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Timeline Editor

Animation Timeline Editor

The "Animation Timeline" panel is used to graphically view and edit the properties' values and the key frames' sequence times of an animated property. The editing can only be done on the user defined animated properties. The template animated properties can only be viewed.

The left column of the "Animation Timeline" panel of the main view of the application contains the selected animation and its animated properties.

Timeline

In the Timeline section of Animation Timeline panel,

  • user defined animated properties are depicted on a black background, and 
  • template defined animated properties are depicted on a gray background. 

A key frame is represented by

  • a green rectangle which is positioned depending on its sequence time. 
  • A selected frame is represented by a red rectangle. 

Time is displayed in the header of the table in the form of a ruler.

  • The red bar represents graphically the current time of the animation 
  • First text box on the upper right of the panel represents the current time textually. Changing the value of this text box will move the red bar at the specified time, while animated properties will be updated according to the configured animation values for that point in time. 

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1
Current Time of Animation 2

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Buttons to Increase or Decrease the Time Scale Button 3

06_timeline_editor_2c.PNG            Decrease Time Scale Button

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"Fit to Size" Button 4

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Maximum Time
  • To increase the scale of the time ruler, press the "+" button on the upper right of the panel. 
  • To decrease the scale of the time ruler, press the "-" button on the upper right of the panel. 
  • To make the time ruler fit to the size of the panel, press the "<>" button on the upper right of the panel. 
  • The maximum time of the time ruler can be edited in the last text box on the upper right of the panel. 

Edit Key Frame Values

There are following options to edit a key frame value:

Double click on the red or green rectangle representing the key frame to open the "Edit Values" dialog:

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On a selected key frame, use the gizmos available in the Scene Editor to modify the animated property graphically.

For a selected key frame, all animated properties are displayed in the "Properties" panel and animation values can be modified there:

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Alternatively, switch to the Curve Editor by double-clicking on the animated property in the Animation Timeline panel to manipulate key frames by editing the animation value curve. Curve Editor can also be activated by using the context menu item "Show Curve Editor" on a selected animated property.

Add, Clone, Move, or Delete Key Frames

To insert, clone, or delete a key frame at the current time position, use the context menu of the selected key frame in the Timeline Editor:

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ToKey moveframes acan certainbe keymoved frameby dragging them along the timeline. Alternatively, the context menu shouldcan be used. At the right click, the context menu "moveMove marker"Selected Keyframe" will give the possibility to choose the desired time value. When double clicking a key frame in both "Animation Timeline" and "Animation Value", the marker will be instantly moved atto this key. At the same time, the timeslider can be moved by using "Move marker to selected keyframe" option from the context menu of any keyframe available in "Animation Timeline" or "Animation Values" panels.

Refer to section Animation Editing Modes for a descriptions of helpers available for modifying key frame sequences.

Change an Animated Transformable

If it is required to apply the configured animated property to another transformable, use the context menu "Transformable..." on the selected animated property. A "Choose Item" dialog will appear which allows to select another transformable from the scene tree.

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Delete an Animated Property

To delete an animated property of the currently selected animation, select it in the left tree and hit the "Delete" menu item of its context menu.

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Rename or Delete an Animation

Rename or delete an animation in Timeline Editor by using the context menu of the selected animation:

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Filter the Visibility of Animated Properties

The user has the possibility to select certain animated properties and enter a special editing mode in which only those animated properties are visible in the Animation Timeline, Animation Values and Curve Editor panels.

06_timeline_editor_9.PNG  Filter button in Animation Timeline panel

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By pressing the button near the animation name in the Animation Timeline panel, only the animated properties that were previously selected are visible. 


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