Hotkeys to pause at current frame vs stop and return to last cursor

browj2 wrote on 1/16/2023, 2:45 PM

Hi,

However, pressing the enter key zooms the timeline view out to the full project length.

Well, I'll be....! All these years and I never noticed that. That is probably why I sometimes get the full timeline inadvertently. The normal command is Ctrl+F, or F or use the button at the bottom of the timeline - right side.

If you need to have the playback marker stop at the start location, then I suggest that you uncheck the box in the Program Settings for "Spacebar stops at current playback position." Then using the spacebar will stop at the start position. Use K to stop at the current playback position. There is more, like J and L, but I suggest that you look at the shortcuts under File, Settings, Keyboard Shortcut. Then press on List in the right hand column and go through the list and the shortcuts. You can modify some of them (but not from the list view). "Enter" cannot be applied to anything - I tried.

How do I prevent the project zoom out?

Don't press Enter.

BTW, when adjusting effects in the boxes, when you type in something, you have to press Enter for it to stick. That is where I have always used Enter.

If you inadvertenly (from habit) press on Enter, use Alt+2, Alt+3 or Alt+4 to get back close to what you probably had, with the view centred around the playback marker, wherever it was when you pressed Enter. Then use Ctrl+Mouse wheel to adjust the zoom, if needed.

For trimming, you may want to learn how to use the Split and Trim mode (Shift+T), and use the Z and U commands to trim the head or the tail. In mouse mode for a track/all tracks, the gap will close - but not with Split and Trim.

There is also the Object Trimmer for more precision.

John CB

Photog.Ross wrote on 1/16/2023, 5:29 PM

Thank you for the extensive suggestions, some of them have helped at least partially. All of the playback hotkeys appear to be related to that Settings option to either return to last cursor position or pause at current, so no matter if I press space or K or anything else, I can only configure for every hotkey to pause at current OR to return to last position, but cannot have two separate hotkeys. It is unfortunate, it will slow me down. (and I am not going to add and remove markers every time I want to be able to play forward but potentially return)

The zoom hot keys will be useful, jumping into the 1 minute zoom (ALT+5) in particular.

Much of my editing has and audio-dependent component, so a visual scrub (split and trim mode) is insufficient, sadly.

AAProds wrote on 1/16/2023, 5:51 PM

@Photog.Ross

Another for you: when playing, hitting the keyboard Down arrow will stop at current position, hitting the Up arrow will return to starting position. 😉

Edit: got it right second-time round.

Photog.Ross wrote on 1/16/2023, 6:08 PM

Thanks AAProds, that's the secret sauce right there, much appreciated!!

AAProds wrote on 1/16/2023, 7:05 PM

@Photog.Ross

Ross, you'll be (dis) pleased to know that in the old days, if playback was stopped, hitting the Up arrow would start playback as well. Excellent. Alas, somebody decided that was not a good idea and that feature was removed. 😂

browj2 wrote on 1/17/2023, 7:13 AM

@AAProds

Hi Al,

I keep forgetting that UP Arrow shortcut. We need a listing of these mostly undocumented obscure shortcuts put under Tutorials so that we can find them. Do you happen to have a list?

John CB

me_again wrote on 1/18/2023, 1:13 AM

@Photog.Ross

Greetings,

For what it's worth I find it easier to set the Space Bar for start play and return to start position and Esc to stop and stay where the cursor is.

AndyW

CubeAce wrote on 1/18/2023, 2:40 AM

@AAProds @browj2 @me_again @Photog.Ross

OK.

You lot have got me just pressing keyboard keys now.

Holding down control while pressing the left right arrow keys gives me fast playback in either direction.

Holding down control while pressing the up and down arrow keys give me zoom on the timeline.

I can at least see me using those two.

Ray.

AAProds wrote on 1/18/2023, 2:48 AM

@me_again

and Esc to stop and stay where the cursor is.

Gotta take my hand off the mouse for that!! 😂

@CubeAce

Ray, there you go, didn't hurt a bit, did it? I'm not a huge shortcut user, but do use Z (cut off left), U (cut off right), T , and E often. I also have my F keys mapped to various functions, with a typed legend along the top of the keyboard for them.

me_again wrote on 1/18/2023, 3:18 AM

@AAProds

Gotta take my hand off the mouse for that!! 😂

Aah, must be the different hemisphere

AAProds wrote on 1/18/2023, 3:20 AM

@me_again

One of my fridge magnets: "We're all born right-handed, only some of us overcome it!".

me_again wrote on 1/18/2023, 4:22 AM

@AAProds😂

CubeAce wrote on 1/18/2023, 4:25 AM

@AAProds @me_again

What is the definition of left or right handed or even hemisphere dominance?

