# Oscillator Use - Pan and Scroll **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [8 May 2026 03:38 UTC](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/t/oscillator-use-pan-and-scroll/2225 "2026-05-08T03:38:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![David\_Eames](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@David\_Eames](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/u/David_Eames)\ **Post date:** [8 May 2026 03:38 UTC](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/t/oscillator-use-pan-and-scroll/2225/1 "2026-05-08T03:38:42Z")
Hi Everybody! I’ve much appreciated the education I’ve been able to get from all your answers here! I have another question, I wanted to see if someone had any idea! I’ve learned to create a zoom and scale effect using the sawtooth oscillator. I know that a draw effect will require me to animate the image. But I’m considering developing a pan across an image; either left to right, or top to bottom to create a continuous “scrolling” effect. Are there any recommendations regarding which oscillator to use? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![StonewolfActual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@StonewolfActual](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/u/StonewolfActual)\ **Post date:** [8 May 2026 04:07 UTC](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/t/oscillator-use-pan-and-scroll/2225/2 "2026-05-08T04:07:04Z")
Youre on the right track. The sawtooth it the easy way. If you need a more detailed approach, the custom oscillator give you a lot of flexibility in terms of different timings and curves. I get a lot of mileage out of it when mapping lasers to video and the video team gets cute with ease in/out and compound moves. Hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![seb](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.liberationlaser.com/seb/32/3_2.png) [@seb](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/u/seb)\ **Post date:** [8 May 2026 13:52 UTC](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/t/oscillator-use-pan-and-scroll/2225/3 "2026-05-08T13:52:39Z")
Hi David! Firstly, just to help with terminology a bit, because it’ll make the manual and future discussions much easier to follow 🙂 In Liberation there are three main node types: - **[Creator nodes](https://docs.liberationlaser.com/clip-editor/creator-nodes.html)** (cyan) - these generate content, like Circle, Dot, Line, SVG etc. - **[Operator nodes](https://docs.liberationlaser.com/clip-editor/operator-nodes/)** (blue) - these modify content, things like Scale, Rotate, Translate, Trim, Randomise etc. - **[Oscillator nodes](https://docs.liberationlaser.com/clip-editor/oscillators/)** (red) - these animate parameters on the other nodes over time. So in your case, I think the key thing you’re looking for is actually the **[Translate](https://docs.liberationlaser.com/clip-editor/operator-nodes/transformations.html)** operator node. That’s what moves content left/right or up/down. Then you can attach a [Sawtooth oscillator](https://docs.liberationlaser.com/clip-editor/oscillators/wave-oscillators.html#sawtooth-wave-1) to the Translate X or Y parameter. That will create a continuous movement across the screen. For example: - Sawtooth on **Translate X** = scroll left/right - Sawtooth on **Translate Y** = scroll up/down Because a sawtooth ramps continuously then jumps back to the start, it works really well for scrolling effects. If you want smoother back-and-forth movement instead, a [sine wave oscillator](https://docs.liberationlaser.com/clip-editor/oscillators/wave-oscillators.html#sine-wave) is often nicer. One thing I’m slightly unsure about is whether you’re trying to: - move the entire graphic across the zone - reveal it progressively like a draw effect - or create an infinitely repeating tiled scroll Those are slightly different setups, but Translate + Sawtooth is definitely the right starting point for a pan. Hope that helps! Seb ---
**Author:** ![David\_Eames](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@David\_Eames](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/u/David_Eames)\ **Post date:** [9 May 2026 04:35 UTC](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/t/oscillator-use-pan-and-scroll/2225/4 "2026-05-09T04:35:57Z")
Thanks Seb, I am attempting to move a graphic across an entire zone; in this case, without drawing the line as I go (I think this requires a series of animated SVG’s for imported images?). The translate/sawtooth does the trick, but I’m not sure how to generate the illusion that the graphic is constantly in motion (i.e. from a single still motion image of a geometrical cityscape). I’ve thought of looping or overlapping images on the timeline, but I’m not sure if there’s a simpler way? I guess this would be closest to your third option (the infinitely repeating tiled scroll). Thanks! ![IMG_0819.HEIC](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/uploads/liberation/original/2X/3/3e7289bedfb1ed7420758b852c8c6c72abb630ba.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![seb](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.liberationlaser.com/seb/32/3_2.png) [@seb](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/u/seb)\ **Post date:** [9 May 2026 09:02 UTC](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/t/oscillator-use-pan-and-scroll/2225/5 "2026-05-09T09:02:23Z")
The trick is to use an image (or combination of images) that can create a tiling pattern, and then use a sawtooth oscillator that moves it the distance of the tile width. Here’s an example clip to show you how it’s done, I thought that would be easier than explaining 😊 [infinitescroll.cpdk](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/uploads/short-url/9tG2W4AtRFaBAe2UCsBh63huDET.cpdk) (4.0 KB) All the best Seb ---
**Author:** ![David\_Eames](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@David\_Eames](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/u/David_Eames)\ **Post date:** [11 May 2026 02:50 UTC](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/t/oscillator-use-pan-and-scroll/2225/6 "2026-05-11T02:50:22Z")
Thanks Seb. Is there any way to timestamp a particular action (such as a pan or translate action, or re-scaling) such that it occurs at a particular point in the image sequence relative to its duration or are all settings globally applied? ---
**Author:** ![seb](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.liberationlaser.com/seb/32/3_2.png) [@seb](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/u/seb)\ **Post date:** [11 May 2026 08:33 UTC](https://forum.liberationlaser.com/t/oscillator-use-pan-and-scroll/2225/7 "2026-05-11T08:33:40Z")
Yes! All oscillators have a _delay count_ parameter, which is the number of beats before the oscillator starts. You can also change the _repeat count_ if you only want an action to happen once. > **TOP TIP!** Enable an empty timeline, pause playback, move the playhead back to the beginning, then hit the **RETRIGGER CLIP** button. You can then move the playhead through the timeline to preview the clip at any point in its animation. All the best, Seb