From 9b5fd6eb077a3fb2380f42414b65405030a01fcd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Maze Winther <mazewinther@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2026 01:51:25 +0100
Subject: feat: ensure elements on main track starts at 0

---
 apps/web/src/lib/timeline/drop-utils.ts  | 14 ++++++--
 apps/web/src/lib/timeline/track-utils.ts | 60 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 72 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

(limited to 'apps/web/src/lib/timeline')

diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/timeline/drop-utils.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/timeline/drop-utils.ts
index 8c22194a..9182892f 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/lib/timeline/drop-utils.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/timeline/drop-utils.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import type { TimelineTrack, ElementType } from "@/types/timeline";
 import { TRACK_HEIGHTS, TRACK_GAP } from "@/constants/timeline-constants";
 import { wouldElementOverlap } from "./element-utils";
 import type { ComputeDropTargetParams, DropTarget } from "@/types/timeline";
-import { isMainTrack } from "./track-utils";
+import { isMainTrack, enforceMainTrackStart } from "./track-utils";
 
 function getTrackAtY({
 	mouseY,
@@ -185,11 +185,21 @@ export function computeDropTarget({
 	});
 
 	if (isTrackCompatible && !hasOverlap) {
+		const targetTrack = tracks[trackIndex];
+		// safe: snap to 0 only happens when element becomes the new earliest,
+		// meaning the space before the current earliest is empty
+		const adjustedXPosition = enforceMainTrackStart({
+			tracks,
+			targetTrackId: targetTrack.id,
+			requestedStartTime: xPosition,
+			excludeElementId,
+		});
+
 		return {
 			trackIndex,
 			isNewTrack: false,
 			insertPosition: null,
-			xPosition,
+			xPosition: adjustedXPosition,
 		};
 	}
 
diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/timeline/track-utils.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/timeline/track-utils.ts
index b6261569..415d0ace 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/lib/timeline/track-utils.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/timeline/track-utils.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import type {
 	AudioTrack,
 	StickerTrack,
 	TextTrack,
+	TimelineElement,
 } from "@/types/timeline";
 import {
 	TRACK_COLORS,
@@ -242,3 +243,62 @@ export function validateElementTrackCompatibility({
 
 	return { isValid: true };
 }
+
+export function getEarliestMainTrackElement({
+	tracks,
+	excludeElementId,
+}: {
+	tracks: TimelineTrack[];
+	excludeElementId?: string;
+}): TimelineElement | null {
+	const mainTrack = getMainTrack({ tracks });
+	if (!mainTrack) {
+		return null;
+	}
+
+	const elements = mainTrack.elements.filter(
+		(element) => !excludeElementId || element.id !== excludeElementId,
+	);
+
+	if (elements.length === 0) {
+		return null;
+	}
+
+	return elements.reduce((earliest, element) =>
+		element.startTime < earliest.startTime ? element : earliest,
+	);
+}
+
+export function enforceMainTrackStart({
+	tracks,
+	targetTrackId,
+	requestedStartTime,
+	excludeElementId,
+}: {
+	tracks: TimelineTrack[];
+	targetTrackId: string;
+	requestedStartTime: number;
+	excludeElementId?: string;
+}): number {
+	const mainTrack = getMainTrack({ tracks });
+	if (!mainTrack || mainTrack.id !== targetTrackId) {
+		return requestedStartTime;
+	}
+
+	const earliestElement = getEarliestMainTrackElement({
+		tracks,
+		excludeElementId,
+	});
+
+	if (!earliestElement) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	// main track must always start at time 0; if this element would
+	// become the earliest, pin it to the start
+	if (requestedStartTime <= earliestElement.startTime) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	return requestedStartTime;
+}
-- 
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