Be sure you have snap to reference lines checked in Preference. You did not state which version of
PD you have and the fx you want to use.

Try this: Place the cursor on the clip close to where you want the fx to start. Use the keyboard comma and period keys to move that cursor one frame at a time left and right to get exactly where you want to place the fx. If you have unsteady hands then it would help to split the clip at this point. Drag n drop the fx on the fx track where the cursor is at.. That's it.

Once a Fx is in the timeline, you can no longer position it based on the timeline scrubber as the scrubber refocuses to the Fx when selected. You can do a couple of things:
1) Place timeline scrubber at desired Fx start location, use Shift M to define a timeline marker. You can then move the Fx to start at this marker and it will snap to marker
2) With Fx selected, you can use Alt L/R arrows to nudge Fx one video frame at a time left or right
3) You can zoom in timeline and move Fx one video frame at a time or change the duration one frame at a time.
4) You can use right mouse click on Fx and use set duration

Jeff

Quote Be sure you have snap to reference lines checked in Preference. You did not state which version of
PD you have and the fx you want to use.

Try this: Place the cursor on the clip close to where you want the fx to start. Use the keyboard comma and period keys to move that cursor one frame at a time left and right to get exactly where you want to place the fx. If you have unsteady hands then it would help to split the clip at this point. Drag n drop the fx on the fx track where the cursor is at.. That's it.

I do have snap to reference lines checked in Preferences. Sorry, I am using PowerDirector 16.

I forgot about the frame advance keys. I did not realize the command and period keys do the same thing. I was able to move the cursor to exactly where the effect should start. When I tried to drag and drop the effect to where the cursor is at, the cursor jumped to where I clicked the effect to drag. What am I doing wrong?

Darin

Quote Once a Fx is in the timeline, you can no longer position it based on the timeline scrubber as the scrubber refocuses to the Fx when selected. You can do a couple of things:
1) Place timeline scrubber at desired Fx start location, use Shift M to define a timeline marker. You can then move the Fx to start at this marker and it will snap to marker
2) With Fx selected, you can use Alt L/R arrows to nudge Fx one video frame at a time left or right
3) You can zoom in timeline and move Fx one video frame at a time or change the duration one frame at a time.
4) You can use right mouse click on Fx and use set duration

Jeff

Zooming seemed to work the best for me. Thanks Jeff.

I clicked the gaussian blur 20 times in the media library and the cursor did not move. When dragging
it down to the timeline and then releasing the mouse key does make the cursor jump to the new position. When dragging the fx to the fx track where the red cursor line turns blue and releasing it there and the fx is at the exact position. Be sure to release the fx only at that steady blue line for a few seconds to make sure.

Jeff's method works if you don't get it the first tine.