Creating Animations

Animation is useful for studying numeric output both directly and visually. You create animations using the built-in variable FRAME. Mathcad can be made to cycle over a range of values for FRAME, and capture the results at each value in a Windows .AVI movie.

Creating an Animation

  1. Use the built-in variable FRAME to define the variable that changes over time in your function and plot definitions, for example

    t := FRAME/10

    Do not define FRAME in your worksheet. You must assign a range for FRAME in the Record Animation dialog box.

  2. Choose Animation > Record from the Tools menu, or click the video camera icon on the Standard toolbar, to open the Record Animation dialog box.

  3. Drag the mouse to surround the area you want animated. You do not have to include all definitions. Anything in the selected area will update and be captured in the movie, including graphs and evaluated results.

  4. Specify the range of FRAME and the speed of the animation in the From, To, and At fields in the Record Animation dialog box.

  5. Click "Animate." As the animation progresses a small thumbnail image appears in the dialog to let you know if it is working correctly.

Hint:

Saving the Animation

Once you've created an animation, you can save it as a Windows .AVI file using the Save As button on the Record Animation dialog box. If necessary, change the compression method used to save files by clicking the Options button in the dialog. Saved animations can be played back inside or outside of Mathcad, so you don't have to recalculate them.

Playing the Animation

Once an animation is created, you the first frame of your animation appears in the Play Animation window. Use the slider if you want to see the animation one frame at a time, or use the controls to play it.

If you wish to play a previously saved animation, choose Animation > Playback from the Tools menu to open the Play Animation window. Click on the folder icon in this window to open any .AVI file.

Notes

Tutorial: Animating 2D Graphs
QuickSheet