The Timeline Tab in DAZ Studio

The Timeline Tab is a simple tool for basic animation in DAZ Studio. It works on the widely-used principle of key frames, common to many 3D applications.

This article shows the very basics of the timeline tab in DAZ Studio

First, open the Timeline Tab. Go to VIEW –> Tabs –> Timeline.



You'll see the basic features of the timeline which include the arrow for the point along the timeline and the basic play buttons at the bottom (loop, go to beginning, play or pause, and go to end).



The timeline has advanced features also. To see the advanced features, click on the 'Active Tab Options' button in the upper right corner. In the little menu, choose 'Advanced.' Now you can see the advanced features.



You can use these features to create and delete key frames. Each key frame marks the position of a part of the figure at a specific point in time on the timeline. The animation then 'extrapolates' the movement of the figure or node between the two points. For example, if there is a key frame for a cube resting in the middle of the scene at the beginning of the timeline and a second key frame for the cube resting in to right of the middle at the end of the timeline, the software will make the cube move from the first key frame to the second key frame over the period of time. This the basic principle behind key frame animation.

To add a key frame, select the figure or node to animate. Click the + key icon to add the key frame.

To delete a key frame, the figure or node with the key frame and the point in time, must be selected. So if you have a key frame from the head at the third frame, you must have the arrow at the third frame and the head selected. Then click the x key icon to delete the key frames at that point.

If you are not sure where a key frame is, you can use the skip or jump to next key frame icons. They look like keys with arrows on them. One points back and the other points forward. When you click on the button, the timeline arrow will jump to the next point where there is a key frame.