from "straight on".

OR, does that black mess go away when you change the 3D Object?? Maybe it's part of your turtle model [it looks like it could be something being duplicated... i.e., emitted.]

To change the model:

select a 3D object from the Library; select the original Turtle model and click the Apply button.

That will place the new model into the same group as the original.

Set the Properties and 3D Object Controls to the same as the turtle model.

Select the Emitter Turtle Cell and in the Particle Source drop zone at the bottom, drag the new model you applied to the project to the drop zone to replace the turtle model.

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Answer 3

May 22, 2024 6:48 PM in response to BenB

Yes and no. As I tried to explain, I thought I had resolved it by reopening the Project. But it came back. Since it was thought to be resolved no troubleshooting ever really happened.

If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them and keep them "on tap" to try for when it happens again. I did try to keep the Project open - but had to close and restart it (which fixes the problem - only to come back it seems) in order to keep going. Thank you for answering.

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Answer 4

May 22, 2024 7:36 PM in response to fox_m

Hey Fox_m!

I was in the top view because I was checking out the object to move it a certain way that was best seen using the Top View. (The tutorial had me going there)

Really the only thing I know or can tell you about it is everything looked perfect. Meaning the whole screen was blue with the little turtles in random places. I was moving the anchor point of the camera and all of a sudden this showed up. I cannot recreate it...

I haven't seen it happen again since this last post I think on Sun or Tues. But during the course of two days it happened 3 times. Each time it cleared up when I closed Motion and re-opened the Project.

I just thought if someone else had this random thing happen they could just tell me this is what I did to fix it or I guess maybe that I'm just going crazy...which sometimes I am haha

I could always restart my computer and trash the Preferences and hope for the best. Because from what I've experienced and from what everyone else says here - if you don't know I don't think anyone does!

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Answer 5

May 22, 2024 7:40 PM in response to Creator_needs_help

One more thing I should mention - it didn't happen right away after re-opening. I could work for awhile and everything would be going smoothly and then all of a sudden this black thing would show up in the Canvas.

I never could figure out what I was doing at the time, because it would take me by such surprise. It was only this last time that I could see and remember I was moving the Anchor Pointon the Camera.

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Answer 6

May 22, 2024 8:34 PM in response to fox_m

Ok - Let me try all that when/if it happens again.

I did not change it from 2D to 3D...never even occurred to me to do that. The instructor had us set it up that way so that when orbiting the camera it would always stay still and look like an overall sea background.

But since I will be wanting to do this on my own at some point soon, this information is simply invaluable to me. I have all of this saved in documents on my computer in case for any reason these posts get lost! It really means that much. So seriously Fox_M I don't know how, when or why you find the time to help like this...but thank you!

And have you ever thought about making your own tutorials...not Youtube ones - but real ones? I think you would do really well at it. I know I (and many others here) would want to access them!! :)

Have a great evening!

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Answer 7

fox_m

Level 6

12,595 points

May 23, 2024 11:44 PM in response to Creator_needs_help

And have you ever thought about making your own tutorials...not Youtube ones - but real ones? I think you would do really well at it. I know I (and many others here) would want to access them!! :)

Have a great evening!

I wrote tutorials for awhile. The tutorials were published on fcp.co which is gone now (they can be found on archive.org — but the links to templates I provided are broken along with some images and videos]. That was years ago now (2016/17). I've progressed to the point where I want to keep the more advanced stuff that I learned somewhat proprietary — things I'm pretty sure nobody else knows... even Apple. I need whatever advantage I can get. I've been tempted to spill, but somehow, whenever I drop hints, they go largely ignored... crickets. Anyway... back in the day, being an Apple Certified Trainer was a "thing" — and for the most part, that level of information is... ahem... adequate, for most users. I am *not* an Apple Certified Trainer. Besides, my tutorials tend to degenerate into recipes and are somewhat boring (at least to me...LOL).

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Answer 8

May 27, 2024 7:21 PM in response to fox_m

Well, then I'm just glad you're here. And if you get crickets from me it's because I'm just to lame in this area to recognize a gold nugget-even if it's thrown at me! haha

And yeah - BenB is right. You could write a book. And you wouldn't need to give out all your secrets! I don't put much stock in certificates or being certified in anything. Most of the institutions that "certify" are just racketeers IMHO. Experience, knowledge and results beat a certificate any day...as you are well aware of my friend.

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Answer 9

fox_m

Level 6

12,595 points

May 28, 2024 9:45 AM in response to Creator_needs_help

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I've thought about it, but I don't think I could put together a cohesive progression of topics (chapters). I should just stay with my strengths — and that would be answering questions. Answering questions has actually been *my way* of learning Motion... if that makes any sense...

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