The Keyframe System

A keyframe records the value of a specific property at a specific point in time. The animation engine interpolates between keyframes to produce smooth motion between recorded states.

A keyframe is defined by:

• -Time — which frame it is on
• -Property — which property it controls (X position, opacity, blur radius, etc.)
• -Value — the property value at this moment
• -Easing — the interpolation curve on the way out of this keyframe toward the next

Automatic (Record Mode on): Change any property while Record Mode is active. A keyframe is created immediately at the current playhead position.

Manual: Press K with an element selected to create a keyframe on all currently animated properties at the current playhead time. This inserts a "hold" keyframe at the current value without changing the property.

Via the property field: Click the diamond icon in the Properties Panel next to any animatable property to create a single keyframe at the current time on that specific property.

Changing keyframe type: Right-click any keyframe and select the desired type from the context menu.

• -Click a keyframe diamond to select it
• -Shift+click to add to selection
• -Click and drag in empty timeline space to marquee-select a range of keyframes
• -Ctrl+A in the timeline to select all keyframes on all tracks for all elements

Drag selected keyframes left or right to change their time position. Multiple selected keyframes move together, preserving their relative timing.

Precision move: With a keyframe selected, hold Ctrl and press Left Arrow / Right Arrow to move by one frame at a time.

Numeric position: Right-click a keyframe and select "Set Time" to enter an exact frame number.

• -Copy: Ctrl+C on selected keyframes
• -Paste: Ctrl+V — pastes at the current playhead position
• -Paste in Place: Ctrl+Shift+V — pastes at the same time positions as the source

Keyframes can be copied between elements of the same type. Pasting onto an incompatible element is ignored for the incompatible properties.

• -Select and press Delete
• -Right-click and select "Delete Keyframe"

When all keyframes on a property track are deleted, the track is removed from the timeline for that element.