Gazelle has a number of track types, each of which modifies the way the final movie is rendered.  Most of these have keyable data which can change keyframe to keyframe.  For a general discussion of editing, take a look at the overview.

Alpha

Alpha creates fade in and fade out effects.

Inputs:

1. Any

Alpha: Transparency amount

Clip

Uses a shape to define a clipping area.  A clipping area is a visible region; anything outside of the clipping area is not visible

Inputs:

1. Spline, Rectangle, Ellipse
2. Any

None

Color

This track defines a color that can change over time.

Inputs:

None

Base Color: A solid color for this key
Transparency: Transparency amount for this color
Blend Type: Modifies how the color of this key blends with the subsequent key.  RGB blends on based on red green and blue components, HSV CCW blends based on hue counter clockwise and HSV CW blends on hue clockwise.  For example, a blend from a red key to green key would have the steps (red, grey-red, grey, grey-green, green) for RGB, (red, orange, yellow, green) for HSV CCW and (red, purple, blue, green) for HSV CW.

Ellipse

An elliptical shape

Inputs:

None

None

When you first create an ellipse, click and drag in the main window.  This will allow you do define the size and position of the ellipse.

Click and drag on the control points that appear on the ellipse to resize and reposition it.

A fill is a pattern that can be used to fill areas of shapes.

Inputs:

1. Color
2. Color

Fill Type: Solid makes a solid fill pattern consisting of only the first color.  Linear creates a fill the starts at the first fill point and progresses in a gradient to the second.  Cyclic creates a repeating gradient pattern that extends beyond the gradient points.

Two points will appear in the editor area during editing that can be clicked and dragged.  The green point represents the gradient point for the first color and the yellow one for the second.

Inputs:

None

Size: Font size in pixels
Face: The font face used to display characters.  Serif, Sans, Mono and Symbol are standard fonts guaranteed to be on every system.  The Other option allows you to pick a custom font.
Attributes: Bold and italic options

Group

Inputs:

Any.  The Group track is unique in that it can select an indefinite number of inputs.

The Group track has a list box of all the inputs into it.  By moving the input tracks up and down in the editor box, you can change the order in which they are rendered on screen.  You can also use this edit box to break existing connections.

Allows an image resource to be displayed.

Inputs:

None

Image Name: The image used in this control.  This is a track property, so only one image can be used per image track.
Visible: Determines if the image can be seen.

Incorporates a MIDI resource into the project.

Inputs:

None

Music Name: The MIDI used in this control.  This is a track property, so only one MIDI can be used per music track.
Play: Determines if music starts or stops playing.
Loop: If checked and if music is playing, will cause the MIDI to loop indefinitely.

A pen combines color and stroke properties into a tool that can be used for outlining shapes.

Inputs:

1. Color
2. Stroke

None

A rectangular shape

Inputs:

None

None

When you first create a rectangle, click and drag in the main window.  This will allow you do define the size and position of the rectangle.

Click and drag on the control points that appear on the rectangle to resize and reposition it.

A shape combines logical shapes such as splines, rectangles and ellipses with color related tracks to produce visible shapes.

Inputs:

1. Spline, Rectangle, Ellipse
2. Pen, Color
3. Fill, Color

None

Incorporates a sound resource into the project.

Inputs:

None

Sound Name: The sound used in this control.  This is a track property, so only one sound can be used per sound track.
Play: Determines if sound starts or stops playing.
Loop: The number of times to play this sound.  If 0 or less, the sound will play indefinitely.  If a keyframe with Play cleared is encountered before the sound is finished, will cease sound play at this frame.

A spline is a shape make of two or more corners (i.e., terminal points) with lines connecting them.

Inputs:

None

None

To create a spline, click within the main window.  The first time you click, you will lay the first point of the spline.  Move the mouse and click again.  Each subsequent time you click, you will add a new point.  When you're finished, right click to indicate that you have no points left to add or move the mouse close to the first point you placed.  The cursor will change to a cross hair.  When you do this, left click again and a closed spline will be created.

Splines have a lot of options.  Click and drag on the blue terminal points to move them.  You can select groups of points by clicking and dragging with the mouse.  By holding CTRL down whlie dragging, you add points to the currently selected points.  Holding ALT down will subtract points.  Right clicking on a point will bring up a menu that lets you change point properties.  The first three options - Corner, Smooth and Cusp - will allow you to change the nature of the point.

The Delete option will remove the current point from the spline.  The Insert option will add an additional point to the spline over top of the current point.  While this new point will not be immediately visible since it's hidden by the other point, you can click and drag it to a place that is more accessible.

There are three types of point.  Corner points are simple and try to make straight lines to their neighboring points.  Smooth points are simple Bezier curves that can be manipulated by clicking and dragging on the green control point that will appear attached to the blue terminal point.  Cusp points are similar to Smooth points, except you are able to manipulate the yellow secondary control point as well.

Stroke

A stroke defines properties of a border that can be used to outline shapes.

Inputs:

None

Width: Breadth of the stroke
Cap Type: How the end points should be rendered
Join Type: How the joints within the drawn path should be rendered

Switch

A keyable track that can be used to display or hide ancestor tracks.

Inputs:

1. Any

Visible: If checked, the track feeding into this one is displayed

Text

Inputs:

1. Font
2. Color

Text: The text to be rendered
Visible: If checked, the text will be visible

Transform

Allows input track to be repositioned on the screen.

Inputs:

1. Any

Translate X, Y: Shifts the input left and right, up and down.
Rotate: Rotates the input about the center point.
Scale X, Y: Grows and shrinks the input.
Shear X, Y: Tilts the input.
Center X, Y: A point to use as a center for rotate operations.

The transform control will display a green point indicating the center point of rotation while being edited.

Left Click & Drag - Translate
CTRL Left Click & Drag - Rotate
ALT Left Click & Drag - Scale
CTRL ALT Left Click & Drag - Shear
Right Click & Drag - Change the center of rotation