The Timeline Window is composed of 2 sub-windows (panes): the Treeview, and the Timeline.
Collapsible Layers Keep Your Workspace Organized
The Treeview in the Timeline includes 2 columns of icons for each object within the outermost SVG object. These indicator buttons display the status of an object's animation layers and trapping. Use the Animation Layers indicator button to show and hide an object's animation layers. Because every object can be animated, the Treeview can become very crowded if every object's animatable properties are always in view. The Animation Layers indicator button lets the user collapse the animation layers in order to "clean up" the work area. At the top of the Treeview is the "Hide All Animations" button which lets the user close all animation layers at once.
Trapping Protects Objects While You Animate
The Trapping indicator button, similarly, indicates the trapping status of an object as well as controls the state of an object's trapping. "Trapping" is similar to, but different from locking an object. A trapped object is selectable and animatable (as opposed to being locked), but its children, or the objects within the group object, are not accessible. Trapping allows the user to edit and animate groups without disturbing child objects. All content, when first opened or inserted into Ikivo Animator, is trapped by default. This is to ensure that no unwanted editing is performed by accident. However, there may be times that the user might want to access and manipulate every object in the illustration. For these situations (see Animating Color), there is the “Untrap All” button at the top of the Treeview.
The Timeline sub-window represents a linear timeline interface for creating and editing animations. Animation timing – when animations occur, how long they last, and whether they are discrete or tweened animations is controlled in this pane through keypoints and animation bars. Although creating an animation can be as simple as selecting an object in the Stage Window and moving it to a new position, the Timeline provides a means of editing, fine-tuning, and getting an overview of an object’s or document’s animations. In the latest version of the Ikivo Animator, you can use Multiple Timelines in your animations.
See the lessons on Animation to get a first-hand look at all of the features in the Timeline Window.
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