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The Timeline Window

Introduction:

Animation work is done using the Animations, Lights, Heliodons or Objects and the 2D View, Preview window and the Timeline window.

The timeline enables the user to record, edit and play a scene. The scene is made up of sequences that are managed in the Animations Inspector list.

Display

Activating the Animations inspector displays the Timeline window.

If the Timeline window closes again, click on the Animations inspector icon or go to Windows > Timeline.

Animating

Artlantis animates practically all commands relating to the inspectors:

• Cameras (animations)
• Lights
• Heliodons
• Objects
• Animated Textures

Begin as follows to animate the parameters for cameras, lights, heliodons, objects and animated textures:

1. Activate the Animations inspector, then
2. Activate the Light, Heliodons, Object or Shaders inspector

Comment: The Timeline window will remain open to enable you to edit animation times.

NB: In 2D View, the Timeline and the appropriate inspector must remain open in order to create and edit animated paths for lights, objects or cameras.

The Timeline window is divided into the following 4 areas:

1. Title Bar: Shows the name of the current sequence.
2. Time scale : Gives duration of the scene with a slide bar and cursor for positioning and editing keys and sequences.
3. Recorder : Controls recording and playback of animations.
4. Sequence Length Control: Used for editing the duration and rate of images.

Title Bar

Name of the current sequence, as defined in the animations list. The timeline updates relative to the current sequence (blue band). The other sequences in the scene (gray bands).

Time scale

The slide bar is the time scale that shows the total time in the scene. The time runs from left to right.

The cursor shows the current scene time at instant T.

NB: The current position also displays in 2D View, if the element is animated on a path.
Click and drag to move the cursor. The cursor is blue. When a keyframe passes, it sticks to the pin and becomes red.
The cursor moves away from it when:
• The time is edited
• The current sequence is played.
• The mouse wheel can be used to zoom on the scene when rolling over the time scale.

Time scale zoom cursor: Enables the user to show the entire scene or focus on just a portion of it.

Current sequence: The sequence is delimited by its start and end pins.

• The start, end or duration of the sequence can be modified by clicking and dragging the pins to change them individually.
• The entire sequence can be moved without changing the duration by clicking and dragging it on the blue line.



A tooltip with a yellow background indicates the current position in min: sec: on the Timeline.

NB: The keyframes and guides do not follow the movement. Subsequently, the numeric Time and Duration fields are updated.

The top of the time scale indicates the events that relate to an animated element.

The bottom of the time scale shows the events relating to one of the values for the animated element in question.

Selecting keys of an animated element.

• Right clicking above the slide bar: displays the keys of an animated element, and selects one of the elements.

Consequences:


• All animated keys corresponding to the element in question display on the slide bar.
• The inspector corresponding to the element becomes the current inspector enabling the user to edit its parameters rapidly.

NB: The user can also access the animated element by clicking on the triangle located in the upper right-hand section of the window (above the slide bar).

Selecting keys of the current animated element.

• Right clicking below the slide bar: Displays the animated settings for the current element. The sub-keys matching the setting appear below the slide bar.

Result:
All sub-keys corresponding to the parameter for the element in question appear on the slide bar.

NB: The user can also access the animated parameter by clicking on the triangle located in the lower right-hand section of the window (below the slide bar).


NB: In order to select the parameter for an animated element, you must first select the element and then select the parameter.

Recorder

• This enables the user to navigate in time through the scene, and to play or stop playback of the sequence. The cursor moves as a result.
• Description of buttons from left to right:
• go to start of sequence
• go to previous image
• play or stop sequence
• go to next image
• go to end of sequence
• Record animations: starts or stops the recording.

NB: Sequence playback can be started or stopped by pressing the space bar.

Sequence Duration Control

Current time of the scene: indicates the cursor's current position in the time scale. Expressed in: minutes: seconds: image number. Entering a value updates the position of the cursor. Dragging the cursor updates the scene time again.

Duration of the current sequence : indicates the duration of the sequence between the start and end pins. Expressed in: minutes: seconds: image number. Entering a value updates the position of the end pin. Dragging the pins updates the sequence duration.

Example: Duration of sequence.

Current sequence image: displays the number of the current image. Entering a value positions the cursor on the time line.

FPS: (frames per second), rate at which images are played per second . Entering a value updates the number of frames played.

Loop: Indicates that the sequence will be repeated . Type in a value to specify the number of loops. The loop will be applied only to the current parameter of the current animated element.

Example: Object animation loop.

Keyframes: appear as colored guides distributed throughout the time scale.

A pin represents a particular animation event at an instant T. A camera, light, heliodon or object element for which one of the position, rotation, scale, etc. parameters has been modified.

Animation is interpreted between two keys.

Guides: serve as visual markers for synchronizing animated parameters.

• Animations : Makes a sequence or edit of animated elements the current one, whereupon the appropriate inspector displays.
• Shortcut: Right click above the time scale.
• Modification indicator: Shows the type of animation attached to the current element (position, rotation, lighting power, atmosphere, etc.). Updates depending on which item is selected in the Animations pop-up.
  Shortcut: Right click below the time scale.