+<figure>
<img src="/images/toolbar-tools.png" alt="Editor toolbar's tools, aka toolbox">
+<figcaption>Editor toolbar's tools, AKA toolbox.</figcaption>
+</figure>
<h2>Global Edit mode</h2>
<p>
- Ardour has a global <dfn>edit mode</dfn> selector at the left of the
- Editing toolbar, which affect how regions are moved or copied:
+ Ardour has a global <dfn>Edit Mode</dfn> selector at the left side of the
+ Editing toolbar, which affects how regions are moved or copied:
</p>
<table class="dl">
</table>
<p>
- Ripple Edit mode provides the following conveniences:
+ Ripple Edit mode provides the following:
<ul>
<li>Deleting a range will move later regions to compensate for the deleted time</li>
<li>Deleting a region will move later regions to compensate for the deleted region's length</li>
If <kbd class="menu">Snap To Grid</kbd> is enabled, then regions can
only move so that they align with locations determined by the current
snap settings (beats, or seconds, or other region boundaries, etc).
- See <a href="@@grid-controls">Snap To the Grid</a>
- for details.
+ See <a href="@@grid-controls">Snap To the Grid</a> for details.
</p>
-<h2>The <em>Smart</em> switch
+<h2 id="edit-point">The Edit Point selector</h2>
<p>
- The <dfn>Smart Mode</dfn> button to the left of the mouse mode buttons
- modifies the <dfn>Grab Mode</dfn>. When enabled, the mouse behaves as if it
- is in "Range Mode" in the upper half of a region, and in "Grab Mode" in the
- lower half. This allows avoiding constant switching between these two modes.
+ Numerous editing operations require the definition of an Edit Point,
+ that is chosen in this selector. More information about the Edit Point
+ can be found <a href="@@edit-point-control">here</a>.
+</p>
+
+<h2>The <em>Smart</em> mode toggle switch</h2>
+
+<p>
+ The <dfn>Smart Mode</dfn> toggle button (shortcut: <kbd>y</kbd>) to the left
+ of the mouse mode buttons modifies the behavior of <dfn>Grab Mode</dfn>: when
+ enabled, the mouse behaves as if it is in <dfn>Range Mode</dfn> in the upper
+ half of a region, while behaving as if it is in <dfn>Grab Mode</dfn> in the
+ lower half. This makes it possible to avoid constant switching between these
+ two modes.
</p>
<h2>Mouse Modes</h2>
-<table class="dl">
- <tr><th id="object">Grab Mode</th>
- <td>The <dfn>Grab Mode</dfn> is used for selecting, moving, deleting and
- copying objects. When in object mode, the mouse pointer appears as a hand
- whenever it is over the track canvas or the rulers. The mouse can now be
- used to select and perform operations on objects such as regions, markers etc.
