The X-Sheet is the traditional animator's view of frame-by-frame work, as in TVPaint or Toon Boom. Each row is a comp frame, running down; each column is a drawing layer (vector or raster). It opens in the Drawing workspace, left of the Viewer.
The X-Sheet and the timeline's drawing blocks are the same data drawn two ways. An edit in either shows in both.
Reading a cell
| Cell | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Number | A drawing starts here. The number is its order in the sheet (1, 2, 3…). |
| Line | The drawing holds. |
| × | A blank drawing (the empty frame that + Frame makes). |
| Empty | Before the layer's first drawing, or outside the layer's bar. |
Editing
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Click a cell | Go to that frame on that layer. |
| Drag a drawing's number up or down | Move the drawing. ⌥-drag (Alt-drag) copies it. |
| Drag the last cell of a hold | Lengthen or shorten the hold. Later drawings move along (ripple). Hold ⌥ (Alt) to move only the next drawing (roll). |
| Double-click a number | Type how many frames it holds, then press Enter. |
Shortcuts
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Hold the drawing one frame less | ⇧F5 (Shift+F5) |
| Split drawing frame at the playhead | F6 |
| New drawing frame (+ Frame) | F7 |
Tips
If the comp has no drawing layers, the panel says so. Pick the brush and draw, or choose New: Vector / Raster in the brush's options bar.