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Timeline Expanding; Avid vs FCP
Greetings, long time listener…first time caller from Seattle.
I was an Avid die-hard (and I still prefer it for docs) but all the fun corporate stuff that pays the bills in on FCP now. So I have adapted pretty well BUT I still have one nagging question / problem;
In Avid when you zoom into or “expand” your timeline it always uses the timeline position indicator (blue bar) as the center point from which to expand. I used it all the time on sequences of any length.
In FCP you can do the same thing but it uses whatever the currently “active clip” as the centerpoint from where to expand. So if I want it to zoom on the timeline indicator like I’m used to, you have to either click in the open space below the sequence (so then no clip is “active”) or click on some clip in the neighborhood of the timeline indicator and hope for the best. (Now, on a scale of human suffering, this doesn’t qualify a mention, but as any editor knows 2-3 extra clicks to do something they do on a regular basis adds up. In short it’s a PAIN in my arse, well wrist actually) — and I wish there was some option in FCP you could click to say “Expand using Timeline Indicator. Is there?
Anyone know what I’m talking about?
If there is not a hidden way is there any proven way to suggest it to Apple for the next build?
Thanks in advance,
Reeve
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5 Replies
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In FCP 7 it is called ZOOM TO PLAYHEAD. GO to the KEYBOARD LAYOUTS under TOOLS and choose CUSTOMIZE. Unlock the settings (lower left). Then in the upper right, search for ZOOM. When you see ZOOM IN ON PLAYHEAD and ZOOM OUT ON PLAYHEAD…drag those settings to where you want them. REplace the existing ones. I even map them to where Avid has them mapped, the brackets. Because I switch so often It is too much of a habit.
Shane
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In avid I always used the m to zoom. You drew a box around the area to focus on. In FCP I do the same thing with the z tool. Second nature. AND, since in FCP you can screw up all sorts of things big time if you press the wrong button with something selected, I deselect all before I do so many things, like zooming. My hand is always there. Cmd+d. Well, it was, until years ago they made it shift+cmd+A. Which makes so much more sense. ??? They left cmd+d mapped to nothing, and it’s the first thing I change on any system. Alot quicker than trying to find a blank spot on the timeline to click on. Shift+z is your friend too. I don’t ever pan the sequence hardly. Shift+z to see the whole thing, then z marquee to zoom where I want. Just using the z tool and clicking also zooms where you click. AND, if you do use the keyboard and zoom way in to the wrong place, just press the right arrow key or left arrow key and bam, you’re at the playhead.
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You just became my all time hero!
Thank you VERY much
– Reeve
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I map my keyboard out the same as Shane. I use zoom in & zoom out constantly. Another timeline favorite is “Shift Z”.
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Also Shift+Z will work to resize your video in the canvas and Viewer to “Fit to Window” size.
If you are really adventurous and would like to keep your hand of your mouse (or pen in my case). Instead of using the z marquee.
cmnd+D = deselect any highlighted clip (i think you will have to map that one)
cmnd+ Plus = zoom in on selected region or at the playhead if nothing is selected
cmnd+ minus = zoom out
Very quick timeline navigation without leaving the keyboard.
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