Tool Reference

These are all 87 tools TimeBolt gives an AI assistant. You don't need to call them yourself: the assistant chooses them from your request. This page is useful when you want to know whether something is possible, or want to name a tool or option in your request.

Kind: Read tools only look at things and change nothing, so AI apps can let them run without asking. Change tools change TimeBolt's project or settings, or write files.

How the assistant sees your project

Timeline format

A timeline is a list of cuts in order, starting at 0 seconds with no gaps between them. The position of a cut in the list is its index, starting from 0. Each cut has:

Field	Meaning
`start`, `duration`	Where the cut starts and how long it lasts, in seconds of the original file.
`operation`	`keep`, `remove` or `fastforward`.
`punched`	Punch-in zoom, from 1 (no zoom) up to 5.
`punchedPosition`	Where the zoom is anchored: `center`, `top`, `bottom`, `left`, `right`, `top-left`, `top-right`, `bottom-left` or `bottom-right`.
`marked`	`true` when the cut is marked (starred).
`title`	A chapter title. A chapter starts at each cut with a title.

Transcription format

A transcription is a list of words, each with its start and end time in seconds:

[
  { "start": 0.12, "end": 0.48, "word": "Hello" },
  { "start": 0.48, "end": 0.90, "word": "everyone" }
]

The position of a word in the list is its word index. You can give the assistant a transcription in this format, made with any other service, instead of transcribing in TimeBolt.

Multi-Track Editor

Tools for the Multi-Track Editor have multitrack in their name. Tracks are numbered from 0, the top track. Their cuts can only be keep or remove, and their times are relative to the start of each track.

Files

File paths are full paths, such as /Users/me/Movies/video.mp4 or C:\Videos\video.mp4. Exported files are saved next to the source file unless a path is given, and a name that is already taken gets a number instead of being overwritten.

App, windows and settings

Tool	Kind	What it does	Inputs
`get_app_state`	Read	What TimeBolt is doing now: version, licence, which windows are open, and the Claude and ChatGPT connection state.	none
`get_project_state`	Read	The project in the main editor: file, loading state, duration, frame rate, resolution, audio tracks, whether it was edited, transcribed or is rendering, and timeline totals (cut counts, kept, removed and fast-forwarded time, estimated output length, markers, chapters).	none
`open_window`	Change	Opens the Multi-Track Editor, Capture (screen recorder), Stitch, File Doctor, Re-encoder, Variable Frame Rate Detector or Settings.	`window`; optional `filePath` for File Doctor
`close_window`	Change	Closes one of those windows. Closing Capture stops a recording in progress.	`window`
`get_settings`	Read	TimeBolt's saved settings (File > Settings): audio, render, dark mode, timeline behaviour, punch zoom levels, Umcheck, screen recorder and export options.	none
`update_settings`	Change	Changes only the settings you name. Dark mode applies after a restart.	`settings`

Opening files and silence detection

Tool	Kind	What it does	Inputs
`open_file_in_timeline`	Change	Opens a video or audio file in the main editor and runs silence detection, like dropping the file onto TimeBolt.	`filePath`; optional `replaceOpenFile`, `detectSilences`
`get_file_path`	Read	The path of the open file.	none
`get_duration`	Read	The length of the open file in seconds.	none
`get_silence_detection_options`	Read	The silence detection and output options under the waveform: filter level, grace period, ignore detections shorter than, padding, fast-forward speed and limits, transitions, processing speed and output quality.	none
`set_silence_detection_options`	Change	Changes those options without running detection again.	`options`
`get_suggested_filter_level`	Read	The filter level (dB) TimeBolt would pick automatically for the open file.	none
`run_silence_detection`	Change	Runs silence detection again (the Update Graph button), optionally with new options. Replaces manual edits; undo brings them back.	optional `options`
`control_preview`	Change	Plays, pauses, stops or seeks the preview player.	`action`; optional `seconds`

Timeline editing

Tool	Kind	What it does	Inputs
`get_timeline`	Read	The current timeline (see Timeline format).	none
`apply_timeline`	Change	Replaces the whole timeline after checking it has no gaps or overlaps.	`timeline`
`update_cuts`	Change	Changes the operation, marker, chapter title or zoom of some cuts: by index, by time range, or all of them.	`indexes`, `range` or `all`; `operation`, `marked`, `title`, `punched`, `punchedPosition`
`split_cut_at`	Change	Splits the cut at a time into two cuts.	`seconds`
`merge_consecutive_cuts`	Change	Merges neighbouring cuts that have the same settings (the Merge Consecutive Cuts button).	none
`shift_cuts`	Change	Moves every cut earlier or later by a number of seconds (the Shift Cuts control).	`seconds`
`keep_only_marked_cuts`	Change	Removes every cut that is not marked.	none
`undo`	Change	Undoes the last timeline change, like Cmd/Ctrl + Z.	none
`save_timeline_json`	Change	Saves the timeline as a TimeBolt `.json` file (File > Save Timeline).	optional `savePath`
`load_timeline_json`	Change	Loads a saved timeline `.json`, optionally shifted by some seconds.	`filePath`; optional `shiftSeconds`

