Timeline

Timeline

Timelines allow for easy playback, cutting, and editing of video layers, as well as animation of layers and their parameters, editable with the Timeline Editor Timeline animation editor Read More .

Upon creating a composition (CTRL+N), you can choose to include a main Timeline.
Here are the three types of animations available in Smode:

- Timelines : Create a main timeline within the composition (not a timeline cue).
- Function Cue An animation bloc defined by a Function Read More : Create an Animation Bank Where all your cues are stored Read More at the root of the composition.
- Cue List Add cues one after another to encode your Show Read More : Create a Cue List Add cues one after another to encode your Show Read More at the root of the composition.




These choices can be reverted or added after the composition creation. Smode includes two types of timelines:

- The Main Timeline is embedded inside a composition and functions like in any classical animation software.
- The Timeline Cue works like a Function Cue An animation bloc defined by a Function Read More and is placed inside an Animation Bank Where all your cues are stored Read More .

Main Timelines




There are many ways to animate in Smode, such as using Function Cue An animation bloc defined by a Function Read More and Exposed Parameter Allow to control multiple Link Target with a single value Read More . Timelines are a common method for animating parameters or bringing life to a 2D or 3D composition. This chapter covers Main Timelines, while Timeline Cues are discussed in the next chapter. Despite their differences, both types are quite similar.

A Main Timeline can be added to each composition. Inside each composition, click the designated button:



The timeline is then accessible within the Timeline Editor Timeline animation editor Read More below the Viewport Preview and edit your content Read More when selecting the timeline or the composition. Selecting the timeline will give you access to its parameters through the Parameters Editor Edit the parameters of the selected Element Read More :



- Lock the Timeline Editor Timeline animation editor Read More on the current timeline by activating the lock button (circled in red in the image).
- The name of the currently displayed timeline is shown in the top left part of the Timeline Editor Timeline animation editor Read More (underlined in red).




Drag and drop a composition inside the main timeline to have every animation within it driven by the newly created matching track:



If a composition with a timeline is placed under a Brother or Child Timeline instead of a Parent Timeline, an "out of scope" icon will appear. The timeline hierarchy must follow the Element Tree The hierarchical structure of Smode elements Read More hierarchy.



Timeline Cues

A Timeline can also be created as a cue or standalone animation, usable in an Animation Bank Where all your cues are stored Read More or Cue List Add cues one after another to encode your Show Read More (for Smode Station), similar to any standard cue.




Here is how to create Timeline cues:

Parameters

See Also: