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# How do I use Lining tools?

Scriptation's **Lining toolkit** lets script supervisors easily track coverage and manage slates. Powered by intelligent scene heading and character name recognition, Lining tools save hours of time with **instantly generated tramlines**.

|| 📝 NOTE: Lining Tools is an [Industry Pro](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/what-is-scriptation-industry-pro-1jfjecg/) feature.

|| 📝 NOTE: This video shows an older user interface, and some of the exact steps may have changed.
${frame}[Lining](https://www.loom.com/embed/1829f96dbe6b44a49fbec1d700d5c5c9)

### Quick Start: Generate your first tramlines

1. With your script open, touch or click **Lining** on the [Top Toolbar](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/an-overview-of-the-top-toolbar-i5y1y8/):

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/6/0/8/1/60818aeea8717000/toptoolbarlining2png_th0vac.png =400x89)

| ✅ TIP: If the **Lining** icon isn't showing in the Top Toolbar, touch or click the plus sign on the right to show additional icons. To pin it permanently, see [Customizing the Top Toolbar](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/more-icons-and-customizing-the-top-toolbar-v1u97a/).

2. In the Lining sidebar, scene numbers and scene names are automatically populated. Select a scene.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/6/0/8/1/60818aeea8717000/liningscenespng_k2cv02.png =300x306)

|| 📝 NOTE: If scenes aren't being recognized, learn more about [document formatting](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-should-my-script-be-formatted-mc70b1/) and [flattened PDFs](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/what-is-a-flattened-pdf-p2vq4m/).

3. Configure how the tramlines will be generated:

* **Slate** — Touch or click in the text field to edit the name or number;
* **Cameras** — Touch or click the **+** icon to add up to 26 cameras;
* **Color** — Touch or click the color dot to set each camera's color;
* **Characters** — Toggle on characters for **straight** lines (on camera); leave off for **squiggle** lines (off camera).

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/6/0/8/1/60818aeea8717000/lininggenerate1png_1rjxzkq.png =300x638)
| ✅ TIP: Configure global Lining options — including **slate numbering format** (alphabetical, numerical, decimal) and **lining opacity** — from the **Annotations** tab in [Settings](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/an-overview-of-the-settings-menu-1v2uicm/).

4. Touch or click **Generate**. The scene's tramlines appear:

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/6/0/8/1/60818aeea8717000/liningcreatedpng_joy236.png =600x320)

### About Lining Layers

The first time you touch or click **Generate**, Scriptation creates a new layer called **Lining** and moves you into it. All your tramlines and corresponding slate notes live there — separated from your other annotations so they can be exported cleanly to an editor.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/6/0/8/1/60818aeea8717000/lininglayer1png_d8gzhy.png =300x269)

If a page runs out of room for additional slates, Scriptation automatically creates a new Lining Layer — **Lining 2**, then **Lining 3**, and so on — and continues your work there. Your earlier tramlines aren't lost; they're still in the previous Lining Layer.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/6/0/8/1/60818aeea8717000/lininglayersmgmt2png_16uab2b.png =300x291)

Lining Layers work differently from regular layers — they **don't have an eye icon**. Only **one Lining Layer can be visible at a time**, and you switch between them by tapping the layer's name in the **Layers** menu. The Pencil icon moves to whichever Lining Layer is currently active, and that's the one you'll see on the page.

Regular annotation layers still have the eye icon, and can be toggled on to display alongside whichever Lining Layer is currently active.

| ✅ TIP: If you can't find tramlines you've generated, they're almost certainly on a different Lining Layer. See [Where did my lines and notes go after generating Lining?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/where-did-my-lines-and-notes-go-after-generating-lining-4f3n6d/).

##### Lining Layers are protected

To keep your coverage clean, Lining Layers have a few built-in protections:

* **Prior slates lock automatically** after each tap of **Generate**, so you can't accidentally modify them while creating new ones;
* Lining Layers **can't be** [**renamed**](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-rename-my-layers-1udf34p/) **or** [**merged**](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-to-merge-layers-1k9kad7/) like regular layers;
* To bring other annotations into your export, [merge those layers into a Lining Layer](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-merge-notes-layers-into-lining-layers-1d2nxi0/) instead of the other way around.

| ✅ TIP: To learn more about managing layers generally, see [What are Layers, and how do I use them?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/what-are-layers-and-how-do-i-use-them-1ozes9v/).

