While using hair, invariably my machine begins calculating dynamics or something, and I must wait and wait and wait and wait for it to finish before I can continuing work. I didn't want it to calcluate anything. But it happend, and usually at least a minute into my animation. D'oh. Usuallly this occurs after a "circularity" error, which I get about once every 2 minutes (almost constantly) while working with hair. Is there a "please, for the love of all that is good and holy please stop!" button - or anything I can do once this happens? I don't think I've ever used hair without shutting down A:M through control-alt-delete several times. Any suggestions? I'm trying to make pretty grass, and I just wonder if I need DeepBlue to finish.

Turn OFF dynamic options in the hair material (found in the Hair system attributes of the hair material) - or turn OFF hair (Shift + 8) while working

is there a way to turn of calculations once they get started? Like a escape. At times I add a new camera in a chor and when I go to it if I forget to turn off hair it starts to calculate. So far I have not found a way. Thanks in advance

Normaly what i do is just never mess with hair options in the choreography, also i never animate with "show hair/particl"e on. baisicly done't do anthing hair realated in the choreography. once you done with every thing, you can turn it back on and take a look at every thing. if somethings wrong TURN HAIR BACK OFF.

Yes, I think you're right, Mage & Nancy. I just need to get into the habit of turning off my hair - and keeping it off until I really need to see what's going on. It's a workflow change that I need to make. Thanks for the good thoughts.

Not that I've found. When I make that terrible blunder and the calculations start I just mentally kick myself for forgetting to turn hair off and go to the coffee room.

Rusty

Rusty,
That is exactly what I do.

I agree it looks like I will need to start turning off camera render option for emitters in projects and when ready turn them back on. Is this one of those "There is no spoon" moments?