So I've got two seconds of cool animation and I decided I want to put something else before the beginning of what I have. I need to slide the whole timeline to the right by 2 seconds to make room for a new 2 seconds of animation to come before what I have.
Is there any way this can be done?
I could cut and paste, but what happens to changes that don't show in the timeline like layer opacity and fill color changes? Do they get copied even if they are not visible in the timeline?
Thanks,
--gary
Inserting extra emprty frames before the beginning?
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
0) Save your work!
1) Go to frame 1. Menu->Animation->Copy Current Frame:
-Copy entire document = checked
-Copy to frame = 1.
2) Menu->Animation->Rescale keyframes:
-Rescale entire document = checked
-Start frame = 1
-End frame = last keyframe's frame +1 (important!)
-New Start frame = 1 + SHIFT AMOUNT
-New End frame = last keyframe's frame +1 (important!) + SHIFT AMOUNT
Alternative solution: Plan your animation better.
-G
1) Go to frame 1. Menu->Animation->Copy Current Frame:
-Copy entire document = checked
-Copy to frame = 1.
2) Menu->Animation->Rescale keyframes:
-Rescale entire document = checked
-Start frame = 1
-End frame = last keyframe's frame +1 (important!)
-New Start frame = 1 + SHIFT AMOUNT
-New End frame = last keyframe's frame +1 (important!) + SHIFT AMOUNT
Alternative solution: Plan your animation better.
-G
Genete:
I tried this 4 times now and it just seems to break everything in the animation.
I don't understand what it does to copy frame 1 to frame 1. Isn't frame 1 already at frame 1? I don't understand.
Also, when I try Copy Current Frame with Copy Entire Document checked and copy it to some other frame number, It does NOT copy anything except frame 1. It certainly does not copy the entire document.
Seems like there should be a simple menu command "Insert Frames Here" with a dialog to ask you how many frames to insert. Oh well.
Anyway, I got the extra frames in by using copy and paste on every layer.
I noticed that if you copy key frames from the timeline and then delete them before pasting there is nothing to paste. It doesn't actually copy the key frames to the clipboard. It only copies a reference to them. So you can only paste things that are still in the time line. This is confusing because this in NOT how copy to clipboard is supposed to work.
Hmmm. There is so much to learn here!!!
--gary
I tried this 4 times now and it just seems to break everything in the animation.
I don't understand what it does to copy frame 1 to frame 1. Isn't frame 1 already at frame 1? I don't understand.
Also, when I try Copy Current Frame with Copy Entire Document checked and copy it to some other frame number, It does NOT copy anything except frame 1. It certainly does not copy the entire document.
Seems like there should be a simple menu command "Insert Frames Here" with a dialog to ask you how many frames to insert. Oh well.
Anyway, I got the extra frames in by using copy and paste on every layer.
I noticed that if you copy key frames from the timeline and then delete them before pasting there is nothing to paste. It doesn't actually copy the key frames to the clipboard. It only copies a reference to them. So you can only paste things that are still in the time line. This is confusing because this in NOT how copy to clipboard is supposed to work.
Hmmm. There is so much to learn here!!!
--gary
"Copy Entire Document" refers to all the channels... not all the frames. You have to specify the frame range to copy.
The reason you need to "copy frame 1 to frame 1" is that there might not be keys on all the channels. Copying to frame 1 will create keys for all the channels. If you move the animation forward to place time at the beginning you need a key on frame 1 to do this, otherwise the animation is going to get all messed up.
-vern
The reason you need to "copy frame 1 to frame 1" is that there might not be keys on all the channels. Copying to frame 1 will create keys for all the channels. If you move the animation forward to place time at the beginning you need a key on frame 1 to do this, otherwise the animation is going to get all messed up.
-vern
The words are somewhat misleading. "Copy entire document" should be more exactly "Copy whatever is in every timeline of this document at the frame I'm in right now". Remember that the menu says "Copy current frame" - nothing else.
What you actually do when you are in frame 1 and copy everything to frame 1 is to create keys in each existing timeline channel of the document. This is necessary before you do any re-scaling operation with the timelines.
The behaviour of the copy command within the timeline is different from copying with a clipboard, however, it makes sense.
What you actually do when you are in frame 1 and copy everything to frame 1 is to create keys in each existing timeline channel of the document. This is necessary before you do any re-scaling operation with the timelines.
The behaviour of the copy command within the timeline is different from copying with a clipboard, however, it makes sense.
heyvern and slowtiger,
Thanks so much for clearing that up.
Gradually, bit by bit, the fog is beginning to clear.
I looked at the raw .anme file as and a retired programmer I have to say it would be a piece of cake to write a little stand-alone program to manipulate the timeline in various ways that are not available in AS.
I notice that even in timeline settings there seems to be no way to see a fill color or line color change in the timeline.
--gary
Thanks so much for clearing that up.
Gradually, bit by bit, the fog is beginning to clear.
I looked at the raw .anme file as and a retired programmer I have to say it would be a piece of cake to write a little stand-alone program to manipulate the timeline in various ways that are not available in AS.
I notice that even in timeline settings there seems to be no way to see a fill color or line color change in the timeline.
--gary
At the top of the time line window is a "Settings" button. Click that and check the boxes for the channels you want to see in the time line. Fills and strokes are off by default.I notice that even in timeline settings there seems to be no way to see a fill color or line color change in the timeline.
Also there are keys for some fill effects that can never be seen. Be careful. If you change a gradient angle on a fill effect in the time line there is no way to delete it without clearing the animation from that layer.
----
Scripting is AMAZING! I love the scripting functionality of AS. Don't know if you are aware of it but all of the tools are just lua scripts. You can also embed scripts in layers to do all kinds of things. I think you need the pro version for layer and menu scripts.
You don't need to understand the file format at all to do scripting in AS. There is a whole set of classes and functions for changing things in the file. Very powerful stuff. Check out the scripting section of the forum if it interests you at all.
-vern
Yes, I'm familiar now with the settings button. But when I click it there is no option to see strokes and fills. It must be something only available in AS Proheyvern wrote: At the top of the time line window is a "Settings" button. Click that and check the boxes for the channels you want to see in the time line. Fills and strokes are off by default.
I suppose in desperation one could always delete it by hand in a text editor. The anme file format looks pretty simple.Also there are keys for some fill effects that can never be seen. Be careful. If you change a gradient angle on a fill effect in the time line there is no way to delete it without clearing the animation from that layer.
----
It does sound like fun. I don't have the Pro version, however. I can't really justify the cost until I see if I'm really going to enjoy this.Scripting is AMAZING! I love the scripting functionality of AS. Don't know if you are aware of it but all of the tools are just lua scripts. You can also embed scripts in layers to do all kinds of things. I think you need the pro version for layer and menu scripts.
You don't need to understand the file format at all to do scripting in AS. There is a whole set of classes and functions for changing things in the file. Very powerful stuff. Check out the scripting section of the forum if it interests you at all.
-vern
Thanks again.
--gary