Timeline
- The Timeline editor is identified by a clock icon. This is used for manipulating keyframes and scrubbing the Play head.
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| Blender Timeline |
- The timeline gives the user a full overview of a scene’s animation. The timeline shows the current frame, the keyframes of the active object, and the start and end frames of your animation sequence.
- As well as markers set by the user. The Timeline includes Transport Controls, to play, pause, and skip through an animation sequence.
- It also includes tools for manipulating Keyframes, Keying Sets, and Markers.
Timeline main view
The main Timeline region displays the animation frames over time. The main things that we need to focus on are highlighted here.
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| Blender Timeline view |
1. Keyframes
- Here you can see the Keyframes (diamond shapes) highlighted in blue. Keyframes show the details about the animation.
- In the timeline, keyframes are in the frames that we inserted a keyframe.
2. Current frame
- The current frame shows the present frame that we are in. In this example, the current frame is 15. It is because the play head( blue vertical line) is in frame 15.
3. Frame range
- This shows the start and the end of our animation frames. If we have an animation starting in frame 1 and ends in 250 the frame range shows the details as it is. As in the example.
4. Transport controls
- These buttons are used to set, play, and rewind the Play head. This is similar to watching a movie in a movie player.
- you can play the animation by pressing the space on the keyboard.
5. Auto Keying Popover
- The record button (⏺) enables Auto Keyframe. It will add and/or replace existing keyframes for the active object when you transform it in the 3D Viewport.
- For example, when enabled, first set the Play head to the desired frame. Then move an object in the 3D Viewport, or set a new value for a property in the UI.
6. Playback and keying popover
- The Playback popover contains options controlling the animation playback.
- The Keying popover contains options that affect keyframe insertion.
- Keying Sets are a set of keyframe channels in one. They are made so the user can record many properties at the same time.
- With a keying set selected, when you insert a keyframe, Blender will add keyframes for the properties in the active Keying Set.
7. Play head
- The Play head is the blue vertical line with the current frame number at the top.
- The Play head can be set or moved to a new position by pressing or holding LMB in the scrubbing area at the top of the timeline.
- The Play head can be moved in single frames by pressing the Left or Right keys on the keyboard. Or you can jump to the beginning or end frame by pressing Shift-Left or Shift-Right keys on the keyboard.