Rendering

Tool	Kind	What it does	Inputs
`quick_render`	Change	Renders the current timeline right away (the Quick Render button).	optional `audioOnly`, `turboSpeedMultiplier`, `outputPath`, `burnCaptions`
`add_to_render_queue`	Change	Adds the current timeline to the render queue without starting it. Can queue only marked cuts, or one render per chapter.	optional `audioOnly`, `turboSpeedMultiplier`, `markedOnly`, `chapterClips`, `outputPath`, `burnCaptions`
`get_render_queue`	Read	The renders waiting in the queue.	none
`start_render`	Change	Renders everything in the queue, one after another (the Start Render button).	none
`get_render_status`	Read	Whether TimeBolt is rendering, the progress of the current render, what is still queued and the finished files.	none
`cancel_render`	Change	Stops the current render and keeps the rest of the queue.	none
`remove_from_render_queue`	Change	Removes a waiting render from the queue.	`id`
`set_background_music`	Change	Sets or clears the background music mixed under renders, with a volume from 0 to 1.	optional `filePath`, `volume`, `clear`
`export_cuts_to_directory`	Change	Renders each kept cut as its own numbered file in a folder (the Export Cuts button).	`directory`; optional `turboSpeedMultiplier`
`batch_process_files`	Change	Opens each file with the current silence detection settings, queues a render for each and starts the queue (Batch Processing).	`filePaths`

Exports for other editors

Tool	Kind	What it does	Inputs
`generate_xml`	Change	XML for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve.	optional `savePath`, `frameRate` (needed for audio files)
`generate_xml_sequence`	Change	XML for Premiere Pro with the edit as a nested sequence.	optional `savePath`, `frameRate` (needed for audio files)
`generate_fcpxml`	Change	FCPXML for Final Cut Pro, in the version set in your settings.	optional `savePath`
`generate_fcpxml_multicam`	Change	Multicam FCPXML for Final Cut Pro.	optional `savePath`
`generate_edl`	Change	An EDL.	optional `savePath`, `frameRate` (needed for audio files)
`generate_camtasia_project`	Change	Writes your cuts into the Camtasia project the video came from.	`projectPath` (`.tscproj`, or `.cmproj` on Mac)
`generate_srt`	Change	SRT captions that follow your edited timeline. Needs a transcription.	optional `savePath`
`generate_chapters_text`	Change	A YouTube-style chapter list with timestamps for the rendered video, optionally for a Turbo Mode speed.	optional `savePath`, `turboSpeedMultiplier`

If an export can't be made, for example when the timeline has fewer than two cuts or a render is running, the assistant gets TimeBolt's reason.

Transcription and filler words (Umcheck)

Tool	Kind	What it does	Inputs
`transcribe_locally`	Change	Transcribes the open file on your computer (Umcheck > Local Transcription). The first run downloads the speech model. Replaces any existing transcription.	none
`get_transcription_status`	Read	Whether a transcription is running (with progress), ready or failed.	none
`cancel_transcription`	Change	Cancels the running transcription.	none
`get_umcheck_transcription`	Read	The word-level transcription (see Transcription format).	none
`set_transcription`	Change	Uses a transcription made elsewhere (Umcheck > Apply Transcription File).	`words` or `filePath`
`save_transcription_json`	Change	Saves the transcription as `<video>.umcheck.json`.	optional `savePath`
`find_in_transcription`	Read	Finds every place a word or phrase is said, with times.	`phrase`; optional `ignoreCase`, `ignorePunctuation`
`replace_in_transcription`	Change	Replaces a word or phrase everywhere, for example to fix a misheard name before making captions (Find & Replace All).	`find`, `replace`; optional `ignoreCase`, `ignorePunctuation`
`detect_filler_words`	Read	Lists the filler words it would cut, and optionally false starts (repeated words) and retakes (repeated sentences). Cuts nothing.	optional `words`, `falseStarts`, `retakes`
`cut_words`	Change	Removes the given words from the output, like Umcheck's Turn Off Selected Words.	`wordIndexes`
`get_predefined_filler_words_and_phrases`	Read	Your saved filler words and phrases.	none
`set_filler_words_list`	Change	Replaces your saved filler words and phrases.	`words` (comma-separated)

