The SequenceWindow
Sequence Toolbar
Menus
The triangular button expand/collapses menus. Menus provide a self-explicative way to access to all Blender functions which can be performed in the Sequence Window. They are context sensitive and will change depending on the selected Object.
Widows with menus, as the Sequence Window, does not have the standard "Full Window" and "Home" header buttons, actions which have moved to the View Menu.
Menu items are in general self-explanatory and the relative functionality will be explained later on in the hotkeys section.
SequenceWindow
In the SequenceWindow you arrange your scenes, external pictures or movie files for the postproduction of your animation. The Strip in row 1 is a sequence of numbered jpeg-pictures. It will play for a few seconds and then SCENE 1 in row 2 will be superimposed with the ALPHAOVER effect in row 3. The ALPHAOVER generates some shadows, which can be seen in the film-strip below. In SCENE 1 (which is a normal Blender-scene) the titeling is done with the usual animation features from Blender, which makes that system a very flexible titler.
In the end a transition of strip in row 1 and the folowing in row 2 is done with the CROSS effect. The numbers 1-2 are representing the row numbers the effect applies to. The result is a smooth fade between the two strips in row one and two.
The mouse
LMB
The position of the mouse cursor becomes the current frame. If DisplayImage is ON, the Sequences at this position are read or calculated at this position.
MMB and drag
Depending on the position within the window:
On the sliders; this can be moved.
The rest of the window; the view is translated.
CTRL-MMB and drag
Zoom in/out on the IpoWindow. For ease of use, you can only zoom horizontally. Use the HeaderButton if you must zoom vertically as well.
The hotkeys
SHIFT-NUM+
Insert gap. One second is inserted at the current frame position. This only applies to strips that are totally to the right of the current frame.
SHIFT-NUM-
Remove gaps. All strips that are completely to the right of the current frame and do not start past the last frame are repositioned so that there is no longer an empty space.
SHIFT-A
Add sequence. A PopupMenu asks you to make a choice. The first three are possible sources:
"Images"; Specify with FileSelect (with RMB select!), what pictures will form a strip. If only 1 picture is selected, the strip is lengthened to 50 frames. Directories can also be specified; each directory then becomes a separate strip in the SequenceWindow.
"Movie"; Specify with FileSelect (with LMB or RMB!) what movie will comprise a strip.
"Audio"; Specify with FileSelect (with LMB or RMB!) what WAV file will comprise a strip.
"Scene"; A PopupMenu asks you to specify the Scene that is to be inserted as a strip. The Scene is then rendered according to its own settings and processed in the Sequence system.
"Plugin"; a File Window let you choose a sequence plugin.
"Cross"; a fluent transition from strip 1 to strip 2.
"GammaCross"; This is a gamma-corrected cross. It provides a more 'natural' transition in which lighter parts are inserted before darker parts.
"Add"; two strips are added together.
"Sub"; the second strip is subtracted from the first.
"Mul"; the strips are multiplied.
"AlphaOver"; the second strip, with its alpha, is placed over the first. pictures with alpha are normally 32 bits.
"AlphaUnder"; the first strip is placed behind the second, with the alpha of the second strip.
"AlphaOverDrop"; like "AlphaOver", but now with a drop shadow.
BKEY
Border select. Draw a rectangle with the LeftMouse; all strips that fall within this rectangle are selected. Draw a rectangle with the RightMouse to deselect.
CKEY
If one of the ends of a strip is selected (the triangles), the current frame is moved to this end. In all other cases, the Change menu is invoked. This menu allows you to change specific characteristics of the active strip.
If this is an Image strip:
"Change Images". The FileSelect appears and new pictures can be specified.
"Switch a-b"; change the sequence of the effect.
"Recalculate"; force a recalculation of the effect.
"Cross, Gammacross, Add, ..."; change the type of effect.
"Update Start and End"; the start and end frame of the Scene is processed in the strip again.
ALT-D
Add Duplicate. All selected strips are copied. Immediately thereafter, translation mode is started. The images in an Image strip are reused; they take up no extra memory.
FKEY
"Set Filter". An extra Y filter can only be activated in Movie strips. This filter is for a stable video display with no flickering.
GKEY
Translation mode (the Grabber). This works on selected strips or the (triangular) ends of selected strips. Alternative for starting this mode: RMB and drag;. The following options are available in translation mode:
Limitors: SHIFT with finer translation.
MMB limits the current translation to the X or Y axis. Blender calculates which axis to use based on the already initiated mouse movement. Click MiddleMouse again to return to unlimited translation.
ARROWS: These keys can be used to move the mouse cursor exactly 1 pixel.
Grabber can be terminated with:
LMB SPACE or ENTER: move to the new position.
RMB or ESC: everything returns to the old position.
MKEY
Make Meta. The selected strips are combined into a Meta strip. This only occurs if no unselected strips are linked to the selection by effects. Use TAB to view the contents of a Meta or to leave the Meta. Metas can be inside other Metas, and behave exactly like a normal Sequence strip. When Metas are duplicated, their contents are not linked!
NKEY
Opens the NKEY Panel. If the selected strip is a Movie strip it allows to set/unset the Y filter and the Mul factor.
If the selected strip is an Audio Strip it opens the relevant Panel, with Gain, Pan and Mute options.