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DZEN TECHDocs

Arrange and reverse timeline clips

The filled project timeline: playback, tools and tracks.
The filled project timeline: playback, tools and tracks.
  1. Click the time ruler to place the playhead. Playback controls sit in the centre of the timeline header; Space plays or pauses.
  2. Drag the middle of a clip to change its start time. Drag its left or right edge to trim its length. Video cannot extend beyond the available source; text, colour and still images have editable duration.
  3. For a practice transition, select the background video, place the playhead around its middle and press Ctrl+B. You now have two neighbouring parts. Make sure there is no gap.
  4. Use the left column to control a track: eye for visibility, lock for editing lock, bin for deleting the track. Removing one selected clip and removing a whole track are different actions.

Wheel scrolls tracks vertically; Shift+wheel pans along time; Ctrl+wheel changes zoom. Fit shows the whole video. Plus, minus and the slider change detail; the limits depend on the video’s duration.

A separate button collapses the left column to colour and icons. The time ruler stays at the top while tracks scroll vertically. If a clip will not move, check the track lock.

Library media over an occupied clip is inserted on a new track according to the preview; appending to the right of the last clip may use the existing row. This does not allow moving locked clips. After copying, inserting a track or cancelling a gesture with Esc, you can start another drag.

Reverse a video clip

Reverse sits beside Transition; the selected clip also has a reverse icon.
Reverse sits beside Transition; the selected clip also has a reverse icon.
  1. Select a video clip on the timeline.
  2. Click Reverse, next to Transition. The highlighted button and the icon on the clip indicate reverse playback.
  3. Play the clip to check the result. Click Reverse again to restore forward playback.

Reverse is unavailable for images, text and locked layers. The source file is unchanged. The project and export preserve the playback direction.

The application prepares a preview proxy in the background for smoother reverse playback. Until it is ready, the original is used and long or demanding clips may stutter. Playback switches to the proxy when preparation completes.