+---
+title: The Toolbox
+---
+
+<img src="/images/toolbar-tools.png" alt="Editor toolbar's tools, aka toolbox">
+
+<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:
+</p>
+
+<dl>
+ <dt><kbd class="menu">Slide</kbd></dt>
+ <dd>Regions move freely. Ardour creates overlaps when necessary.</dd>
+ <dt><kbd class="menu">Ripple</kbd></dt>
+ <dd>Editing affects the regions to the "right" of the edit (see below).</dd>
+ <dt><kbd class="menu">Lock</kbd></dt>
+ <dd>No region motion is permitted (except for "nudge").</dd>
+</dl>
+
+<p>
+ Ripple Edit mode provides the following conveniences:
+ <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>
+ <li>Moving a region will move later regions to compensate for the length of the move</li>
+ <li>Inserting a new region (via dragging or via Paste) will move later regions to the right to compensate</li>
+ </ul>
+</p>
+
+<p class="note">
+ 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="/ardours-interface/the-editor/the-toolbar/the-grid-controls/">Snap To the Grid</a>
+ for details.
+</p>
+
+<h2>The <em>Smart</em> switch
+
+<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.
+</p>
+
+<h2>Mouse Modes</h2>
+
+<dl class="wide-table">
+ <dt id="object">Grab Mode</dt>
+ <dd>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.</dd>
+
+ <dt>Range Mode</dt>
+ <dd>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.</dd>
+
+ <dt>Cut Tool Mode</dt>
+ <dd>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.</dd>
+
+ <dt>Stretch Mode</dt>
+ <dd>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.</dd>
+
+ <dt>Audition Tool</dt>
+ <dd>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.</dd>
+
+ <dt>Draw Tool</dt>
+ <dd>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.</dd>
+
+ <dt>Internal/Region Edit Mode</dt>
+ <dd>When in <dfn>Internal Edit</dfn> mode, the mouse pointer will change to
+ cross-hairs. This tool acts on gegion gain and automation as the Draw tool.<br>
+ On a MIDI region, it allows to lasso-select multiple notes at a time.</dd>
+</dl>
+
+