8. Recording Motion

Recording captures live position data from one or more connected motors while you move them by hand (or by joystick). Contours samples position, speed, and torque at a fixed interval you choose.

Figure 5. The Recording view. Choose which profiles to capture, set the sampling interval, then use Record, Pause, and Stop to capture motion. The live chart lets you see position, speed, and torque as they arrive.

Preparing to record

1. Confirm the motors are connected. The status bar should show Connect All Axes checked.

2. Select the show you want to record into, in the Shows tab.

3. Click Record on the toolbar or right-click the show/profile and choose Record. The Recording view opens.

4. Set the Recording Interval — the time between samples, in milliseconds. The default is 100 ms. Lower intervals give smoother data; higher intervals produce less data and faster playback of the same sequence.

Tip. Start at 100 ms for your first recording. If the result feels coarse, drop to 50 ms. If the file becomes unwieldy, go up to 200 ms. Very fine intervals (below 20 ms) rarely help and make editing slower.

Capturing a performance

1. Click Record to begin capture.

2. Move the motors through the motion you want — with the joystick, by hand (if the motor is back-drivable), or with an external command.

3. Click Pause to stop capturing temporarily without ending the take; click Record again to resume.

4. Click Stop when the performance is complete.

5. Click Save to store the recording into the profile, or Cancel to throw it away.

Reviewing the recording

The Recording view lets you choose which series to watch live on the chart — position, speed, and torque. These toggles only affect the chart; all three are always recorded.

After saving, the new data replaces any existing recorded sample on that profile. The fixed-interval sample (if any) is unaffected — the profile remembers both and can switch between them.