Timeline
The timeline is the central hub for managing layers, content frames, keyframes, and effects. It appears at the bottom of the editor.
Timeline Overview
Ruler
The ruler at the top of the track area displays frame numbers. Click anywhere on the ruler to seek the playhead to that frame.
Playhead
The vertical playhead line shows the current frame. It advances during playback and can be repositioned by clicking the ruler or using frame navigation shortcuts.
Zoom & Scroll
- Zoom: Ctrl+scroll or use the zoom slider in the footer
- Scroll: Horizontal scroll to pan across the timeline
- Base resolution is 12px per frame, scaled by zoom level
Layer Management
Adding Layers
Click the + button in the layer list header to add a new layer. New layers are created above the active layer.
Layer Controls
Each layer row in the list provides:
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Eye icon | Toggle visibility |
| S button | Toggle solo mode |
| Lock icon | Toggle edit lock |
| Delete | Remove the layer |
| Expand/collapse | Show/hide property tracks and effect tracks |
Reordering Layers
Drag layers in the layer list to change z-order. The list is displayed top-to-bottom with the highest layer at the top (opposite of render order, matching standard compositing conventions).
Layer Properties
- Opacity: 0–100%, set in the layer properties panel
- Rename: Double-click the layer name to edit
Content Frame Operations
Content frames appear as colored blocks in the track area.
Adding Frames
- Click + in the timeline toolbar to add a new content frame after the current frame
- New frames default to 1 frame duration with empty canvas data
Selection
| Method | Action |
|---|---|
| Click | Select a single content frame (purple highlight) |
| Shift+Click | Select a range of content frames |
Resizing
Drag the left or right edge of a content frame block to change its duration. The adjacent frame boundary is validated to prevent overlap.
Repositioning
Drag a content frame block to move it to a new position on the timeline. Auto-slot-snapping aligns the frame to available gaps.
Cross-Layer Drag
Drag a content frame from one layer's track to another layer's track to move it between layers.
Splitting
Split a content frame at the playhead position — the frame is divided into two frames at that point, each containing the appropriate canvas data.
Duplicating
Duplicate a content frame — the copy is placed immediately after the original.
Hiding
Toggle a content frame's visibility. Hidden frames are skipped during playback and export but remain in the project.
Label Colors
Assign label colors to content frames for visual organization. Right-click a frame to access label color options.
Work Area
The work area constrains playback to a sub-range of the timeline:
Timecode Format
The timeline footer includes a timecode format selector:
| Format | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Frames | 24 | Raw frame number |
| Seconds | 1.50 | Decimal seconds |
| Timecode | 01:12 | SS:FF format |
| Milliseconds | 1500 | Total milliseconds |
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| , (comma) | Previous frame |
| . (period) | Next frame |
| Shift+, | Jump to first frame |
| Shift+. | Jump to last frame |
| Space | Play/Pause |
| U | Expand/collapse selected layer tracks |
| Ctrl+N | Add new content frame |
| Ctrl+D | Duplicate selected content frame(s) |
| Ctrl+Delete | Delete selected content frame(s) |
Tips
- Use label colors to visually group related content frames across layers
- Expand layers to see and edit property tracks and effect tracks inline
- The work area is useful for iterating on a specific section of your animation
- Cross-layer drag makes it easy to reorganize content between layers