Community Forums Archive

Go Back

Subject:Mouse wheel zoom
Posted by: ghanedan
Date:9/21/2006 1:31:09 AM

Hi,
Is there anybody out there thinking that mouse wheel's default behaviour in ACID is a bit useless, or further more a bit disturbing ?

I mean when you rotate mouse wheel it zooms in and out, I don't know may be some of you may have gotten used to this.

In my opinion it might be better to make a scroll up and down the whole window with mouse wheel.

And in inline midi editing when you press scrollbars the display moves to the next track. I think this is a bit confusing becuase inline editing does not automatically focus on the notes you recorded. I know there are small strange sliders on the left side, but I expect to scrool in notes from the right

Message last edited on9/21/2006 2:08:44 AM byghanedan.
Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ibliss
Date:9/21/2006 3:03:00 AM

You are joking about the mousewheel, right? I mean really. This is one of the best UI choices ever made.

Ctrl+mouse wheel scrolls up and down
Shift+mouse wheel scrolls side to side

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Erik-Nygaard
Date:9/21/2006 4:52:47 AM

An enhancement would be if on two-wheel mice one would scroll up/down and the other move along the timeline.
Sonar does this. In Acid both wheels zoom.

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: JohnnyRoy
Date:9/21/2006 5:21:27 AM

Considering that ACID snaps to the grid and the grid changes as you zoom in, I find the mouse wheel to be a brilliant idea for controlling snapping. I am constantly zooming in and out and using the wheel makes this simple and efficient.

When I scroll right and left I usually grab the top of the track header and slide it. I guess it’s all what you get use to. Vegas works the exact same way so the consistency is critical for moving between the applications seamlessly.

~jr

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ghanedan
Date:9/21/2006 5:49:55 AM

When I scroll right and left I usually grab the top of the track header and slide it. I guess it’s all what you get use to.

No in fact nearly in every Windows based program scrolling makes the window go up and down (think of InternetExplorer)..

And when you have many tracks the only way to go to the last track or first track vertically is the slide bars. I am so used to the windows default (sonar, samplitude, magix etc etc) I automatically try the wheel if I want to go down the track list. But I immeditely find myself zoomed in to the atoms of the samples.

The following is the critical question:
Which is more frequently used by the composer : zooming or going up and down in the track list ?

In my case as soon as I record a midi line with my monosynth I convert it into audio and to do this I go to the end and add an audio track. But because I'm everytime trying the wheel I find myself in a zoomed planet.

Message last edited on9/21/2006 5:53:34 AM byghanedan.
Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: pwppch
Date:9/21/2006 7:05:47 AM

This is one of our most popular features!! I assure you that it wont change.

Additionally, if you hover the mouse over the keyboard in inline edit mode, and use the mouse wheel it scrolls through the note rage.

Hold the shift key while mouse wheeling over the keyboard, and you can zoom the inline editor in and out, with each track having a different zoom ratio.

The inline editing not focusing on the recorded notes is a known issue that we are looking into.

Peter

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ghanedan
Date:9/21/2006 7:16:19 AM

That is why again and again I say:

Allow users to configure the default controller behaviour...

I can see, most people are used to this zoom thing, but I am sure there will be people wanting to assign vertical or horizontal movement with the wheel.

At least such simple behaviours must be configurable by the user...

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ibliss
Date:9/21/2006 7:21:54 AM

Have you tried clicking your middle mouse button/scroll wheel button? This envokes a very quick method of shuttling around the timeline - same way you can do in Internet Explorer, as it happens...

oh, and graphics programs also seem to use the scroll wheel to zoom in/out.

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Vocalpoint
Date:9/21/2006 7:23:48 AM

"but I am sure there will be people wanting to assign vertical or horizontal movement with the wheel."

No...actually you would be the only one that I can think of. Especially when CTRL-Wheel and Shift-Wheel do exactly what you want with no hassles at all.

Mousewheel-Zoom completely rocks. I wish more audio apps would get with the program and implement this feature!


Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ibliss
Date:9/21/2006 7:37:35 AM

Indeed - sonar has listed "Mouse wheel support for parameter control and zoom" as a new feature for V6. Not sure how they have implemented it.

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ghanedan
Date:9/21/2006 7:49:06 AM

I can't understand you, really...

What is wrong with user configurable mouse behaviour ???

If you want it as it is now, you never open that preferences tab.

For instance double-clicking on the midi clip should open the clip editor. Now, it selects the loop.

What is wrong for me to configure what will happen when I double click an event ?

Can you please inform me the false side of my wish, rather than grandiose-ing a simple zoom zoom action ??

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:9/21/2006 8:59:48 AM

It won't take you but a calorie to hold down Ctrl while moving the mouse wheel to scroll the timeline up and down, you know. ;)

You can right-click on an event/clip and select, "Clip Properties," or you can use Ctrl+Alt+3 to toggle the clip properties window. If you keep it open and dock it (or move it to another monitor screen), it will, of course, change to reflect the currently selected event/clip.

