Customize the Timeline

You can hide effects objects in the Timeline Layers list and track area to simplify your view of layers in your project.

• Click the Show/Hide Masks, Show/Hide Filters, or Show/Hide Behaviors button at the top of the Timeline layers list.

  

When a button is dimmed, the effects object and its corresponding bar are hidden from view in the Timeline layers list and track area. However, the effect remains active in the Canvas.

You can display your timebars in the Timeline track area in any of several different ways to suit your preferred working style.

1. Choose Motion > Preferences (or press Command-Comma), then click Appearance.

2. In the Timeline section of the Appearance pane, choose an item from the Timebar Display pop-up menu:

   • Name: Displays the name of the object on the timebar.

   • Name Plus Thumbnail: Displays the name of the object and a single thumbnail on the timebar.

   • Filmstrip: Displays frames of the object on the timebar.

   Regardless of the Timebar Display setting, timebars for cameras, lights, behaviors, and filters are labeled with names only. When Timebar Display is set to Filmstrip, computer processing time is increased.

You can adjust the height of tracks displayed in the track area. Audio and object tracks can be resized separately. However, some tracks, including filters and behaviors, cannot be resized.

Do one of the following:

• Drag a row separator between two layers in the Timeline layers list up or down to modify the vertical size of the tracks.

  

• Click the Timeline pop-up menu at the bottom of the Timeline layers list, then choose a new size. Options include Mini, Small, Medium, and Large.

  

You can scroll horizontally in the track area to see portions of your timebars that extend beyond the immediate workspace.

• Drag the scroller under the track area left or right.

Do one of the following:

• Drag the handle at either end of the scroller, inward to zoom in, or outward to zoom out.

  

  To zoom from the center of the visible area, hold down the Shift key while you drag a handle.

• Drag the zoom slider left to zoom out or right to zoom in at the position of the playhead.

  

• Press Option–Command–Equal Sign (=) to zoom in.

  Note: If your whole desktop zooms, open OS X System Preferences, click Accessibility, click Zoom, then deselect the “Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom” checkbox.

• Press Option–Command–Minus Sign (–) to zoom out.

  Note: If your whole desktop zooms, open OS X System Preferences, click Accessibility, click Zoom, then deselect the “Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom” checkbox.

• On a Multi-Touch trackpad, pinch open to zoom in and pinch closed to zoom out.

Do one of the following:

• Click the Zoom Time View button in the upper-right corner of the Timeline.

  

• With the Timeline active, press Shift-Z or Option-Command-0.

• Choose View > Zoom Time View > To Project or View > Zoom Time View > To Play Range.