TIMELINE AND CUES

The timeline is the central workspace for placing, timing, and controlling content in a WATCHOUT show. Each timeline holds cues on layers that play over time.

A cue is one of the following types:

  • Media cues — images, video, audio, models, captures, virtual displays, and compositions.
  • Control cues — play, pause, and stop commands for timelines.
  • Output cues — TCP, UDP, or HTTP messages to external systems.
  • Variable cues — drive show variable values from the timeline.
  • Marker cues — point-in-time annotations and named jump targets.

DMX lighting (Art-Net) is configured as an option on a media cue, covered in Art-Net Fixture Cues.

Start Here

The fundamentals of placing content and organizing your timeline.

  • Understanding The Timeline - an overview of the timeline system and its key components
  • Adding Media Cues - placing assets on the timeline, initial cue values, media sources, and the full set of cue properties
  • Working with Layers - organizing cues vertically for compositing order and structural clarity
  • Adjusting Timing - moving, trimming, snapping, looping, and fine-tuning cue timing with nanosecond precision

Cue Types

The different cue types available on the timeline and what each one does.

  • Control Cues - Run, Pause, and Stop commands that control playback across timelines with optional jump positioning
  • Marker Cues - point-in-time annotations for organization, operator reference, and as named jump targets
  • Output Cues - sending TCP, UDP, and HTTP messages to external systems synchronized with timeline playback
  • Variables and Variable Cues - numeric parameters driven by external inputs and timeline automation for reactive, interactive shows
  • Art-Net Fixture Cues - DMX/Art-Net lighting control from the timeline with fixture definitions, addressing, and tween-based channel automation

Compositions and Organization

Tools for grouping, reusing, and managing complex timeline content.

  • Compositions - nested timelines that group multiple cues into a single reusable entity with its own layers and timing
  • Cue Sets and Variants - named variant groups for runtime media source switching (multi-language, branding, day/night)
  • Stacking Order - controlling visual layering with By Layer and By Z compositing modes within and across timelines

Automation and Advanced Workflows

Expression-driven automation, live editing, and bulk timeline operations.

  • Timeline Triggers and Expressions - expression-based rules that automate play, pause, and stop in response to variable values
  • Conditional Cues - per-cue expression conditions that control whether media renders or control/output cues fire
  • Blind Edit Mode - making changes in isolation without affecting live output, then committing when ready
  • Insert and Delete Time - bulk time shifting for inserting gaps or removing dead time across the timeline
  • Cues Window - a unified, searchable view of every cue across all timelines for auditing, filtering, and bulk operations

Output Reference

  • Output Types Overview - the output cue (TCP, UDP, HTTP) and Art-Net on a media cue, with guidance on choosing between them