> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.kinemation.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# State Behaviours: Trigger CAS Events from Animator

> Trigger CAS events directly from Animator Controller states — smoothly blend float values or fire procedural step animations on state enter and exit.

CAS **State Behaviours** are Unity `StateMachineBehaviour` components that you attach directly to states in your Animator Controller. They let the Animator drive CAS-specific events — such as smoothly transitioning a float parameter or triggering a procedural step — at the exact moment a state is entered or exited, without needing any code in your character controller. CAS provides two built-in state behaviours: **Set Float** and **Play Step**.

## Set Float

**Set Float** smoothly transitions an Animator float parameter to a target value when a state is entered or exited. It respects the duration of the Animator transition — if the transition takes 0.25 seconds, the float will blend from its current value to the target value over those same 0.25 seconds.

### When to Use It

* Blend a **Weight Override** float property in or out when a locomotion state is entered (for example, enabling a lean modifier as the character breaks into a run).
* Smoothly set an IK weight to zero when the character enters an airborne state, preventing feet from snapping.
* Drive a look-modifier pitch offset to a specific value when a crouching state begins.

### Setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open your Animator Controller">
    In Unity, open the Animator Controller asset and select the state where you want the float change to occur.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the Set Float behaviour">
    In the Inspector, click **Add Behaviour** and select **Set Float** from the CAS category.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure the behaviour">
    Set the **Parameter Name** to the exact name of the float parameter in your Animator Controller, enter the **Target Value** you want the parameter to reach, and choose whether to trigger on **Enter** or **Exit** (or both).
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Because Set Float uses the transition duration as the blend time, transitions with longer durations produce smoother float changes. Pair short transitions with a small target value delta for a snappy response, or use a longer transition for a gradual crossfade.
</Tip>

***

## Play Step

**Play Step** triggers a procedural step from the **Step Modifier** when the attached Animator state is entered or exited. It eliminates foot sliding on state transitions — for example, when moving from a standing idle into a crouching idle, or when ending a turn-in-place animation — without requiring any manual step playback calls in code.

### When to Use It

* Trigger a step when entering a crouching state so the feet re-plant naturally under the new stance.
* Trigger a step when exiting a turning animation so the feet settle after the turn completes.
* Fire a step at the end of a climbing animation so the character's feet do not slide to the final pose.

### Setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Select the target state">
    Open your Animator Controller and select the state that should trigger the step — for example, a Crouch entry state or a Turn Right state.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the Play Step behaviour">
    In the Inspector, click **Add Behaviour** and select **Play Step**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign the Step Modifier settings">
    Drag the **Step Modifier Settings** asset you want to play into the behaviour's **Step Settings** field. CAS includes example step presets under `KINEMATION/CharacterAnimationSystem/Examples/Steps/`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the trigger moment">
    Set whether the step plays on **State Enter** or **State Exit** (or both) depending on when foot sliding occurs in your blend.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Play Step requires a **Step Modifier** to already be present in your Procedural Animation Settings. The behaviour calls `UpdateAnimationModifier` on the **Procedural Animation Component** at runtime — make sure your character has one configured.
</Note>

***

## Triggering Steps Manually in Code

You can also trigger procedural steps from anywhere in your own scripts by calling `UpdateAnimationModifier` directly:

```csharp theme={null}
private ProceduralAnimationComponent _proceduralAnimation;
private StepModifierSettings _stepSettings;

private void PlayProcStep()
{
    _proceduralAnimation.UpdateAnimationModifier(_stepSettings);
}
```

Use this approach for edge cases that are not tied to a specific Animator state — for example, when a physics event or gameplay action should immediately trigger a foot-replanting step.