5.5

321Motion User Guide
Throw behavior in Motion
The Throw behavior is the simplest way to set an object in motion. Controls let you adjust
the speed and direction of a single force that’s exerted on the object at the first frame of
the behavior. After this initial force is applied, the object continues drifting in a straight line
at the same speed, for the duration of the Throw behavior.
A simple example of using the Throw behavior is to send a series of offscreen objects
moving across the screen. When used in conjunction with other behaviors such as Grow/
Shrink and Fade In/Fade Out, you can create sophisticated moving elements without
keyframing a single parameter.
The Throw behavior is also useful when you’re moving an object through a simulation.
For example, you might move the object past other objects that have Attractor or Repel
behaviors applied to them. Because the Throw behavior only applies a single force to move
the target object at the initial frame of the behavior, any other behaviors that interact with
the target object have potentially greater influence over its motion.
Important: The Throw behavior does not apply a continuous force, nor can you create
changes in direction or speed, because Throw cannot be keyframed. To create keyframed
changes in direction or speed, use the Wind behavior. To create a more complex animation
path, use the Motion Path behavior.
Adjust this behavior using the controls in the Behaviors Inspector:
• Affect Subobjects: A checkbox, available when this behavior is applied to an object
that contains multiple child objects, such as a group, a particle emitter, a replicator, or
a text layer. When this checkbox is selected, all objects enclosed in the parent object
are affected individually. When this checkbox is deselected, all objects enclosed in the
parent object are affected by the behavior together.
• Increment: A pop-up menu that sets how the behavior’s effect progresses over its
duration in the Timeline. There are two choices:
• Continuous Rate: Sets the speed of the object at a steady number of pixels per
second, specified in the Throw Velocity parameter.
Note: When the canvas displays a nonsquare pixel image, the vertical rate is in pixels
per second, and the horizontal rate is the perceptual equivalent.
• Ramp to Final Value: Moves the object from its original position to the specified
distance (in pixels) in the Throw Distance parameter.
• Throw Velocity/Throw Distance: A slider that sets either velocity or distance, depending
on the setting in the Increment pop-up menu. When Increment is set to Continuous
Rate, the Throw Velocity slider sets a continuous speed for the object to move in X, Y,
or Z space. When Increment is set to Ramp to Final Value, the Throw Distance slider
sets a total distance (in pixels) for the object to travel in X, Y, and Z space over its
duration. The standard slider is limited to 100 pixels. Use the value slider to enter values
greater than 100.