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If I select say, two frames of an instance and copy it and then paste it elsewhere on the timeline, it does not paste two frames of the instance, it pastes the instance right to the end up to the next instance. It also extends the whole scene by the two frames. Is there a way to insert and overwrite, so that if I copy and paste two frames, it just puts the two frames in and then continues with what was there and does not lengthen the whole scene? Here's a picture which shows "fr 1" copied and pasted to the 10th frame position.

What I do, is select the two frames you want copied (highlight them) hit copy, then select the frames you want copied over (again highlight) and hit paste.
Or just select the two frames you want copied (make sure they are highlighted) and drag them to where you want while holding the 'ctr' key, or the 'cmd' key on mac, I think.

You can select/highlight the frames them by dragging over the gray area underneath the thumbnails. Or see here.

I hope that's clear, else I'll post some screenshots.

These are good tips, but they still don't do what I would like, which is to overwrite only the two frames (see attached image, above). I want to copy two frames of an instance and then paste only two frames elsewhere.

David_Fine wrote:Is there a way to insert and overwrite, so that if I copy and paste two frames, it just puts the two frames in and then continues with what was there

It is not possible as far as I know. (It would be really chaotic if the program would do that in my opinion)

You have to copy "fr1" to frame 10 and "fr3" to frame 12.

The best way is like Sewie suggested:

Sewie wrote:Or just select the two frames you want copied (make sure they are highlighted) and drag them to where you want while holding the 'ctr' key, or the 'cmd' key on mac

(it is also the "Ctrl" key on Mac)

that way the scene never gets lengthened

Thanks, but the problem with dragging as suggested is that it is still a multi step process because the resulting drag and drop has overwritten the existing instance to the end of the next instance, so having done the move, I then need to copy and paste the overwritten instance to get it to continue as I wanted. Insert and overwrite is a pretty basic editing function in video editing, so surprised that this is not possible here. If you want an image copied into a timeline without disturbing anything else, I was hoping that could be done. I guess it can, but it takes a few steps, which I was hoping to avoid.

In that case, i would still use Sewie's tip, but before copying a group of instances (and having the third result on your image and not result 2), i would first break instance 2 and then copy the group of instances.

I understand your need and your workflow, but I don't see how the "software" could do the différence between your need (result 3) and someone's else need (result 2).

To me, it's 2 or it's 3, we can't have both. :/

I suppose you could make the added functionality of inserting frames a feature request, David.
Though, I've never missed it because the way timeline is organised now makes it very easy and quick to navigate through it. Have you discovered the 'alt'+left mouse button combination to pan and "alt'+RMB to zoom through the timeline? It makes organising frames in the timeline very easy. Especially if you map these buttons to your Wacom Pen buttons.

Elodie wrote:I understand your need and your workflow, but I don't see how the "software" could do the différence between your need (result 3) and someone's else need (result 2). To me, it's 2 or it's 3, we can't have both. :/

Actually, all time line based, or non linear editing applications offer just this option, so not sure why it can't be here. You could copy a frame and then paste, but, for instance, with shift and that would do it my way. Don't hold shift and it does it the original way. Simple.

Thanks for the other key combo timeline suggestions!

David_Fine wrote: You could copy a frame and then paste, but, for instance, with shift and that would do it my way. Don't hold shift and it does it the original way. Simple.

Interesting suggestion, thank you for the idea