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ghanedan
Date:9/21/2006 9:32:26 AM

How are your explainations related with configurable mouse behavior ?

Message last edited on9/21/2006 9:32:50 AM byghanedan.
Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:9/21/2006 10:30:53 AM

They're not; I was just suggesting alternatives.

I also forgot to mention that you can also simply press the mouse wheel and navigate the timeline that way too.

It's not like you have to stand up, turn around 3 times and spit into a hat to simply navigate the timeline using the current methods, right? :o)

I imagine that you could also, with the right mouse and its software, use the mouse exactly the way you want to.

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ghanedan
Date:9/21/2006 10:42:22 AM

Or I can write an alternative ACID real PRO 8 software ?

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:9/21/2006 1:02:11 PM

Oh, come on. Now you're being facetious.

Look, ACID Pro ain't perfect. (No DAW software really is.) But it's pretty darned good at what it does.

I couldn't dream of doing what ACID does years ago (at least affordably, between the software and the hardware to produce material that sounds professional). That alone makes me grateful.

Hey, if you want to see a feature in ACID, then suggest it. But remember it's just a suggestion; in no small way does it mean that your feature request will ever make it into ACID.

I've been requesting things here and there for a few years now myself. Some have made it; most have not. But I'm OK with that. Maybe it's because I'm used to hardship (if you can even call making music/audio with ACID a hardship since it's so damned easy to nail an idea down pronto) but I digress...

To be honest, I couldn't care less if customizable mouse commands ever made it into a version of ACID because I'm quite happy the way they are. (And as I said, would it kill you to hold down Ctrl while scrolling with the mouse wheel?)

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ghanedan
Date:9/21/2006 1:13:31 PM

Ok if you really want to learn why I stay away from keyboard combinations is:

I work in the night !

Do I have to tell all my working procedure to request something here ?

Because I work in the dark there are no lights except synths and computer screen. It will cost me a precious 5 minutes to find ctrl+f6+whatever in midnight 0 lumens.
And while searching for the right keyboard combination, guess what will go to bed ? A precious moment of inspiration...

Is this what you call instant software ?

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ibliss
Date:9/21/2006 1:26:10 PM

Sounds like you should be asking for a button on the toolbar that toggles your lights on and off... (there is a keyboard shortcut but...... )

;-)

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Vocalpoint
Date:9/21/2006 1:57:02 PM

If your "inspiration" is suddenly going to vaporize by applying a keyboard shortcut - you need to buy a light. It will end up costing you a lot more in your eyesight and your precious time to keep clicking the mouse all over the place.

Keyboard shortcuts are the biggest time saver there is. No amount of custom mouse wheel config could make up for the speed of a good keyboard shortcut. Especially when the bloody command is right there...I mean how hard is it to find the CTRL key...in the dark or not?



Message last edited on9/21/2006 1:58:39 PM byVocalpoint.
Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ghanedan
Date:9/21/2006 2:25:06 PM

Ok man I will put a spotlight over my head and make my tiny studio shine like heaven. I will summarize 150 different keyboard combinations just to turn my quoted "inspiration" into reality. Just because acid is not configurable and its "shining like crazy diamonds" users prefer hitting keyboards like quadrapods.

"Sound and parfume swirl in the evening air..."

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ghanedan
Date:9/21/2006 2:33:40 PM

Sounds like you should be asking for a button on the toolbar that toggles your lights on and off... (there is a keyboard shortcut but...... )

At least there is a sense of humor in what you write..


Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Geoff_Wood
Date:9/21/2006 3:41:40 PM

"Most people" ? All but one, I suspect ! ;-)

geoff

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Geoff_Wood
Date:9/21/2006 3:43:23 PM

"I can't understand you, really... What is wrong with user configurable mouse behaviour ???"

Aren't you the one suggesting that they shouldn't rush to implement REAL useful features that are lacking because of lack of skilled programmers ?

geoff

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Geoff_Wood
Date:9/21/2006 3:47:23 PM


"I work in the night !"

You are joking, right ? Buy a candle.

geoff

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Geoff_Wood
Date:9/21/2006 3:49:45 PM

You could write to you monitor manufacturer and ask them to include a 'brightness boost' button for visual assistance to users who rely on the glow to see what they are doing...

geoff

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: BradlyMusic
Date:9/21/2006 6:48:10 PM

Different Thread Topic Same response.

"Ok, I get it now. So what you're really saying is, "My needs are more important than yours, so don't change things I find unimportant to my way of working but change the things that I find important."

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ghanedan
Date:9/21/2006 10:00:03 PM

You are right Bradley.

This turns into a "your need vs my need" competetion. Because Acid is not configurable / customizable by the user.


Message last edited on9/21/2006 10:01:13 PM byghanedan.
Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:9/25/2006 9:10:08 AM

I saw a backlit keyboard at Best Buy the other day. I was this close to picking it up just because it looked so cool. ;)

(Ooo...cool glowy blue.)

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Mouse wheel zoom
Reply by: ghanedan
Date:9/25/2006 9:29:37 AM

yeah I need one of them

Go Back