I use cutlery right handed. Write left handed. Draw with either hand. Play guitar right handed. Use hand tools left handed, power tools right handed. Use a typing keyboard predominantly left handed. Use the mouse right handed. Play synth mainly with right hand. Right eye dominant for sports and event photography using viewfinder but left eye dominant for portraiture and landscape.

The only difference I can see is when I'm taught something I copy the person teaching. Learning on my own I do either depending on the ergonomics of the task.

Shortcuts though do my head in. I swap between too many programs for a given task to get to grips with variations.

Ray.

johnebaker wrote on 1/18/2023, 3:08 PM

@CubeAce

Hi Ray

. . . . You lot have got me just pressing keyboard keys now. . . . .

Can you recheck the key combinations which are different for me ie:

. . . . Holding down control while pressing the left right arrow keys gives me fast playback in either direction. . . . .

Ctrl + left/right arrow keys moves the cursor 5 frames in the appropriate direction, this is the default action as detailed under Shortcuts p217 in the manual. It is a very useful keyboard shortcut.

The Ctrl+ up/down arrow zooming is also a default action (p218) - useful for zooming in/out centred on the current timeline cursor position.

John EB

CubeAce wrote on 1/18/2023, 4:24 PM

@johnebaker

Hi John.

Ctrl + ← or → gives me what looks like a fast playback in either direction because it is not smooth frame wise when you look at the monitor but the sound plays normally.

Ctrl + ↟ or ↡ gives me a zoom in on time only, not width of track.

Ray.

AAProds wrote on 1/18/2023, 5:40 PM

@johnebaker @CubeAce

Ctrl + left/right arrow keys moves the cursor 5 frames in the appropriate direction, this is the default action as detailed under Shortcuts p217 in the manual. It is a very useful keyboard shortcut.

John, Ray you're both correct. I single tap jumps the play marker 5 frames; holding down the arrow key "plays" the video in 5-frame increments at fast speed.

CubeAce wrote on 1/18/2023, 6:48 PM

@johnebaker @AAProds @browj2 @Photog.Ross @me_again

Then there is the multiple pressings of J and L to incrementally increase speeding up the play of forward or backward.

Too many shortcut keys 😆😉.

browj2 wrote on 1/18/2023, 8:27 PM

@CubeAce

Hi Ray,

Just concentrate on the few that you really need, like T, Z, and U.

I have many on my ShuttlePro and the hard part is remembering which button to press. I have 4 for VPX, 3 for Xara, 1 for Music Maker, 1 for Sound Forge Audio Cleaning Lab. I keep the cheat sheets in front of me.

John CB

AAProds wrote on 1/18/2023, 10:05 PM

@CubeAce

Ray, but wait, there's more! CTRL+ALT then left-click and drag the whole timeline window. Saves fighting with the possibly tiny bottom scroll bar.

In the old days, we had vertical lines in the timeline window which you could rest your pointer on and then drag, but that idea was obviously deemed uncool. It was a great feature which I miss.

CubeAce wrote on 1/19/2023, 3:20 AM

@browj2 @AAProds

In an era where most people can't even remember their own or spouses mobile phone number I just find the concept that just about every program has its own set of shortcuts that everyone is supposed to remember and those shortcuts are different for the same function in a different program. What surprises me more is people don't remap the options where it is possible so all their programs share similar commands if they feel that that is their chosen workflow method.

I do appreciate the programmers efforts though and thank any effort to improve workflows in the future as computing is still in its infancy.

Ray.

johnebaker wrote on 1/19/2023, 3:22 AM

@CubeAce, @AAProds

Hi Ray, Alwyn

The J K L and Spacebar actions/behaviour are fairly common transport controls for many video editors.

. . . . . In the old days, we had vertical lines in the timeline window which you could rest your pointer on and then drag . . . . .

Now they were really useful for getting about a zoomed in timeline easy. Ah well what was cool for us elder ones is now passé.

Like @browj2 I use a Contour Shuttle (smaller version of John's) and have programmed the buttons and dials for most transport controls and setting In/Out points

John EB

CubeAce wrote on 1/19/2023, 4:44 AM

@johnebaker

Hi John.

The J K L and Spacebar actions/behaviour are fairly common transport controls for many video editors.

Yes, but not in my audio editing packages and are the same functions. I would love to see some sort of industry agreed upon standard.

Ray.

me_again wrote on 1/19/2023, 6:52 AM

I hope certain world leaders don't read this topic with all the confusion about what key and which button does what 😱 😆

AndyW

CubeAce wrote on 1/19/2023, 8:27 AM

@me_again

Hi Andy.

Not if they had my keyboard they wouldn't.

That really is my modified keyboard. 🤣

Ray.