User Guide > Getting Started > Basic Commands

Basic Commands

This table lists the most common commands used in Animate.

Command

Action

Access Methods

New

Starts a new scene while closing any scene already open. The New Scene dialog box opens, asking for directory, name, and resolution information.

File > New

Press [Ctrl] + [N] (Windows) or [⌘] + [N] (Mac OS X).

Open

Displays the Open Scene dialog box. Browse your file system for a scene file.

The Open command is not disabled when a scene is opened. You can open a new scene from the current one and the previous scene will be closed.

File > Open

Press [Ctrl] + [O] (Windows) or [⌘] + [O] (Mac OS X).

Open Recent

Displays a quick access list to view and open recently used Animate files.

File > Open Recent

Open Recent > Clear

Clears the recently opened Animate files list.

File > Open Recent > Clear

Close

Closes the currently opened scene, but does not close the Animate application.

File > Close

Save

Saves all changes made to the opened scene, drawings, palettes, and palette lists.

File > Save

Press [Ctrl] + [S] (Windows) or [⌘] + [S] (Mac OS X).

Save As

Saves the current state of a scene as another scene. The Save As window prompts you to give a new name and choose a different location to this scene before saving it. This will create a complete scene directory for the new scene.

The scene name cannot exceed 23 characters.

File > Save As

Removed Unused Files    
Import and Export    

Quit

Closes AnimateHarmony Stage.

Windows: File > Quit

Mac OS X: Animate> Quit

 

Show Scan Information

Displays a status bar showing the scanning information at the bottom of the Drawing and Camera view.

Drawing View Menu > View > Show > Show Scan Information

Cut

Removes selected objects. You can then paste the object or its properties to another object.

Edit > Cut

Press [Ctrl] + [X] (Windows) or [⌘] + [X] (Mac OS X).

Copy

Copies selected objects and properties.

Edit > Copy

Press [Ctrl] + [C] (Windows) or [⌘] + [C] (Mac OS X).

Paste

Places an object you cut or copied into the location you select in the Camera, Drawing and Timeline View.

Edit > Paste

Press [Ctrl] + [V] (Windows) or [⌘] + [V] (Mac OS X).

Delete

Removes selected objects.

Edit > Delete

[Delete]

Select All

Selects all drawing objects in the current drawing window in the Drawing, Timeline and Camera view. This helps you manage multiple objects as one when moving them.

Edit > Select All

Press [Ctrl] + [A] (Windows) or [⌘] + [A] (Mac OS X).

Deselect All

Deselects all selected objects in the Drawing and Camer views.

Edit > Deselect All

[Esc]

Undo

Removes remove the last change made to your project. Animate supports multiple undo, so you can undo changes you made in the order you made them.

Edit > Undo

Press [Ctrl] + [Z] (Windows) or [⌘] + [Z] (Mac OS X).

Redo

Redoes and operation you have undone that you later decide to keep. This command is active only after you use the Undo command.

Edit > Redo

Press [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [Z] (Windows) or [⌘] + [Shift] + [Z] (Mac OS X).

Select Children

Lets you select all elements parented to the selected peg element in the Timeline view.

Animation > Select Children

Select Child

Lets you select the first element parented to the selected peg element in the Timeline View.

Animation > Select Child

Press [Shift] + [B].

Select Parent Skipping Effects

Lets you select the parent of the selected element in the Timeline view skipping effects in the hierarchy.

Animation > Select Parent Skipping Effects

Press [B].

Select Parent

Lets you select the parent of the selected element in the Timeline view.

Animation > Select Parent

Press [B].

Select Previous Brother

Lets you select the next element (above current element) in the Timeline view.

Animation > Select Previous Brother

Press [/].

Select Next Brother

Lets you select the next element (below current element) in the Timeline view.

Animation > Select Next Brother

Press [?].

Auto Render Write

Use the Auto Render Write command to render a frame each time the current frame is changed.

You must have a Write module in your network to use this command.

Scene > Render >Auto Render Write

Message Log

The Message log view displays information gathered during a render task, like which frames and at what time they were each rendered.

Windows > Message Log

Debug Mode

Enable the Debug Mode option to gather and display precise information about each rendering frame such as the modules encountered and action taken.

Help > Debug Mode

Help

Launches the Toon Boom Animate Help System PDF, complete with instructions on how to use the system.

Help > Help

Toon Boom Animate on the Web

Launches the Toon Boom Animate website, which features a Support and Community > Forum section.

Help > Toon Boom Animate on the Web

About

Use the About command to access general information about the software.

Windows: Help > About

Mac OS X: Animate > About

Show Welcome Screen

Brings back the Welcome screen—see Welcome Screen

Help > Show Welcome Screen

Related Topics 

Getting Started