Simple animation issues

Hi,

I have a few beginner animation issues / questions where the first is most critical to me.
Please help if you can

Background :
I have a prefab called "Tile" and there will be many instances of it in the game.
I've put one instance in the Hierarchy to build the animations on it.
I'm trying to have 2 simple animations of that tile - one that moves to the right and another to the left.
I do not yet know if I'll need to use the anchored position of the tile or just the position, so my plan is to test with both animations set to position and then with both set to anchored position.

Issue 1:
When I created the "left" animation, I was somehow able to get the "Tile : position" property of a Tile (see screenshot).
When I tried to create the "right" animation, I can't add that property in any way I can think of.
I can only get into Rect Transform and get "Tile : position (Z)" or "Tile:anchored position".
How can I get the "Tile : position" in the right animation?

Issue 2:
I thought a solution to issue 1 was to copy the "left" state, but then I need to create a new animation file to attach to it, thus not getting the "Tile : position" copied..
Can I just copy the "SwapLeftAnimation.anim" file and call it "SwapRightAnimation.anim", and then have this solved?

Issue 3:
My Tile is a prefab. I would rather do animations on it as a prefab, but I understand animations need to be done on instances only.. is that correct or am I missing something?

Thanks in advance
Booga. Freak.

 

I'm having the exact same issue, in an even simpler case, isolated it to this:

https://forum.unity.com/threads/how-to-use-animator-and-animation-like-motion-graphics.533640/

Like you, I've used a lot of other software. Yet have never seen anything like this convoluted disaster of missed opportunities to design workflows with consideration of the work and workers. It's as if the creators didn't use any other software, ever. And turned off all empathy for users, too.

Plus, they seem to have wiped the word "discoverability" from their dictionaries.

Stunning achievement; undesign personified.

 

I have just watched this:

It's not the greatest of videos and has nothing particularly specific to our way of thinking, and you'll need to transpose UI thinking to whatever you're trying to animate...but... it's the closest thing to insight into the ONLY way to use this farking "animation" editor.

I've also just realised their naming conventions are english-as-a-second-language special.

Animation Window is a modal clip editor, of sorts.

Timeline is a half baked (or less) effort at making a compositor.

 

glad to know I'm not alone at this.. I will watch this video, get into this matter and have a second go at animation once I gather some time.

If anyone has other answers, feel free to chip in.

 

I'm still struggling. The video hasn't nearly solved all my problems. So, if you find anything at all, or even remotely helpful, please share.

I'm getting desperate. Even considering using Playmaker

 

@ Can I just copy the "SwapLeftAnimation.anim" file and call it "SwapRightAnimation.anim", and then have this solved?

do it like this (to duplicate an animation):
1. create a new animation
2. copy the old one over the new one

so you'll have the transform positions, keyframes etc of the old one, and can choose/edit in the animation window

 

@ would rather do animations on it as a prefab, but I understand animations need to be done on instances only

you can choose anything under the root transform and animate it

 

Yey!! Thanks a lot Dibdab! That worked, so I have my animations.
I'm still a bit frustrated, although this is a good workaround for me.

Why can't I just get to the root transform when adding properties??
(I yearn to reach the state in the screenshot you just posted)
I've tried to put the instance anywhere in the hierarchy, but I can only see the RectTransform, not Transform.
If I try on the prefab, I get no options to add properties at all.
If I didn't have my working animation to copy, I'd still be lost. But I'm not, so that's comforting

Booga.