Is there a hot-key to jump between markers in the timeline?

Question

I want to be able to cycle through the frames I set markers on (I have cameras bound to each marker so these are usually the first frame in a shot). Is there a hot-key for this?

Answer 1

While @gandalf3's solution worked, I found it a little awkward to set up (user preferences that rely on scripts that need to be in your project, if I understood correctly), and I found that there's now a built-in shortcut adding feature on the menu:

• In the timeline viewport menu, click Marker
• Right-click on "Jump to Previous Marker"
• Click on "Add Shortcut"
• Hover over the pop-up "A" box, so that it turns into "Press a Key"
• Hit your target combination, eg "Alt-Left"
• (repeat for "Jump to Next")

I might be missing something the scripts in @gandalf3's answer provide, please let me know if so!

Answer 2

AFAIK, there is currently no shortcut in 2.68 to do this. (there was in 2.4x) However, you can create your own operator to do this using blenders python API:

I am not very experienced in python, but I came up with two scripts for jumping to the next and previous markers: (pardon my bad python)

Jump_to_next.py:

import bpy
#jump to next marker
class MoveOperator(bpy.types.Operator):

    bl_idname = "marker.jump_to_next"

    bl_label = "Jump to next marker"
def execute(self, context):  
    frm=0
    frm_close=0
    frm_first = bpy.context.scene.frame_end
    def switchcam():
        if markname:
            if camname != markname:
                for area in bpy.context.screen.areas:
                    if area.type == 'VIEW_3D':
                        for space in area.spaces:
                            if space.type == 'VIEW_3D':
                                if space.region_3d.view_perspective == 'CAMERA':
                                    override = {'window': bpy.context.window, 'screen': bpy.context.screen, 'area': area, 'scene': bpy.context.scene, 'region': bpy.context.region, 'space': space}
                                    bpy.ops.view3d.viewnumpad(override, type='CAMERA')
                                    bpy.ops.view3d.viewnumpad(override, type='CAMERA')
                                else:
                                    print ("not in camera view")
                            else:
                                print ("space is not a 3D view")
                    else:
                        print ("area is not a VIEW_3D")
            else:
                print ("camera bound to next marker is already active")
        else:
            print ("marker is not bound to a camera")

    # get some vars:
    now = bpy.context.scene.frame_current
    cam = bpy.context.scene.camera
    if cam:
        camname = cam.name
    frm_close = bpy.context.scene.frame_end

    # Loop through markers and test how close to the current frame they are:
    for TimelineMarker in bpy.context.scene.timeline_markers:
        frm = TimelineMarker.frame
        if frm > now:
            if frm < frm_close:
                frm_close = frm
                markname = TimelineMarker.camera
                if markname:
                    markname = TimelineMarker.camera.name
        if frm < frm_first:
            frm_first = frm
    #Test if there is a marker that met requirements:
    if frm_close != bpy.context.scene.frame_end:
        #set scene frame to the frame of closest marker:
        bpy.context.scene.frame_set(frm_close)
        switchcam()
    else:
        if frm_first != bpy.context.scene.frame_end:
            self.report({'INFO'}, 'No more markers to jump to in this direction, skipping to first')
            bpy.context.scene.frame_set(frm_first)
        else:
            self.report({'WARNING'}, 'No markers found')
    return {'FINISHED'}

bpy.utils.register_class(MoveOperator)

Jump_to_prev.py:

import bpy
#jump to previous marker
class MoveOperator(bpy.types.Operator):

    bl_idname = "marker.jump_to_prev"

    bl_label = "Jump to previous marker"
def execute(self, context):  
    frm=0
    frm_close=0
    frm_first=0
    def switchcam():
        if markname:
            if camname != markname:
                for area in bpy.context.screen.areas:
                    if area.type == 'VIEW_3D':
                        for space in area.spaces:
                            if space.type == 'VIEW_3D':
                                if space.region_3d.view_perspective == 'CAMERA':
                                    override = {'window': bpy.context.window, 'screen': bpy.context.screen, 'area': area, 'scene': bpy.context.scene, 'region': bpy.context.region, 'space': space}
                                    bpy.ops.view3d.viewnumpad(override, type='CAMERA')
                                    bpy.ops.view3d.viewnumpad(override, type='CAMERA')
                                else:
                                    print ("not in camera view")
                            else:
                                print ("space is not a 3D view")
                    else:
                        print ("area is not a VIEW_3D")
            else:
                print ("camera bound to next marker is already active")
        else:
            print ("marker is not bound to a camera")

    # get some vars:
    now = bpy.context.scene.frame_current
    cam = bpy.context.scene.camera
    if cam:
        camname = cam.name

    # Loop through markers and test how close to the current frame they are:
    for TimelineMarker in bpy.context.scene.timeline_markers:
        frm = TimelineMarker.frame
        if frm < now:
            if frm > frm_close:
                frm_close = frm
                markname = TimelineMarker.camera
                if markname:
                    markname = TimelineMarker.camera.name
        if frm > frm_first:
            frm_first = frm
    #Test if there is a marker that met requirements:
    if frm_close != 0:
        #set scene frame to the frame of closest marker:
        bpy.context.scene.frame_set(frm_close)
        switchcam()
    else:
        if frm_first != 0:
            self.report({'INFO'}, 'No more markers to jump to in this direction, skipping to last')
            bpy.context.scene.frame_set(frm_first)
        else:
            self.report({'WARNING'}, 'No markers found')
    return {'FINISHED'}

bpy.utils.register_class(MoveOperator)

You can make these into shortcuts by

1. Paste into the text editor and check the Register option in the header:

   

2. In User Preferences (CtrlAltU)> Input, scroll down to the context you want to use the shortcut in (e.g. Timeline), expand it and click Add new.

3. Type in the operator name (marker.jump_to_next or marker.jump_to_prev) and set the shortcut to whatever you want (e.g. Page Up):

   

4. Save the default .blend. (CtrlU) This is necessary to save the python script so the operator marker.jump_to_next exists. Be careful when saving the default .blend, this will save information such as geometry, screen layout, User preferences, etc.

Note that you will have to do steps 1-3 twice, once for each operator. (jump_to_next and jump_to_prev)

Answer 3

Jumping between markers has now been included in trunk as of r60881 with CtrlShift+←/→ (left/right arrows)

Answer 4

In 3.2 and possibly earlier, there's:

• Marker > Jump to Next/Previous Marker*

I realize you can make your own shortcut for it, however it would be cool if there was already a shortcut assigned to it by default as it's a pretty rudimentary feature.