##### Can I delete a Lining Layer?

Because Lining Layers are directly tied to your script's structure and line count, they're **intentionally not deletable** — this is a safeguard against accidentally losing coverage work. There is, however, a simple workaround for "deleting" a Lining Layer:

1. Create an unannotated copy of the same document — [export your script with the "Ignore Annotations" setting selected](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-to-share-notes-or-email-a-file-181353n/#:~:text=Touch%20or%20click%20Annotations%20to%20set%20how%20the%20Annotations%20are%20shared:);
2. Open the unannotated copy in Scriptation and start a [Transfer](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-transfer-my-notes-1khpcd8/);
3. Select the annotated copy of the same document from the list;
4. When prompted to [transfer over your layers](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/can-i-transfer-multiple-layers-at-a-time-e0bd0w/), select all layers **except** the Lining layer(s), then initiate the Transfer;
5. You can now continue working in the new copy of the document without a Lining Layer present.

### What you can do with Lining

The Lining toolkit is the entry point for several Scriptation features. Each has its own dedicated article:

##### 📚 Lining Basics

* [Where did my lines and notes go after generating lining?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/where-did-my-lines-and-notes-go-after-generating-lining-4f3n6d/) — find tramlines on other Lining Layers and bring back hidden annotation layers;
* [How do I merge notes layers into lining layers?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-merge-notes-layers-into-lining-layers-1d2nxi0/) — combine annotation layers into Lining for unified export;
* [How do I generate multi-scene lining?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-generate-multi-scene-lining-1lawh7k/) — for long takes that span consecutive or non-consecutive scenes.

##### ✏️ Editing & Adjusting Slates

* [How do I change the slate format?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-change-the-slate-format-1dnzkvc/) — alphabetical (1, 1A), numerical (1, 2, 3), or decimal (1.1, 1.2);
* [How do I edit slates and lines?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-edit-slates-and-lines-1kvg8bm/) — rename, duplicate, delete, lock; change line type, end cameras, change camera color, etc.;
* [How do I split or rejoin lines?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-split-or-rejoin-lines-1utszaf/) — accurate coverage within dialogue or action;
* [How do I move slates left or right?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-move-slates-left-or-right-5t7ldk/) — fit more slates per page by repositioning or nesting them.

##### 📤 Sharing & Exporting

* [How do I export my lining as a PDF for my editor?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-export-my-lining-as-a-pdf-for-my-editor-lbt324/) — Editor Export for post-production;
* [How do I include dialogue numbering (and other info layers) in my Editor Exports?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-include-dialogue-numbering-and-other-info-layers-in-my-editor-exports-pwyexk/) — merge an Info Layer copy into your first Lining Layer before exporting;
* [Can multiple script supervisors line the same script?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/can-multiple-script-supervisors-line-the-same-script-3vumzv/) — divide scenes upfront and merge any additional coverage in via Editor Export;
* [How do I share my lining layer with a collaborator?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-share-my-lining-layer-with-a-collaborator-a9hufh/) — share tramlines as a `.slf` file with collaborators;
* [How do I import shared lining layers?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-import-shared-lining-layers-17fuoon/) — open a teammate's `.slf` file.

##### 🔄 Note Transfer & Lining

* [How do I transfer my lining notes?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-transfer-my-lining-notes-kzjyrt/) — lining is auto-included in Note Transfer;
* [What is converted lining?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/what-is-converted-lining-12ya7s/) — for transfer of lining in scenes that change;
* [How do I copy lining that was deleted on transfer?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-copy-lining-that-was-deleted-on-transfer-gddq6e/) — for full transfer failure.

##### 🛠️ Troubleshooting

* [How do I get Lining to work on Sides?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-get-lining-to-work-on-sides-1h6nsce/) — using Lining on Sides created in Scriptation.


# What's Next

[How do I edit slates and lines?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-edit-slates-and-lines-1kvg8bm/)
[How do I generate multi-scene lining?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-generate-multi-scene-lining-1lawh7k/)
[How do I export my lining as a PDF for my editor?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-export-my-lining-as-a-pdf-for-my-editor-lbt324/)
[How do I change the slate format?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-change-the-slate-format-1dnzkvc/)