You import and add animation events directly within Unity's Animation Import Settings for your imported animation clips.
Animation events are a powerful feature in Unity that allow you to trigger functions in your scripts at specific points during an animation sequence. This is crucial for synchronizing actions like playing sound effects, spawning particles, or dealing damage precisely when an animation reaches a certain frame.
According to the provided reference: "Animation events can be attached to imported animation clips in the Animations tab of the Animation Import Settings. These events allow you to add additional data to an imported clip which determines when certain actions should occur in time with the animation."
Steps to Add Animation Events
While you don't "import" events as separate files, you add them to animations that have been imported into your project. Here's the process:
- Select Your Model: In the Unity Project window, click on the model file that contains the animation clip you want to modify.
- Open Import Settings: In the Inspector window, you'll see the Import Settings for the model. Click the Model tab, then locate and click on the Animations tab. This is where you manage the animation clips extracted or included in the model file.
- Select the Animation Clip: In the list of animation clips shown in the Animations tab, select the specific clip you want to add events to.
- Open the Event Editor: Scroll down within the selected clip's settings to find the timeline preview. Below the timeline, there is usually a button or area dedicated to Animation Events. Click this area (or the "Events" button if available) to expand the animation event editor.
- Add an Event: Move the playback head (the vertical line) on the timeline to the exact frame or time where you want the event to occur. Click the Add Event button (often represented by a small icon like a marker or '+' sign). A small marker will appear on the timeline at that point.
- Configure the Event:
- Select the event marker you just added.
- In the Inspector (or the event details area below the timeline), you can define the Function name that should be called in a script attached to the animated GameObject when this event is hit.
- You can also pass an Argument to the function (e.g., an integer, float, string, or object reference) depending on the function's parameters.
Why Use Animation Events?
As the reference states, animation events allow you to "add additional data to an imported clip which determines when certain actions should occur in time with the animation." This is incredibly useful for:
- Sound Effects: Play a footstep sound exactly when a character's foot hits the ground.
- Visual Effects: Spawn dust particles during a heavy impact or muzzle flash during a shooting animation.
- Game Logic: Deal damage at the precise moment a weapon connects, activate a collider for a brief attack duration, or change a character's state.
- Synchronization: Keep different elements (audio, visual, logic) perfectly in sync with the animated movement.
By using animation events, you keep your animation logic tied directly to the animation asset itself within the Unity editor, simplifying debugging and synchronization compared to trying to guess timings in separate scripts.
Key Areas in Import Settings
| Setting Area | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Model Tab | Basic model import settings (scale, units, etc.) |
| Rig Tab | Configures the avatar/rig for humanoid or generic animations |
| Animations Tab | Manages animation clips, looping, events, and compression settings |
| Materials Tab | Handles how materials are imported and used from the source file |
Adding animation events is done exclusively within the Animations Tab for the specific clip you want to modify. Remember to hit Apply at the bottom of the Import Settings window after adding or changing events to save your changes.
