You add an Animation clip in Unity primarily through the Animation window after selecting the GameObject you wish to animate.
Adding animation clips allows you to bring your GameObjects to life by defining how their properties change over time. This process is straightforward using Unity's built-in tools.
Steps to Add an Animation Clip
Here is the process based on standard Unity workflows:
- Open the Animation Window:
- In the Menu Bar, select Window > Animation > Animation. This opens the dedicated Animation window, which is essential for creating and editing animation clips.
- Dock the Window (Optional but Recommended):
- For easier workflow, dock the Animation window next to other relevant windows, such as the Project window. You can do this by dragging and dropping the window tab.
- Select Your GameObject:
- In the Scene View or Hierarchy window, select the GameObject you desire to animate. The Animation window will display information (or lack thereof) related to the selected object's animation state.
- Create the Animation Clip:
- In the Animation Window, if the selected GameObject does not have an Animator component or any animation clips assigned, you will see a prompt. Press the Create Animation Clip button.
- Unity will then ask you to name and save the new animation clip asset within your project. Choose a descriptive name and save it in a suitable folder (e.g., an "Animations" folder).
Once the clip is created, an Animator component will automatically be added to the GameObject (if it didn't have one already), and the new clip will be linked, ready for you to start adding animation keyframes.
This fundamental process gets you started with animating objects directly within the Unity editor using its powerful Animation window.
