• Adobe After Effects

  Zoom timeline to work area

  Posted by Dan Fredley on March 29, 2010 at 6:09 pm

  Is there an easy way to zoom the timeline to show just the work area without using “trim comp to work area”?

  Joy E reed replied 6 years, 7 months ago 7 Members · 7 Replies
• 7 Replies

• 

  Andy George

  March 29, 2010 at 9:00 pm

  Hi Dan,
  Yes you can Double click the center of the work area bar.

  -Andy
• 

  Ian Northrop

  August 11, 2011 at 4:35 pm

  Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t this expand the work area to cover the entire length of the comp? I was under the impression that the question was about zooming the viewable area to that of the playback range..
• 

  Chris Robertson

  October 25, 2011 at 3:13 am

  I know this is an old thread but it’s exactly what I’m searching for.

  Double-clicking the zoom bar sets the zoom to the whole comp, not the work area.

  Does anyone know if there is a shortcut to set the timeline zoom to the work area only?

  I’m a bit shortcut obsessed and this is one thing that bugs me to do manually all the time.

  Cheers.

  Chris Robertson

  http://www.steeplejackcreative.com
• 

  Ian Northrop

  October 25, 2011 at 5:41 pm

  I’m in the process of trying to figure this out using Javascript. Seems the only way possible, unless of course Adobe creates a command for the app.

  Here’s my thought process for how it would work (using Javascript):

  create a null, trimmed to work-area range (can do now)
  turn on expressions for any parameter in null (can do now)
  bake expressions using “convert expression to keyframes” (can do now)
  zoom to work area using “fit all graphs to view” command from graph editor (need code)
  delete null (can do now)
  done

  Well, it’s a workaround, but one that may very-well work. If anyone knows how to execute the “Fit all graphs to view” command in Javascript, let me know.

  -Ian
• 

  James Poulakos

  January 19, 2017 at 6:25 pm

  Ian was right. That double-click shortcut does not zoom in to the work area. It sets the work area to the begin and end of the composition.
• 

  Roei Tzoref

  January 20, 2017 at 12:08 am

  you can’t. please submit a feature request – there are a few votes already: https://www.adobe.com/products/wishform.html

  Roei Tzoref
  After Effects Artist & Instructor
  ♫ Ae Blues Tutorials
• 

  Joy E reed

  September 28, 2019 at 7:18 pm

  https://adobe-video.uservoice.com/forums/911311-after-effects/suggestions/34414981-zoom-to-work-area

  Here’s the direct link to the request, in case, like me, you’re here 2 years later and there’s still no shortcut. ☺

  Better we should light a candle than curse the darkness.

  Peace & respect,

  Joy E. Reed
  http://www.ohmyproductions.com

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