TOPIC LOCATION:     `Stage Editor`;     `Object Menu (Stage)`

PRECEDING TOPIC:    `Actor Channel`
FOLLOWING TOPIC:    `Actor (Light)`

VISUAL DEMONSTRATION AVAILABLE:    `(S)_Cycle_Actor.demo`

           "How to add a Cycle Editor object into an animation"

* (Make sure CAMERA VIEW is selected from the Stage Editor's Display Menu)

Normal Object
Normal Object first displays a file requester that prompts you to`load`an
object file.  Once the object is successfully loaded, the object file info
requester is displayed.  This requester allows you to set:

Start\End Frame
Start\End Frame represents the animation frames in which an actor exists.
Changing these numbers will automatically adjust the actor`timelines`for
this object.

Filename
Filename displays the complete directory path and filename for the object.
You may later change this if the object file was moved to a different
location.

Number of cycles to perform
This value is for use with objects that were created with the 
`Cycle Editor`.  It sets the number of cycles that a cycle object will
perform between the object's start and end frame.  Suppose you created a
cycle object of a walking man which consisted of a 10 frame walking cycle.
Lets say the object's start frame is 1 and its end frame is 20; for a total
of 20 frames.  The number of cycles should then be set to 2 so that two
cycles are performed to evenly fit within the range.  Usually, you should
divide the actors total range of frames by the number of frames in the
cycle to get a value that will provide even animation.  Even if the number
of frames in the objects cycle does not evenly divide into the frame range,
Imagine will automatically re-`tween`the cycle object so that it will
still play for the number of cycles that you enter.  If the number of
cycles is set to 0, the first frame of the cycle will be repeated over the
objects range of frames.

Initial cycle phase (0.0..1.0)
This value is for use with objects that were created with the 
`Cycle Editor`.  It is a value from 0 to 1.  It sets the starting frame for
a cycle object.  For example, if you want to a cycle object to start its
motion half way into its cycle of frames, you would enter .5 .  Typically,
you should divide the number of the frame you want to start at by the total
number of frames in a cycle ( to start at frame 2 in a 10 frame cycle =
2\10 = .2).

Reverse cycle motion
This value is for use with objects that were created with the 
`Cycle Editor`.  Selecting this option causes the object to play its cycle
backwards.
     
Transition frame count
The Transition Frame Count value is used to morph one object into another.
Morphing objects requires that both objects are composed of an equal number
of points.  Morphing is achieved by adding an actor so that it exists in
one frame (for example, lets say frame 1).  The second actor is added on
the same actor control line for frames 2 thru the last frame; let's say our
last frame is 20.  To create a smooth transition, we would enter 18 for the
transition frame count.  Typically, a smooth transition is achieved by
subtracting 2 from the total number of frames in the transition.  Lower
numbers create more abrupt changes.

