# Action Centers

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Action Centers are a feature unique to modo that allows users to accurately position elements. They play an important role when modeling geometry, and can also be useful when rigging and animating. Rich covers each type of Action Center preset that modo provides and then goes over what custom options are available. To close Rich explains how Action Centers relate to rigging and setting keyframes.

Users can jump ahead to a specific section by using the Chapter selection widget on the right side of the player or by directly clicking any of the Chapter Title links below.

Tab | Time | Chapter | Description
1 | 00:05 | Definition | Rich explains in detail what an Action Center is and how they work in modo.
2 | 01:47 | Selection | Example of the 'Selection' Action Center.
3 | 02:58 | Sel. Auto Axis | Example of the 'Selection Auto-Axis' Action Center.
4 | 03:50 | Element | Example of the 'Element' Action Center.
5 | 05:18 | Screen | Example of the 'Screen' Action Center.
6 | 06:01 | Origin | Example of the 'Origin' Action Center.
7 | 06:30 | Parent | Example of the 'Parent' Action Center.
8 | 08:40 | Local | Example of the 'Local' Action Center.
9 | 10:06 | Pivot | Example of the 'Pivot' Action Center.
10 | 13:16 | Custom ACs | Rich explains what a custom Action Center is and how to set one up.
11 | 15:45 | Item Transforms | Item Transforms and how they relate to Action Centers.
| 20:24 | Total Video Time |

Frequently Asked Questions--

Q.) What does "HUD" stand for?

> A.) Heads Up Display, it is the term used to refer to the overlaid elements display directly within the viewport.

Q.) There is a little blue cross hair at the center of the manipulator what is that for?

> A.) Its only there for the Automatic Action center and it allows you to click and drag the manipulator into a new position... so you don't have to click down to place it.

Q.) What is a 'norgie'?

> A.) A 'norgie' is a slang term for any UI element that allows for data to be opened or collapsed under it. In modo the 'norgie' is used in the 'Items' list, 'Channels' list and others to expose or collapses related children elements.

Q.) Can you animate something in its "local" space?

> A.) Not directly, no. modo stores all of its transform information in channels that are relative to their parent. If there is no parent then it will be in relation to the world, or origin. You can cheat this however by parenting the item to a locator and orienting it the way you want, then the target item would be able to move "locally".

Q.) When adding a keyframe to the channels in the properties tab the dot changed color to red, what does that mean?

> A.) Red means that there is a keyframe on the current frame, there are a bunch of colors that mean different things. If you hover your mouse cursor over the dot you will get a list of the colors and what they mean. There is more information about keyframes in the modo documentation, and in the 'Keyframes and Dope Sheet' video.

Resources--

Links to the modo in-line help system
Docs: Action Centers

Links to other pages in this training
Training: Parenting and Hierarchies
Training: Pivots and Centers
Training: Keyframes and Dope Sheet
Training: Graph Editor

Files--

Links to the modo scenes used in the video
(click to open in modo)
File: ActionCenters_01.lxo
File: ActionCenters_02.lxo
File: ActionCenters_03.lxo

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