> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://animoia.gitbook.io/animoia-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://animoia.gitbook.io/animoia-docs/guide/timeline.md). # Timeline ## Transport, ruler, and work area The transport shows current timecode and composition duration. Scrub the ruler to move the playhead. Page Up/Down steps one frame, or ten with `Shift`. Home/End go to composition bounds. J/K visit visible keyframes. The Work Area limits preview and can limit rendering. Set its start/end at the playhead, drag its handles, clear it, or **Trim comp to work area**. Trimming shifts layers to the new zero point and clears the work area. ## Layer strip editing Drag a strip to move it. Drag either edge to trim. `Shift` while moving/trimming snaps to visible in/out points, keyframes, and the playhead. Use commands to trim an edge to the playhead, slide an in/out point to the playhead, split layers, or jump to layer bounds. Drag Project items to empty Timeline space to insert them. `Alt`-drop a compatible item on a layer to replace its source. OS files dropped on the Timeline import and insert. Drag layers vertically by their name to reorder. ## Layer switches and links The stack exposes Video, Audio, Lock, Continuous Rasterization, Sampling, Motion Blur, Adjustment, Parent/Link or Stencil, and Invert Stencil controls where applicable. Multi-selected switches synchronize to the state you choose on the clicked row. ### Sampling and Continuous Rasterization Scaling quality used to be one combined switch. It is now two, because the underlying question is different for vector and bitmap layers, and only one of the two applies to any given layer: | Switch | Appears on | What it does | | ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Continuous Rasterization** | Precomps, shapes, text, and SVG — anything resolution independent | Re-renders the layer at the size it is actually drawn, so it stays sharp when scaled up. | | **Sampling** | Video, images, and other fixed-size rasters | Chooses between **bilinear**, which smooths the pixels when scaled, and **nearest neighbour**, which keeps hard pixel edges. | The distinction is simply whether the source can be redrawn larger. A vector or a nested composition can, so it gets Continuous Rasterization; a bitmap has a fixed number of pixels and can only be interpolated, so it gets Sampling. What Continuous Rasterization means depends on the layer: * On a **precomp**, turning it on collapses the nested composition into its parent, so it stays sharp when scaled — but the nested layer's own effects and masks are ignored, which is the trade-off. Off, the precomp renders into its own buffer and softens when scaled up. * On **vector artwork**, turning it on rasterizes at a much higher resolution so the layer holds detail when scaled up. Off, it is rasterized once at its default resolution. > **Tip:** Use nearest-neighbour Sampling deliberately for pixel art and low-resolution sources. Bilinear smoothing is what turns crisp pixel art into mush when you scale it up. ### Parent and Stencil columns The Parent and Stencil columns share one slot in the layer stack. Click the column header, or press `X`, to switch between them. A layer can parent to another layer, a motion tracker, or a stabilized parent result. Invalid self/descendant choices are excluded. Assigning a **Stencil** uses another layer as this layer's matte and initially hides the stencil source; turn its eye back on if it should also render visibly. **Invert Stencil** swaps which side is kept. For finer control over which channel drives the matte, use the [Stencil effect](/animoia-docs/effects-reference/mask.md#stencil) instead — it exposes channel choice and a blend amount that this column does not. Locked layers stay visible but reject edits, selection, dragging, switches, and renaming. The lock control and gated right-click menu remain available. ## Timeline view controls Use minus/plus, the zoom slider, or `Ctrl` + wheel to zoom around the playhead. Horizontal wheel/`Shift`-wheel scrolls. The custom scrollbar moves through long compositions. **Purge** clears cached preview frames, which frees the memory shown in the [frame cache meter](/animoia-docs/guide/project-and-file-workflow.md#gpu-frame-cache-readout) without touching your project. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://animoia.gitbook.io/animoia-docs/guide/timeline.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.