Problem with the magnetic timeline?

Can you post a screenshot of the timeline?

Normally, you'd select the clips from the primary and do Command-Option-UpArrow to Lift from Primary Storyline.

This makes them connected clips and leaves a gap clip in the primary. Then you can either leave it like this, or select the audio and do Command-Option-DownArrow to Overwrite to Primary Storyline.

Ian R. Brown wrote:

I can't get your suggestions to work.

Clicking Option-Command Up Arrow on the video track does not appear to do anything . . . if I delete a clip the magnetic timeline closes in and if I use the Down Arrow command on the audio track it simply overwrites and obliterates the video.

This should work very easily. I just made a small example with a similar timeline, and it all works as expected.

Here is my timeline, with several clips in the primary. Now, you have transitions between the clips, and, as you know, you can't have transitions between connected clips. So when you lift, a secondary storyline will be created.

0) Here is a similar timeline:

1) Select all the contents of the primary storyline.

2) Press Command-Option-UpArrow - note how the clips are now in a secondary storyline, connected to a gap clip in the primary

3) Select the audio and press Command-Option-DownArrow - the audio now takes the place of the gap clip:

NOTE: the secondary storyline is, of course, still magnetic. If you want these clips to be connected clips and not in a storyline, the easiest way is probably to begin by deleting all the transitions. You can then re-add them where appropriate (note that this will make one or more secondary storylines - that is expected).