Timeline
The timeline is the central hub for managing frames in your ASCII Motion animations. It provides comprehensive undo/redo support and multi-frame selection capabilities.
Timeline Overview
The timeline panel appears at the bottom of the editor and shows:
- Frame thumbnails arranged horizontally
- Current frame indicator (highlighted)
- Frame numbers and durations
- Selection highlights for multi-frame operations
Frame Operations
Adding Frames
- Click the + button in the timeline
- Use keyboard shortcut N for new frame
- New frames are added after the current frame
Deleting Frames
Warning
Deleting frames cannot be undone in some cases. Consider duplicating your project before major deletions.
- Select frame(s) and press Delete or Backspace
- Right-click → Delete Frame
- With multi-selection: Delete Range removes all selected
Reordering Frames
Rearrange frames by dragging:
Click and hold on a frame thumbnail
Drag to the new position in the timeline
Release to drop the frame
Use Ctrl+Z to undo if needed
Multi-Frame Selection
Selection Methods
| Method | Action |
|---|---|
| Click | Select single frame |
| Shift+Click | Extend selection to clicked frame |
| Ctrl/Cmd+Click | Toggle frame in selection |
| Ctrl/Cmd+A | Select all frames |
| Escape | Clear selection |
Batch Operations
With multiple frames selected:
- Duplicate Range - Creates copies of all selected frames
- Delete Range - Removes all selected frames
- Reorder Range - Drag the selection to move all frames together
- Copy - Copy frame content for pasting
Undo/Redo System
Info
ASCII Motion provides comprehensive undo/redo for all timeline actions, not just drawing operations.
Supported Undo Actions
The timeline tracks these operations for undo:
- Frame addition and deletion
- Frame duplication
- Frame reordering
- Frame duration changes
- Multi-frame batch operations
- Copy/paste operations
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl/Cmd+Z | Undo last action |
| Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+Z | Redo |
| Ctrl/Cmd+Y | Redo (alternative) |
Frame Duration
Each frame can have its own display duration:
Click on a frame to select it
Locate the duration field in the frame properties
Enter time in milliseconds (e.g., 100ms = 10 FPS)
Press Enter to apply
Common Duration Values
| Duration | Effective FPS | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| 1000ms | 1 FPS | Very slow, dramatic |
| 250ms | 4 FPS | Slow, deliberate |
| 100ms | 10 FPS | Standard animation |
| 67ms | 15 FPS | Smooth animation |
| 33ms | 30 FPS | Very smooth |
Navigation
Keyboard Navigation
- Left Arrow - Previous frame
- Right Arrow - Next frame
- Home - First frame
- End - Last frame
- Space - Play/Pause animation
Quick Jump
- Click directly on any frame thumbnail
- Use the frame number input field
- Scroll the timeline to see more frames
Tips & Best Practices
Info
Pro Tip: Use Shift+Click to quickly select frame ranges, then duplicate for creating smooth transitions between keyframes.
- Keep animations under 60 frames for best performance
- Use consistent frame durations for even pacing
- Group related frames with multi-selection for batch editing
- Save frequently - use Ctrl/Cmd+S