> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://memorystring.codebyz.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://memorystring.codebyz.com/build-your-movie/organizing.md).
# Organizing
A slideshow is a story — Tuesday’s cake after Saturday’s drive, not before. The **Intro** stays first when it is on; sorts, shuffles, and drags never mix it into the media thumbs.
Library — drag thumbs to reorder; drop on a slide or group seat to Replace
Timeline — drag a single clip or a whole group on the photo lane
## Sort and shuffle slides
Trip diary, night-just-ended reverse, or a deliberate surprise — Library **calendar** (or right-click empty Library space) for date/import **and Shuffle**. **Edit → Sort by Date Taken** and Studio **Motion → Timeline → Sort by Date Taken** are the three date/import choices only. Studio **Motion** also has a separate **Shuffle Slides** button:
| Command | What it does |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Oldest First (Story Order)** | Capture date, oldest → newest |
| **Newest First** | Reverse chronological |
| **Import Order** | The sequence you brought the files in |
| **Shuffle** / **Shuffle Slides** | Random photo order (Motion names it Shuffle Slides). Pauses playback and seeks to the start |
Date sorts use camera capture date (EXIF / recording date); file date only if neither exists. Undated files at the **end**. Filenames never used. Captions, trims, rotations stay; groups **planned fresh**. **⌘Z** undoes.
**Essential:** after import, if the Library was empty or already **Oldest First**, new stills auto-sort **Oldest First**. Studio does not.
## Captions (Library bubble)
Bulk fill or clear — fifty captions by hand is a long evening. Full settings: [Intro and captions](/build-your-movie/intro-captions.md#slide-captions).
## Shuffle Transitions
Happy with photo order, bored with the cuts? Keeps photo order; re-rolls single-slide cuts, group kinds, and where group windows sit. Cadence, which group types are on, and card counts stay.
Library **⋯**, Inspector → **Motion → Timeline**, or right-click empty Library space. If you hand-picked **Slide Transition**s, it asks before clearing them.
Clicking a **Look** chip also re-deals transitions (and related Style). See [Looks](/style-and-motion/looks.md#the-eight-chips).
## Drag to reorder
When “Grandma next to the kids” beats auto-sort, drag.
**Library** — drag thumbs in the grid.
**Timeline** photo lane — drag clips; near either edge the strip auto-scrolls past what’s on screen.
Drag from the Library onto the Timeline:
* Drop in a **gap** — insert or move
* Drop on a **single** slide or a **group seat** until **Replace**
* Drop on the **intro** tile — sets the intro background
Music reorders on the **music lane**, not here. See [Music](/build-your-movie/music.md#arrange-on-the-timeline).
Hand-dragging **pins** group windows to those photos. Sorting, shuffling, resetting, or changing cadence / count returns placement to the planner. See [Multi-photo groups](/style-and-motion/groups.md).
### Singles vs whole groups
First click on a group selects the **whole window** (champagne outline in the Library; one cell on the Timeline). Drag then moves every seat together.
Right-click two or more selected clips → **Group Transition**. **Ungroup** / **Change Transition** on an existing group. See [Library](/build-your-movie/library.md#right-click-a-slide).
### In-group photos and videos
Blinker out, grin in: click the group again on a **member** (Library) or a **thumb** on the Timeline cell (second click) to **drill in**. Accent ring on one photo — drag that seat alone.
* Drop on another **seat** in the same window to swap / replace that place in the group
* Drop in a **gap** to pull it out of the group (extract)
The group **badge** on a Library thumb re-selects the whole window.
## Undo
Mistakes are cheap. **⌘Z** undoes sort, shuffle, Shuffle Transitions, and drag reorder. Named in the Edit menu (for example Undo Sort by Date Taken, Undo Shuffle).
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