- This is the most common mode to work in, as it allows you to select and move regions,
- as well as modify automation points on the automation tracks.</td></tr>
-
- <tr><th>Range Mode</th>
- <td>When in <dfn>Range Mode</dfn>, the mouse pointer appears as a vertical line
- whenever it is over the track canvas or the rulers. The mouse will now be
- able to select a point or range of time. Time ranges can be selected over
- one or several tracks, depending on the selection of your tracks.<br>
- If none of your tracks are selected, the Range Tool will operate on all the
- session track visualized in the Editor.<br>
- If you want to edit only particular tracks, select them before you apply
- the range tool.</td></tr>
-
- <tr><th>Cut Tool Mode</th>
- <td>When in <dfn>Cut Tool Mode</dfn>, the mouse pointer appears as a pair of scissors
- whenever it is over the track canvas or the rulers. This tools allows to cut
- any region into 2 regions at the mouse cursor, regardless of the Edit Point.<br>
- If one or more track(s) is selected, then all the regions on these tracks will
- be split at the mouse cursor position.<br>
- If no track is selected, then only the region hovered by the mouse cursor will
- be split.</td></tr>
-
- <tr><th>Stretch Mode</th>
- <td>When in <dfn>time fx</dfn> mode, the mouse pointer appears as a
- distinctive expanding square symbol whenever it is over the track canvas or
- the rulers. This mode is used to resize regions using a timestretch
- algorithm. Click on an edge of a region of audio and drag it one way or the other to
- stretch or shrink the region.</td></tr>
-
- <tr><th>Audition Tool</th>
- <td>Clicking a region using the <dfn>audition tool</dfn> will play this
- region to the control room outputs.<br>
- You can also <dfn>scrub</dfn> with this tool by clicking and dragging in
- the direction you wish to listen. The amount you drag in one direction or
- the other will determine the playback speed.</td></tr>
-
- <tr><th>Draw Tool</th>
- <td>When in <dfn>Draw Tool</dfn> mode, the mouse pointer will change to
- a pencil. You can then click within an audio region to change the <dfn>gain
- envelope</dfn> for that region. This curve is separate from fader automation
- for individual tracks. It will remain locked to the region's time, so if the
- region is moved, the region gain envelope is moved along with it.<br>
- The draw tool works on automation too, allowing the creation and modification
- of control points on the automation curves.<br>
- Last, it is used on a MIDI region to edit the notes.</td></tr>
-
- <tr><th>Internal/Region Edit Mode</th>
- <td>When in <dfn>Internal Edit</dfn> mode, the mouse pointer will change to
- cross-hairs. This tool acts on region gain and automation as the Draw tool.<br>
- On a MIDI region, it allows to lasso-select multiple notes at a time.</td></tr>
+<p>
+ Editing <a href="@@working-with-regions">regions</a> and their contents
+ is very complex and, by virtue of this, requires different <dfn>Mouse
+ Modes</dfn> in order to be able to perform typical editing chores in a
+ way that is powerful and makes sense.
+</p>
+
+<table>
+ <tr><th><strong>Mode</strong></th><td><strong>Keyboard Shortcut</strong></td></tr>
+ <tr><th>Grab</th><td><kbd>g</kbd></td></tr>
+ <tr><th>Range</th><td><kbd>r</kbd></td></tr>
+ <tr><th>Cut</th><td><kbd>c</kbd></td></tr>
+ <tr><th>Audition</th><td>None</td></tr>
+ <tr><th>Stretch</th><td><kbd>t</kbd></td></tr>
+ <tr><th>Draw</th><td><kbd>d</kbd></td></tr>
+ <tr><th>Internal Edit</th><td><kbd>e</kbd></td></tr>
</table>
+
+<p class="note">
+ Changes to the mouse pointer only occur when hovering over the track canvas;
+ the mouse pointer <em>always</em> changes to a hand in the ruler area
+ regardless of what mode is selected, and always moves the <a
+ href="@@controlling-playback">playhead</a> to the position <kbd
+ class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicked on—as long as there is no marker
+ or other tag under the mouse position clicked on.
+</p>
+
+<h3 id="object">Grab Mode</h3>
+
+<p>
+ <dfn>Grab Mode</dfn> is used for selecting, moving, deleting and copying
+ objects. In this mode, the mouse pointer appears as a hand and can be used
+ to select and perform various operations on objects such as regions, markers
+ etc…. This is the most common mode to work in, as it allows the
+ for selection and moving of <a href="@@working-with-regions">regions</a>,
+ as well as the modification of control points in <a href="@@automation-lanes">automation lanes</a>.
+</p>
+
+<h3 id="range">Range Mode</h3>
+
+<p>
+ In <dfn>Range Mode</dfn>, the mouse pointer appears as a vertical line;
+ <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking on the track canvas will display
+ the time at the position clicked on. <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking
+ and dragging on the track canvas will create a time range for the track
+ clicked and dragged on; adjacent tracks can be selected as well by dragging
+ the mouse into them. Once a time range has been defined, it can be resized
+ by <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking on either the left-hand or right-hand
+ side of the range and dragging the mouse to the desired position.
