The Timeline

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The Timeline

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With the help of Timeline you coordinate the timing of your images, texts, sounds and videos. This way you can display different elements one after the other, simultaneously or time-shifted.

Empty Timeline

Empty Timeline in Premium

When you start the program or create a new project, you will find a Chapter object at Timeline that allows you to start directly with several tracks. You can define how many tracks the start chapter has under Extras / Program settings / Timeline / Chapter tracks.

There are specially marked Permanent tracks in this start chapter. You can read more about this in the chapter Properties of objects: Chapter.

To learn how to work with multiple tracks, refer to the chapter Multiple tracks.

Timeline

Timeline with multiple tracks (Ultimate)

1 Timeline - Enlarge or reduce view

In the lower right corner there are two small sliders, one vertical and the other horizontal. With these you can set how high or how wide the objects are displayed in the Timeline.
The magnifying glass icon at the very bottom right restores the default Timeline zoom.

You can also zoom in or out of the view in the Timeline using the mouse wheel.

Change width:  ctrl key  +  mouse wheel 

Change height:  shift key  +  ctrl key  +  mouse wheel 
 

2 The background track

At the top of Timeline you can see the background track. It shows the overall context of your project and helps to see what the background looks like at the start of an object located in the Timeline.

The background track calculation indirectly helps to see older objects left lying around when playing "from here" in the layout designer, which are not actively drawn at the selected playback position.

You can influence the height of this track at its lower edge. Change the height of the background track by moving the mouse over its lower edge until a small double arrow appears. Now drag the background track larger or smaller while holding down the mouse button. You can also close the background track in this way.

3 In der Timeline navigieren

At the bottom of Timeline you will find a scroll bar for longer projects, with which you can scroll horizontally in your project. The following buttons also help you navigate or navigate to objects in the Timeline:

Btn_Navigation_Start
Btn_Navigation_End

Jump to beginning / Jump to end (button active only if Timeline-beginning/Timeline-end is not visible on the screen).

Btn_Navigation_StartChapter
Btn_Navigation_EndChapter

Jump to the beginning of the chapter / Jump to the end of the chapter.

Btn_Navigation_Object

Jump to the selected object.

Btn_Navigation_Playhead

SetPlayhead to the stop position of the Players.

Btn_Navigation_GotoChapter

 Stages  Jump to chapter or Flexi-Collage. Selection is made via list.

You can also navigate in the Timeline with the help of the mouse wheel:

Horizontal navigation:  mouse wheel 

Vertical navigation:  shift key  +  mouse wheel 

 
If there is a large number of objects in the Timeline, it is convenient to choose a smaller display to get a better overview.
For a better overview, you can collapse open chapter objects or Flexi-Collages . To do this, use the small Minus icon located at the top left of each object that allows tracks.

4 Symbols on the Timeline  Ultimate   Stages 

On the left side of Timeline you will find the following icons that support your work in Timeline:

TLBr_RemoveMarkers_Ult

Removes all Timeline markers.

TLBr_OpenContainer_Ult

Open all containers (chapters and Flexi-Collages).

TLBr_CloseContainer_ult

Close all containers (chapters and Flexi-Collages).

TLBr_Into_Container_Ult

Combine selection in a container (chapter, Flexi-Collage or  Stages  3D scene).

TLBr_Remove_Container_Ult

Remove the enclosing container (chapter, Flexi-Collage or  Stages  3D scene).

TLBr_OpenKeyframeTracks
TLBr_CloseKeyframeTracks

 Stages  Open / close all keyframe tracks.

TLBr_Horizontal
TLBr_Vertical
TLBr_Stepwise

 Stages  Arrange selected objects horizontally / vertically / in steps.

Stages users can find more symbols and special functions described in the Working with Keyframes section.

5 Symbols on objects in the Timeline

The Timeline also shows you which effects, animations, etc. are assigned to the objects. You can see this by the small symbols that are displayed on the respective object in the Timeline. The following symbols are available:
 

Timeline_Icon_TransitionTransition

Timeline_Icon_BitmapFXImage effect

Timeline_Icon_MovementPathMovement path

Timeline_Icon_TextText without animation

Timeline_Icon_TextAnimationText with animation

Timeline_Icon_CameraPanCamera pan

Timeline_Icon_VideoVideo file

Timeline_Icon_SoundFile contains sound

Timeline_Icon_TransparencyTransparency

6 Play "from here" with the Playhead

Playhead

Playhead shows playback position

In the Timeline there is a vertical line that allows you to set the playback position. This line is called "Playhead". At the top of the Playheads you will find two icons that serve you as editing tools (more about this in the chapter Editing videos).

Drag the Playhead or click the mouse in the Timeline to the point from where you want to start the preview and then click the "From Here" button.

You can influence the behavior of Playheads under Tools / Program settings / Timeline / Behavior.

Settings for Timeline

Settings for Timeline

Under Extras / Program settings / Timeline you can make further configurations of the Timeline.

Here you can change the snap-in behavior and the display in the Timeline. To save space in the Timeline, you can remove the checkmark from "Use large placeholder tracks". This will cause the "Drag here to create new track" hint in chapter objects and Flexi-Collagen to be displayed only minimized.

If you want to place an object directly under another object or at a specific time, the snap behavior can help you position objects accurately.

7 Markings in the Timeline

Timeline with marking

Timeline with marking

Press the  Shift  key and click on the Timeline (see picture on the left). A red line appears, which you can move by holding down the mouse button. The line goes across your inserted objects and the background music track.

You can also set markers while the project is currently running as a preview in the Layout designer. Always press the  spacebar  at the time you want to insert a marker.
If you want to delete a line, just right-click on it. To delete all markers at once, click Remove all Timeline markers in project or click the corresponding button on the left side of Timeline in SlideShow Ultimate and Stages.

The markers have a magnetic effect and help you align your images in multiple Timeline tracks or match them to music bars.