Multi-Track Editor

Tool	Kind	What it does	Inputs
`open_files_in_multitrack_editor`	Change	Adds files as tracks, one per file, opening the Multi-Track Editor if needed.	`filePaths`
`get_multitrack_state`	Read	The tracks (file, type, length, start position, muted, cuts, transcribed), whether detection has run, and whether it is rendering or busy.	none
`get_multitrack_timeline`	Read	Every track with its cuts, optionally with each track's words.	optional `includeTranscription`
`apply_multitrack_timeline`	Change	Replaces the cuts, start positions and mute states of the tracks. Used for camera switching.	`timeline`
`synchronize_multitrack_tracks`	Change	Lines up the tracks by their audio, using track 0 as the reference (Synchronize Tracks).	none
`set_multitrack_track_start_position`	Change	Moves one track to start at a given time (Set Track Position).	`trackId`, `seconds`
`swap_multitrack_tracks`	Change	Swaps two tracks. The video shows the top-most track that is kept at each moment.	`trackIdA`, `trackIdB`
`mute_or_unmute_track_in_multitrack_editor`	Change	Mutes or unmutes a track's audio.	`trackId`, `status`
`remove_multitrack_track`	Change	Removes a track. Cannot be undone.	`trackId`
`get_multitrack_silence_detection_options`	Read	The Multi-Track Editor's own silence detection options.	none
`set_multitrack_silence_detection_options`	Change	Changes those options.	`options`
`run_multitrack_silence_detection`	Change	Runs silence detection on each track independently, or on one track and copies its cuts to the others (Run Silence Detection). Replaces manual edits.	`type`; optional `trackId`, `keepIfAnyTrackSpeaks`
`split_multitrack_at`	Change	Splits every track at a time.	`seconds`
`undo_multitrack`	Change	Undoes the last cut change in the Multi-Track Editor.	none
`transcribe_multitrack_locally`	Change	Transcribes every track that isn't transcribed yet, on your computer.	none
`get_multitrack_transcription_status`	Read	Transcription progress, and which tracks are transcribed.	none
`get_multitrack_transcription`	Read	One track's words.	`trackId`
`set_multitrack_transcription`	Change	Gives one track a transcription made elsewhere.	`trackId`; `words` or `filePath`
`start_multitrack_render`	Change	Renders the edit to an `.mp4` (or `.wav` when there is no video).	`renderToPath`
`get_multitrack_render_status`	Read	Render progress.	none
`cancel_multitrack_render`	Change	Stops the render and deletes the partial file.	none
`generate_multitrack_fcpxml`	Change	FCPXML for Final Cut Pro.	optional `savePath`
`generate_multitrack_xml`	Change	XML for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve.	optional `savePath`

Capture (screen recorder)

Tool	Kind	What it does	Inputs
`get_screen_recorder_state`	Read	Whether Capture is open, recording or saving, its settings, and the screens, microphones and cameras available.	none
`set_screen_recorder_settings`	Change	Sets the recording type (screen and camera, screen only, camera only), quality, crop (16:9, square or 9:16), screen, microphone, camera and system audio.	`settings`
`start_screen_recording`	Change	Starts recording after a 3-second countdown. On Mac, screen recording permission must already be granted.	none
`stop_screen_recording`	Change	Stops recording and saves an `.mp4`, which then opens in the main editor.	`savePath`

Media files and conversions

Tool	Kind	What it does	Inputs
`probe_file`	Read	Checks a file before opening it: whether TimeBolt can edit it (and why not), length, resolution, frame rate, codecs and audio streams.	`filePath`
`detect_variable_frame_rate`	Read	Checks a video for variable frame rate, like File Doctor, and suggests a constant frame rate.	optional `filePath`
`convert_to_constant_frame_rate`	Change	Converts a video to a constant frame rate H.264 MP4 (`<name>_CFR.mp4`), optionally opening the result in TimeBolt.	optional `filePath`, `outputPath`, `fps`, `openInTimeline`
`re_encode_file`	Change	Re-encodes a file like the Re-encoder: video to H.264 MP4, audio to WAV (`<name>_re-encoded`).	`filePath`; optional `outputPath`, `fps`
`get_conversion_status`	Read	Progress of the latest conversion or re-encode.	optional `jobId`
`cancel_conversion`	Change	Cancels the running conversion and deletes the partial file.	none

Tips & Troubleshooting Introduction