+</p>
+
+<h3 id="cut">Cut Tool Mode</h3>
+
+<p>
+ In <dfn>Cut Tool Mode</dfn>, the mouse pointer appears as a pair of scissors
+ and allows for the separation of any region into two distinct regions by
+ <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking at the desired point of separation.
+ If more than one track is selected, then all the regions on the selected
+ tracks will be split at the point clicked on. If no track is selected,
+ then only the region hovered by the mouse cursor will be split.
+</p>
+
+<h3 id="stretch">Stretch Mode</h3>
+
+<p>
+ In <dfn>Stretch Mode</dfn>, the mouse pointer appears as an expanding
+ square symbol and is used to resize regions using a timestretch algorithm.
+ Resizing a region is done by <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking on
+ the right-hand side of the region and dragging the edge to the desired
+ position; once the button is released a <kbd class="menu">Time Stretch
+ Audio</kbd> dialog will appear, as detailed in the dedicated <a href="@@stretching">
+ Stretching</a> page.
+</p>
+
+<h3 id="audition">Audition Mode</h3>
+
+<p>
+ <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking on a given region using <dfn>Audition
+ Mode</dfn> will play the the session for the time span of that region.
+ The regions can also be <dfn>scrubbed</dfn> by
+ <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking and dragging in the direction
+ desired; the amount dragged in one direction or the other will determine
+ the playback speed.
+</p>
+
+<h3 id="draw">Draw Mode</h3>
+
+<p>
+ In <dfn>Draw Mode</dfn>, the mouse pointer will change to a pencil; the
+ effect it will have depends on the type of track or region it is utilized
+ in.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ In an <a href="@@audio-track-controls">audio track</a>, a green line will
+ appear in the region which is that region's <a href="@@gain-envelopes"><dfn>gain
+ envelope</dfn></a>. <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking anywhere in
+ a given region between two existing <dfn>control points</dfn> will add
+ one to the region at the X-coordinate clicked on with the Y-coordinate
+ being on the line connecting the control points on either side of the
+ new one. <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking on a control point will
+ allow it to be moved to any point in the region in between the control
+ points that bound it on either side of itself. And finally,
+ <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking on a control point and pressing
+ the <kbd>delete</kbd> key or holding down the <kbd class="mod3n"></kbd>
+ key while <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking on it will delete the
+ control point.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ In an <a href="@@automation-lanes">automation lane</a>, if any automation
+ is defined in it, a green line connecting its control points will appear
+ in the lane. Control points in the lane are manipulated in exactly the
+ same way as they are in a region's gain envelope (see previous paragraph
+ for details).
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ In a <a href="@@midi-track-controls">MIDI track</a>,
+</p>
+<ul>
+ <li>
+ <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking in a part of the track that has
+ no region, creates a one-bar long region, while <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-dragging
+ will create a region of arbitrary length.
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking on a region in Percussive mode
+ creates a diamond indicating a hit.
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-clicking on a region in Sustained mode
+ creates a note whose duration is one <a href="@@grid-controls">Grid unit</a>,
+ while <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd>-dragging creates a note of arbitrary
+ Grid units length.
+ </li>
+</ul>
+
+<h3 id="edit-internal">Internal Edit Mode</h3>
+
+<p>
+ In <dfn>Internal Edit Mode</dfn>, the mouse pointer will change to
+ cross-hairs.
+<p>
+<ul>
+ <li>
+ On an automation lane, it allows to edit the automation
+ like the Draw tool.
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ On a MIDI region, it allows to lasso-select multiple notes at a time.
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ On an audio region, it displays the current level of the signal
+ and allows to edit the region gain like the Draw tool.
+ </li>
+</ul>
projects / ardour-manual / blobdiff