i forgot about this one ..is was going to put in a suggestion about it. ( see bottom )
ok now back to the problem at hand...
if the path is in a place where the camera can't see it...then what do you do?
you have a few choices,
viewing through one camera
1. select the preview box at the top right and add a camera, preview cameras can't move on a path or be animated,
2. so in camera 01 view, move the camera around to where you can see any part of the path ( not just the end ) and pick the path and the camera will snap to it.
3. then in the position window place 0.00 for the first keyframe.
4. then move the camera ( you can still rotate the camera even if you are snapped to the path) until you see the avatar and pick the look at target at the first keyframe as well. (what if you can't see your target at frame 1 and position 0.00 see method 2 )
5. then in the last keyframe set the position to 100.
6. hit play.
method 2 through the preview camera
1. add a new camera (camera 01) through the preview camera modify panel.
2. move the preview camera so you can see camera 01 and select it.
3. in the top right modify panel click off the selected cam option. ( now you are viewing through the preview camera but you have the camera 01 options.)
4. move the preview camera until you see the path. now pick path, the camera will snap it the path.
5. set the position to 0.00 at the first frame.
6. ( still on frame one) setting look at... now if you don't see the target, move the preview around until you do see it. ( or select it on the scene manager's list and hit home, the preview camera will be moved for you ) and select the target ( because you still have the select cam option on you are telling camera 01 to look at the target )
7. move the timeline to the last keyframe and set the position to 100
8. hit play
..." my suggestion or wish list idea"
in the camera modify page where it said pick path have a drop down list of all the paths in the scene, like the timeline drop down list.
hope that helps
steve