Timeline Operation - Basic

1

Dock / Undock

Double-click on the caption to dock the panel to the docking place, or undock the panel and make it float above the main program.

2

Display Sub-Tracks

Click this triangle button to show selected sub-tracks.

3

Sub Track

• This track shows the sub tracks when their grouped buttons are pressed down.
• Single-click on the sub track name to select the object to which it belongs to.
• Double-click on the sub track name to select all the data in the track.
• Click the Cross icon beside the sub track name to collapse the track.

4

Main Track

• This track shows the project or an object's name.
• Click the arrow button to select sub track items in the drop-down list, you wish to show / hide on the Timeline.
• Single-click on the name to select the object.

5

Track Menu list

Click the drop-down list and select the items, you wish to show / hide on the Timeline.

6

Object Related Tracks

When you pick an object in the 3D viewer with this button activated, the Timeline will only display the tracks of the picked object.

7

Open Same Track Types

When you pick an object in the 3D viewer with this button activated, the Timeline will display the similar tracks that belong to other objects, which are related to the picked object.

8

Previous and Next Key

• Click these two buttons to snap the play head back to the previous or next key, or the start-frame clip.
• The key or clip will be automatically selected.
• Hotkeys:
  • Next - Tab key
  • Previous - Shift + Tab key
• Simply focusing on the name of the track and executing these two functions can snap the play head to the start / end frame of a clip or to next or previous key or switch.

9

Clip Editing Tools

Click this button to show the clip editing drop-down list.

• Cut: Click the button to cut the target key, or clip, and add into the clipboard.
• Copy: Click on the button, or use hotkey Ctrl + C on selected keys or clips to copy (single or multiple keys).
• Paste: Click on the button, or use hotkey Ctrl + V to paste to the target frame (single or multiple keys).
• Delete: Click on the button or press Delete key to delete highlighted keys or clips.

10

Audio Editing Tools

• Click the Sound button to show a panel to modify the clips on the Sound track.
• Click the Lips Editor button to show a panel to add or modify lip-synched keys on the Lips track.

11

Zoom In / Out
Fit to Window
Actual Size

Click this button to use the tools in the drop-down list to zoom in / out the timeline.

• Click the Zoom In button, or use hotkey "+" (or Alt + Rolling the mouse wheel) to increase the time (cell) unit size.
  
• Click the Zoom Out button, or use hotkey "-" (or Alt + Rolling the mouse wheel) to decrease the time (cell) unit size.
  
• Click the Fit to Window button to view the entire timeline items within the timeline window space.
• Click the Actual Size button to show the time unit represented as 60 frames per second.

12

Current Frame

Click the Current Frame button to snap the timeline view to where the playhead is.

13

Play Back Controls

Refer to the Play Bar section for more information.

14

Current Frame

This field shows the current frame number when you click on the target frame in the timeline. You may also type in the frame number to jump to the target frame. This allows you to go to any precise target location. This is especially convenient for animation with clear timing control.

15

Play Bar Show / Hide

Click this button to show or hide the play bar.

16

Play Head

Drag to move to the desired time frame.

17

Playback / Render Range

Set the two flags to decide the range for playing back or rendering.