Can't apply effects to my timeline

[drferry]

I'm a novice Premiere Pro user who usually imports and exports single clips, so today when I am trying to assemble a file from multiple clips, I tried to include transitions.  I tried to drag and drop transitions from the video effects panel onto my timeline, but I get a small icon overlaid by a circle with a diagonal line, indicating that the action can't be done.  I've looked at the Adobe support page and this should be a no-brainer, but I can't figure out this simple thing.  I have tried rendering the file, but this didn't solve the problem.  I am able to apply Lumetri color adjustments to the clips as usual.

What gives?  What simple thing am I missing?

Running OS 10.14.2 on an iMac.

[R Neil Haugen]

Sounds like you're trying to apply a transition to 'full length' clips. Transitions normally need "handles" to use for the transition.

That is ... you need a second or two of unused clip before and after the parts you've put in the timeline for fades/cross-dissolves to use. A cross-dissolve needs to start showing media a second or two before it gets to the 'cut' line. If that following clip doesn't have "extra" frames for that second or two, there's nothing to show in the dissolve. Same with the clip that's leading ... it has to have frames after the 'cut' line between it and the next frame to use for the dissolve-out process.

Neil

[drferry]

Here's a screen grab of my timeline.  The total duration is 2 minutes 58 seconds. No single clip is shorter than 20 seconds.  Would this be a problems?

[R Neil Haugen]

Which transitions? You do seem to have handles there ... my first (deleted!) response made before engaging brain had it backwards. Little triangles in the corner indicate end-of-clip, and you don't have any, so there should be handles for applying transitions.

I'm wondering if perchance you have the sequence locked ... is the little padlock icon to the far left of the Sequence header block gray and open ... or closed and blue?

Neil

[drferry]

No, nothing is locked.  These are imported from my iPhone, as I wanted to take advantage of its super-slow motion capabilities; most often i import from my DSLR or my drone.

[Peru Bob]

Try resetting the preferences:

FAQ: How to reset preferences in Premiere Pro?

If that doesn't work, try resetting the Workspaces:

Reset a workspace

Reset the current workspace to return to its original, saved layout of panels.

1. Do one of the following:
   • Click the Workspace menu icon and select Reset to Saved Layout.
   • Choose Window > Workspace > Reset to Saved Layout.

from here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/workspaces.html

[drferry]

I just imported a clip from my DSLR to the same timeline, and now little triangles can be seen at the beginning and end of the clip.  However, I am still confronted with a circle with a slash through it when try to drag and drop a transition from the list onto that clip.  Something is wrong here.

[R Neil Haugen]

Try sliding the ends of both clips back a bit and then re-butting them, see if that helps. My very first post (and quickly deleted!) was typed before the brain engaged. The triangles tell you you have no handles, no triangles means you do.

Neil

[big_chill]

I suddenly have this same problem.  It was working fine but now I can't drag an effect onto a clip.  I've tried doing it in my older projects & the same thing is happening in them.   I've tried resetting my preferences but it did no good.  Now I've lost all my customized prefs so I'm even worse off.  Any ideas anyone?  I've in the middle of an important project I need to finish soon!

Any help would be most appreciated

Cheers

Mick

[R Neil Haugen]

First thing of course is to make sure the tracks aren't locked by the little lock-icons on the header block.

Neil

[big_chill]

Thanks Neil but no tracks are locked.  This is occurring globally, by which I mean it's happening in all of my projects

[Ann Bens]

You need to drag the transition all the way to the cut and effects to the clip.

Anywhere else in the timeline it will give you the no-go hand.

[big_chill]

I'm doing that Ann, I've been using PP for months.  The the grab fist has a no entry sign on it as soon as I try to drag an effect.  When I drag it to a clip on the timeline the effect disappears from my cursor altogether.

[big_chill · Accepted solution]

I think I've found the problem, I had older versions of PP installed.  Now that I've uninstalled those, it appears to be working normally again.

Thanks for your help

[Laura5FB1]

Had the same problem...this comment helped!!

[Mary Michelini]

This worked for me.  Thanks!