Timeline & graph editor
Calm by default
Every layer is one row, showing a single neutral block that summarises where its keyframes live. That is the whole timeline until you ask for more.
To see inside a layer, either:
- click the disclosure chevron, which shows the full property tree, or
- press U, which reveals only the properties that have keyframes.
Either way the track splits into one sub-row per property, each with draggable keyframe diamonds.
Property rows carry live scrubbable value fields. A whole animation can be built in the timeline without ever crossing to the inspector.
Row controls
- Keyframe diamonds — drag to retime, marquee-select several, copy, paste, delete.
- Layer bars — drag to move the layer in time, edge-drag to trim, split at the playhead.
- Search filter, shy toggle, and solo / lock / visibility columns.
- Label colours, matching the layer tree.
- Work-area in/out markers and composition markers.
- Transport bar — play/pause, jump to start or end, frame step, loop.
The graph editor
Toggle it with Shift + G. Two modes:
Value draws each animated property’s curve as an SVG Bézier path. Drag a keyframe horizontally to retime it, vertically to change its value; drag its handles to reshape the easing.
Speed draws the derivative — the rate of change. It is read-only vertically, on purpose: a Y position in speed mode is a speed, not a value, so dragging it would be ambiguous. Use it to find the moment a move actually feels fast, then fix it in Value mode.
Timeline shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Home / End | Go to start / end |
| Page Down / Page Up | Next / previous frame |
| Shift + Page Up/Down | Previous / next marker |
| J / K | Previous / next keyframe |
| B / N | Set work-area in / out at the playhead |
| Shift + B | Clear the work area |
| [ / ] | Trim the layer in / out |
| Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + D | Split selected clips at the playhead |
| Ctrl/⌘ + Z / + Shift + Z | Undo / redo |
| Ctrl/⌘ + C / V | Copy / paste keyframes at the playhead |
| Ctrl/⌘ + Alt + S | Smooth the motion path for selected layers |
Arrow keys and Space are deliberately not claimed by the timeline — the viewport owns them, so arrows always nudge the selected layer and Space always plays.
Reveal and keyframe chords
| Chord | Action |
|---|---|
| U | Reveal only keyframed properties |
| P / S / R / T / A | Reveal Position / Scale / Rotation / Opacity / Anchor |
| Alt + Shift + that letter | Add a keyframe on that property at its current value, and reveal the row |
Pressing U twice reveals animated properties across all layers.