Participant

Answered

After effects - Change timeline to seconds

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
March 2, 2017
7 replies
204149 views

Hi,

Im just starting into After effects, while trying a few tutorials i have noticed my timeline goes 00001,00002,00003 etc, whereas the tutorials i am following timelines go 1s,2s,3s etc. How do i change mine. I know its probably a simple process but iv tried everything.

I have attached 2 pics to show what i mean incase I'm not clear.

Thanks in advance!!

http://imgur.com/a/OGyjd

Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

Correct answer Rick Gerard

CTRL-ALT-SHIFT when after effects started up solved the problem.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated!!

You had your composition set to frames.

Your composition is 1000 frames long.

If you want the has marks on the time line to show up as 1s, 2s, 3,s then you need to zoom in on the timeline. Please take a minute and study the timeline UI in the help files. There are a lot of useful things that you will learn.

M

miley345652783jmd

Participant

im new too how do i fix my timeline it goes in 0f 2f 4f 5f 6f etc idk how ro fix it ive tried everything

T

Tricks8

Participant

FIXED!

None of these responses helped me at all.

In composition settings go to duration. You have to set the duration of your project to how ever many minutes you want the project to be(make sure it's minutes not seconds!) if the project is under 12 seconds it will show frames only. Second,

you have to click on the zoom in feature at the bottom of the timeline box and ZOOM OUT! If you're zoomed in it will show frames even if project length is correct. This will fix your problem 100%.

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Tram5E7D

Participant

This worked for me! I tried everything else, but my duration was too short. Thought I was going crazy lol thank you

sonuc5415394

Participant

I have THIS SAME issue and have tried everything written in this forum, yet nothing seems to work for me anyone know how I can change my timeline from frames to seconds?

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Ranit1970

Participating Frequently

The same for me guys, I'd tried all what you wrote and I still get 0003 0004 0005 etc... instead of 1sec 2 sec etc..

Szalam

Community Expert

Double-check your composition settings (a screenshot might be helpful here). I would be willing to be that both you and sonuc5415394 have inadvertently set your comps to a very short period of time so all you have are a few frames instead of seconds.

julian_micheal

Participant

Set the duration into 0;00;12;00 (set 0;00;11;00 in 21.5" FHD iMac) in composition setting and check your time ruler. To see the magic you've to Zoom out the Time ruler (timeline).

I think AE shows 1s, 2s, 3s timing above 12sec movies. (in 21.5" FHD iMac

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subhadrag61178482

Participant

Thank you Julian. This actually solved my problem. I was doing everything that has been discussed in this forum, nothing worked except yours. I do think there is a bug somewhere.

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rickwtexas

Known Participant

This is actually the correct answer, if the duration is under 12 no matter how many times you modify Project Settings, cmd clickm etc, you'll never ever ever get back to seconds. Mr Gerards constant comments of "read the UI, there is lots of helpful blah blah.." is not helping. If you can't answer a question directly, don't waste time posting.

Neverfear

Participating Frequently

I am having the same issues, I have followed all the advice in the previous posts to change it to seconds but it is not working for me. I have un installed and re installed after effects, reset my preferences and still, it shows up in frames, any ideas? there is also something else that is strange I create a 10 second composition but when I scroll to the end it stops at 09:30 and won't go to the full 10:00 second mark. if I force it by typing it in in the timeline the composition disappears.

Dave_LaRonde

Inspiring

Well, that's weird.

I'll guess your footage is 29.97 or 30 fps. It should have ended at 09:29! Because video starts at frame ZERO. Just as 0-9 are ten digits, 00:00 - 09:29 is ten seconds. So scrutinize your stuff and figure out what you did wrong.

Neverfear

Participating Frequently

I was using 30 Fps for the project I am trying to do (it's a basic tutorial). I am not sure what I could have changed to cause the issue I reset all preferences to default and reinstalled after effects but I still have the same issues. Thank you for the info though, I now understand why it ends at 9:30 and not 10:00 I am just getting started in after effects.

Szalam

Community Expert

Please upload your images to the forum directly. Imgur is blocked where I work.

I suspect, just from the description, that your comp is very, very short - shorter than you think. So, could we also see a shot of your composition settings?

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Rick Gerard

Community Expert

Hold down the Ctrl/Cmnd key and click on the time indicator in the timeline to switch the time display from Frames to Timecode.

You can also set your preferences to display both time and timecode in the timeline.

mloughlin88Author

Participant

HI Rick, thanks for responding. I have tried that, it will switch to frames then it will switch back to 0001. it still won't allow me to have the time 1s,2s,3s etc.

Thanks!

Dave_LaRonde

Inspiring

You have to make the change in the Project Settings. Go File>Project Settings.

mloughlin88Author

Participant

Hi Dave, Iv tried project settings and playing around with the time display style, but the only change that seems to happen is the timeline changes to frames instead of 00001.

What settings in project settings do you suggest?

Thanks!

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