Timeline Notes

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madrobot
Posts: 670
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:07 pm

Timeline Notes

Post by madrobot »

Wouldn't it be cool if you could make notes on the timeline,
so there's little flags sticking out the top of some frame numbers, and when you roll over them they pop up like a post-it note.

Also a scratch layer where you can draw on the timeline. You could draw your arcs at the planning stage, doodle out your animation before you even start.

You could turn visibility on and off for both notes and "scratch pad" layer, so they don't get in the way offending people who don't want them.

What do you guys think? I don't know about you, but I have paperwork out the whazoo keeping track of everything. It would be cool to be able to put a lot of the notes right there on the timeline itself.
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rylleman
Posts: 750
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 5:22 pm
Location: sweden
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Post by rylleman »

Absoslutely, thumbs up.

I think there have been a few requests in the past for frame markers.

The drawing layer thing can be solved by third party software. In linux you got a compiz plugin which allows you to draw on a layer on top of the desktop.. In windows I think you can find some commercial product for this.
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heyvern
Posts: 7042
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2005 4:49 am

Post by heyvern »

Yes we definately need time line markers. I vote for that.

The "doodle" layer... hmm... not so much. That would be adding in raster "painting" features to AS which would be huge programming task. If you can "doodle" on a layer why not paint and animate it as well? ;)

-vern
chucky
Posts: 4650
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 4:24 am

Post by chucky »

Good idea robot.
A timeline feature that I really like in a sound app called acidpro is coloured and labelled "sections"
It would actually also help us not accidentally activating an onion skin. :wink:

Image

Colour coded keys would be cool too, although I haven't really thought that out fully, any colours on the keys would make them more distinguishable but if the timeline is getting a workover this probably is excess to requirements.
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heyvern
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Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2005 4:49 am

Post by heyvern »

We can do or add ANYTHING if Mike opens up the time line to script access. ;)

-vern
basshole
Posts: 439
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:11 am

Post by basshole »

I was just about to post about this. Looks like it doesn't exist yet, then. That's sad.

Other programs that do a decent job (if we'd like a reference) of this feature: Final Cut Pro (though they are awfully goddamn hard to click on) and Sony Vegas (both are Non-linear video editing software programs). I like Vegas' better because the text is just there, you don't have to click the marker to see what it says. They're also easier to grab/select and move.

The one you posted a screenshot of above is better than both, though, in my opinion.
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